USRPT and the Concept of Failure

Take Home Points on USRPT and the Concept of Failure

Failing reps carries negative connotations, often leading to poor understanding of USRPT. Failure, as defined by the USRPT system, is a key element for set progress It is important to properly define failure for optimal application

One of the most misunderstood yet critical elements of the USRPT system is the concept of failure.  For those currently applying USRPT in their own programs, this post will be very elementary.  But for those with a passing knowledge of USRPT, this post will hopefully clear up misunderstanding.  Unfortunately, a full description of USRPT is impossible in this single article, but most readers are at least aware that USRPT involves copious amounts of repetitions performed at (or very near) race pace. (for previous discussion on this site, see HIT, HIIT, USRPT, Traditional Training)

With the growing awareness of the value in race pace training, more teams have

integrated what they believe to be USRPT.  Certainly, completing many high quality, successful repetitions is a key component of any training plan.  Yet some might call low doses of race pace training to be relatively meaningless if performed in low volumes.  However, most would also agree that training to excess would stifle improvement as well. 

Failure lies at the center of this discussion and is largely what separates the USRPT system from “just doing a bunch of race pace reps to cover our bases.”  When most think of failure, they think of complete physical failure where body is completely unable to perform the demands asked of it.  Best example is doing a weightlifting set in which the weight simply won’t move at the end of the set.  Now, complete failure in the pool is rare as the body can typically still function after a failed rep but at lower loads, even after complete exhaustion. (ie, Noakes Central Governor Theory...See Neural Fatigue and Swimming for related discussion)

USRPT employs a different concept of failure, which we might define as goal time failure.  In goal time failure, it means the swimmer has failed to achieve the goal time for a particular.  In fact, copious volume may still be possible for the remainder of the session and through the rest of the day.  Failure may also be caused by losing mental focus, poor execution of a turn, or extrinsic factors (collision, etc), the latter of which are not “counted against” the swimmer. 

Failure in this latter context involves separate purposes.  One purpose is to allow the swimmer to cognitively reevaluate what is necessary to get back on pace for the remainder of the set.  Secondly, pursuing failure is one way to go right up to the edge of work tolerance without going overboard.  There are other safeguards built into the system to ensure overreaching does not occur, but for now just understand that goal time failure is one of these safeguards. 

In a “traditional set” or even in a High Intensity Interval set (typically shorter rest than USRPT) the rest period becomes less and less until an interval is missed.  By that point the swimmer has exhausted much of his or her reserves hanging on for several reps.  The swimmer may be as much as 10 seconds off goal pace (or more if doing long distance repeats).  In USRPT, rest and pace are held constant. 

Conclusion

Training to failure evokes negative connotations that lead to many misunderstandings in the application of USRPT training, some of which I had personally bought into before reading the full story.  It is hard to discuss failure in isolation of the whole system, but hopefully this clears up some misconceptions and distinguishes USRPT failure from negatively associated failure in tradition or HIIT.  

Written by Allan Phillips is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and owner of Pike Athletics. He is also an ASCA Level II coach and USA Triathlon coach. Allan is a co-author of the Troubleshooting System and was selected by Dr. Mullen as an assistant editor of the Swimming Science Research Review. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy at US Army-Baylor University.

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HIT, HIIT, USRPT, Traditional Training...What are the Differences and Does HIT Work in Swimmers?

Take Home Points on HIT, HIIT, USRPT, Traditional Training...What are the Differences and Does HIT Work in Swimmers?

HIT and traditional training both maintain training capacity in trained swimmers. Neither HIT nor traditional training significantly improve 100 or 200-m performance in elite swimmers.

Different forms of training are becoming more accepted in the sports training community. Diversity in training theory is likely beneficial, as it is unlikely each swimmer benefits from the same protocol. Unfortunately, differentiating various training theories and abbreviations is difficult. Check out the discussion on our Facebook page.

• HIT: High-intensity training (HIT) involves performing maximal efforts with long rest. For example, 25s sprint on 3:00.
• HIIT: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) utilizes maximal effort training with short rest. For example, 8x25 @ :10 rest. 
• USRPT: Ultra short-rest race pace training (USRPT) uses a similar approach to HIIT, but provides slightly longer recovery for avoidance of fatigue and a larger emphasis on motor skill learning. 30x25@~:10 - :20 rest, emphasizing one biomechanical improvement.
• Traditional: Higher volume training emphasizing a period of oxidative (aerobic) training at slower than race pace or sprint pace. 

Unfortunately, limited studies analyze the influence of different training philosophies, especially in elite swimmers. Kilen (2014) split forty-one healthy Danish national level senior elite swimmers (M=30, F=11; ~20.0 years), with thirty-nine participants 50 – 200 m specialists in to either a high-intensity training (HIT) or a control (CON) group.

The 12 week studied was carried out in the competitive mid-season from February to May and the came from four different club teams. The HIT group had the regular training volume reduced by 50% and the amount of high-intensity training was more than doubled. Strength and core training was performed ~20 minutes per day for ~2 hours per week.

Physiological evaluations were taken before and after the testing: body composition analyses, swimming economy, swimming peak oxygen uptake, 5x200 m swim test with increasing speeds, and blood analyses. Performance was also measured for the 100 m and 200 m freestyle in competition.

Results of HIT Swim Training

Performance of the 100 m all-out freestyle was similar before and after the intervention in both the HIT and CON group. Performance in the 200 m was also not significantly different between groups. The results for the 5x200 m swim test were also similar. Stroke-rate and length was similar during the 200 m before and after both the control and HIT.

VO2max in the flume was similar between groups before and after the intervention. VO2max expressed relative to body weight was significantly lowered in the HIT, but not the CON group after the training.

VO2 determined at a fixed submaximal speed before and after the intervention was similar for both groups. Ventilation was also similar before and after the intervention for both groups. Respiratory exchange ratio was similar before and after training for both groups. Blood lactate after the 5x200 m test set was similar before and after training for both groups. Body fat percentage significantly greater after the training period for the CON, but not the HIT group.

These result are similar to other studies on adult swimmers, but not children, as age-group swimmers are thought to have greater improvement with HIT. The lack of significant improvement in this study may be from the swimmers already being adjusted to years of previous HIT training.

Summary of HIT in Swimmers

Twelve weeks of HIT training does not impair performance, but HIT or traditional training don’t improve 100 m or 200 m performance in elite swimmers. Both forms of training can maintain training capacity for a swimmer. Individualized training approaches are necessary for each swimmer, as some improved while others worsened with each program. For improvements, swimmers likely need greater biomechanical improvement or high-intensity/race pace training, as the HIT group only performed ~6,500 yards of high speed training a week. To note, this volume is far less than advocated by USRPT.  

Reference

1. Kilen A, Larsson TH, Jørgensen M, Johansen L, Jørgensen S, Nordsborg NB. Effects of 12 weeks high-intensity & reduced-volume training in elite athletes. PLoS One. 2014 Apr 15;9(4):e95025. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095025. eCollection 2014.

Written by G. John Mullen received his Doctorate in Physical at University of Southern California (USC) and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). At USC, he was a clinical research assistant performing research on adolescent  diabetes, lung adaptations to swimming, and swimming biomechanics. G. John has been featured in Swimming World Magazine, Swimmer Magazine, and the International Society of Swim Coaches Journal. He is currently the owner of COR, providing Physical Therapy, Personal Training, and Swim Lessons to swimmers and athletes of all skills and ages. He is also the creator of the Swimmer's Shoulder System, Swimming Science, Swimming Science Research Review, and the Swimming Troubleshooting System.

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Weekly Round-up

1. Genetic Trainability: Your Genes Influence Your Workout Results - Nick Tumminello.
2. Hypotheses about the Specificity of Physical Conditioning in Swimming: It Is a Lot -More Specific than Commonly Believed - Brent S. Rushall. 
3. Ultra-short Race-pace Training and Traditional Training Compared - Brent S. Rushall. 
4. Current Swimming Techniques: The Physics of Movements and Observations of Champions - Brent S. Rushall. 
5. A Training Possibility - By Brent S. Rushall. 
6. Adapting to the USRPT Format - Brent S. Rushall. 
7. Aerobic Training is Not Enough - Brent S. Rushall.  
8. USRPT and the Non-taper - Brent S. Rushall. 
9. Understanding a USRPT Set - Brent S. Rushall. 
10. Coaching Knowledge and USRPT - Brent S. Rushall. 
11. Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections in the Treatment of Chronic Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial With 1-Year Follow-up -S Kesikburun.
12. Chronic Effect of Static Stretching on Strength Performance and Basal Serum IGF-1 Levels- CL Borges Bastos.
13. The effect of fatigue on the underwater arm stroke motion in the 100-m front crawl - by H Suito.
14. Six weeks of aerobic training improves VO2max and MLSS but does not improve the time to fatigue at the MLSS- by TT Mendes.
15. DRD2 C313T and DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphisms and physical activity of healthy men in Lower Silesia, Poland (HALS study)- by P Jozkow.
16. Sex differences in central and peripheral mechanisms of fatigue in cyclists-by BW Glace.
17. Long-term creatine supplementation improves muscular performance during resistance training in older women-by AF Aquiar.

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ISCA Presentation Review: Dr. Rushall, Ph.D., R. Psy

These notes are taken from the ISCA conference. They are not verbatim, but a summary of the information discussed. For more on this topic, please read Swimming Energy Training in the 21st Century

Dr. Rushall, Ph.D, R. Psy

Error in training due to lack of reading research.
Harvard fatigue laboratory greatly influenced him, as it applied practical information.
"Put your evidence where your mouth is".

Motor Learning

Pincer grip with coins activates 3 areas of the brain. Squeezes a toilet paper roll activates different areas of the brain than pincer grip. Brodmann's areas in the brain are incorrect, the brain detects movements. Each individual activates different areas of the brain during the same activity. Weighted vs. body weight likely activates different areas of the brain.

Ultra Short Rest Race Pace Training (USRPT)
Requires new thinking, all swimming physiology taught has benn wrong.
Remove current ideas held.
Expect very different performances for swimmers compared to traditional training (TT).
"Principle of specificity" is king.
If lactate is ~10 mmol, learning is impossible.

Glycogen stays elevated in USRPT compared to TT, if glycogen is depleted it takes 48 hours to recovery.

Motor learning requires more repetitions than we think.
50 - meter/yard training doesn't following typical training, it requires hypoxic training.
USRPT requires lots of repetitions, it takes 7-8 exposures to mimic race conditions. 

USRPT optimizes amount of race pace training.
Train for an event, not a physiological system.

60% of SCY is underwater, making the importance of underwater kicking obvious.
Warm-up is the biggest dogma in swimming. Body temperature decreases 3 degrees during water entry, so how do you expect swimming slow to increase body temperature?
In-water warm up effect ends after ~20 seconds, making it impossible to facilitate benefits.

USRPT wants to reach capacity for training.
Old training increases, decreases glycogen and impairs ideal swimming velocity.
Varying metabolic responses occur during traditional training, which isn't ideal for motor learning.

USRPT develops aerobic training better than traditional training.
Power is better for USRPT and a better term than strength.

Sorry for the poor quality

Sorry for the poor quality

Sorry for the poor quality

Changes in capacity and performance often occur. Performance is what matters.
USRPT+Tradition does not improve performance, but tradition+USRPT does improve performance.
It is high-energy metabolism of the phosphagen-related substances that is the anaerobic activity primarily involved in racing performances in swimming.
USRPT uses more oxygen to convert type IIb to IIa [oxidative].
Not aerobic, but anaerobic adaptation.

Exposures of the same set take take 3-4 exposures for improvement
M-W-F same set, but improves. Sa half the exposures.

Another benefit of USRPT, after injury takes only 2 months to catch up with group. 

Dr. Rushall feels technique and mental skills are the biggest avenues for improvement. 

Respiratory rates allow better measurement of recovery than heart rate. 
Race pace 1:1 work rest, during sprinting more than 1:1. 

50-m TrainingCarlile swim club-10 age group swimmers, 5/10 #1 ranked.
Dive 25 walk backs.
Push envelope of swimming fast with hypoxic training.

Go too fast too early you use to much anaerobic and pay for it during end of race.

Offseason Training
Feels you can gradually increase velocity during beginning of a season [yet admits he has rarely worked with this as Australia doesn't have an "offseason"].
Swimmers have larger left ventricle than other sports (except other prone sports)

Reference:

1. Rushall, Brent S. "Swimming Energy Training in the 21st Century." Sports Science Associates. Hilton Hotel, Clearwater, FL. 28 August 2013. Keynote Address.  

By Dr. G. John Mullen received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science of Health from Purdue University where he swam collegiately. He is the owner of COR, Strength Coach Consultant, Creator of the Swimmer's Shoulder System, and chief editor of the Swimming Science Research Review.

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