Welcome to the first installment of our series, "Mastering the Art of Specified Training in Swimming." Today, we're diving headfirst into one of the most talked-about yet misunderstood training methodologies in the swimming world: Ultra-Short Race Pace Training (USRPT).

Does anyone else hate the practices where a coach writes up the entire practice on a white board with the TOTAL at the bottom?  Good Will Hunting, perhaps.

When I arrive at a training session, I want to know what I am specifically working on THAT DAY.  Anything else is just a grinder.  My least favorite, I call them the DU drones, would swim 10 x 400s, and the next day, “to change it up,” would swim 14 x 300s.  When I see a practice set like this, I only know that I am working on my 4K pace…and that’s not a race distance I am aware of (okay…Ironman)!

I’ve also had sessions where the coach says, “Today, we’re working on our 100 butterfly, so today’s set is 10 x 100s butterfly”…uh…NO WAY!  There’s no going to be one stroke relevant to my 100 butterfly pace.  Hence, it’s a waste of my time.  I’d get just as much out of riding a stationary bike…less the shoulder injury.

To hold the proper pace and technique, regardless of the stroke and distance, I need something MUCH shorter: USRPT.

What Is USRPT?

Simply put, USRPT is a training approach that focuses on replicating a swimmer’s "race pace" in training sets. But wait, you might be thinking: isn't that for sprinters? Absolutely NOT!

USRPT caters to all distances and strokes, not just sprints. Whether you're preparing for a 50-meter sprint, a 10K, or ultra-distance open water swim, the concept remains the same: train at the speed you intend to race.

Dispelling the Myths

Myth 1: USRPT is Only for Sprinters

As someone who’s had success in sprints AND in long-distance open water swims, I can personally attest that USRPT can be beneficial across all distances.  My personal credentials include World and National Rankings in pool events from the 50 Free to the 1500M (and everything in between) as well as National Championships in open water events from one mile to twelve.  My longest race was the Ibiza Ultramarathon Swim of 30km…ALL USING USRPT as my training methodology.

Myth 2: USRPT Lacks Versatility

In fact, the specificity of USRPT allows for a great deal of versatility. If you can excel at a 50m sprint, who’s to say you can't conquer a 10K swim with the right training?  The key is to have a specific training plan (at race pace) for each distance.

The Science Behind USRPT

At its core, USRPT engages your aerobic and anaerobic systems at the "race-pace" level, conditioning your body to maintain that pace for extended periods.  If a person’s goal, for example, is to break the minute barrier in the 100 free, then the USRPT main set might look something like this:

• 30 x 25 yard “sprints” holding EXACTLY 15-second per 25 on a 30-second interval (allowing 15 seconds rest)

Once successful, the next progression would be the same except on a 25-second interval.  The training thought process would be similar to weightlifting…more weight and/or more reps as you see improvement.  But the GOAL is fixed.

Here was my main training set for the 30km Ibiza Ultramarathon Swim:

• 30 x 100 yards free holding EXACTLY 1:26 per 100 yards on 1:45 send-offs

Now this is QUITE slow for me, but this fit perfectly into what I needed to pace my race over 8-hours-plus.  My body and physiology needed to know what it felt like to go perfectly at that pace.

So ULTRA SHORT RACE PACE in the case of a 30km event was 1:26/100.  While I “could” go faster, I did not want to.

With USRPT, the objective is to maintain the targeted pace for each segment. If you fail to maintain the pace in two consecutive segments, the set is terminated; do something else.

Specificity of Motion: Why It's Crucial

USRPT's focus on "race pace" naturally incorporates "specificity of motion." Every stroke you make in practice should replicate the stroke you intend to use in the race. This fine-tunes not just your speed but also your technique, efficiency, and overall race performance.

The concept of myelination is highly relevant when talking about "specificity of motion" in training regimens like USRPT. By focusing on specific motions and training at race pace, you're not just training your muscles but also the motor neurons that control them. Over time, these neurons become better at transmitting signals, thanks to increased myelination, making you more efficient in your specific racing event.

For more science on this concept read:  How Myelination Can Make You a Better Athlete.

Setting a SMART Goal

Most are familiar with the acronym “SMART” for goal-setting: it is very meaningful within USRPT.

S = Specific (100 free in 1:00)

M = Measurable (time and distance)

A = Achievable (something that is within reason and is realistic)

R = Relevant (in alignment with long term values)

T = (Time relevant…a specific end date or “by when”)

Is going under 1:00 in the 100 free by the 2024 USMS Nationals realistic?  If so, it’s a worthy goal.

With USRPT, I also like to swim at the speed I WANT TO GO, and I do not base my daily workout goals to my current conditioning….”Start with the end in mind.” That is achieved by shortening the distance or number of reps.

For example, maybe you can’t swim that 100 in under one minute today, but you can swim a 25 in under 15-seconds.  And that’s where I’d start; as many 25s as possible at the GOAL PACE with no more than 20 second’s rest.  As I improved, I’d squeeze the interval.

For longer distances, just do the math, and don’t forget to account for wall (or lack thereof) and feeding for open water.

Conclusion

USRPT is a versatile, scientific, and highly specific approach to swimming training. Whether you’re new to the world of swimming or a seasoned long-distance veteran, USRPT can be adapted to meet your specific needs.

Stay tuned for the next installment where we'll dive deeper into the fascinating world of muscle fibers!