Training for one event

Mechanics vs. Yardage
Yardage, yardage, yardage is the old school of thought in this sport and is still used by some successful teams around the country. The true test would be to study the longevity of the swimmers who over train as a training philosophy and see if they continue to swim in college and improve as well as reports on injuries incurred. Overtraining results in bad mechanics, which leads to injuries and results in less recovery swimming, which breaks down the athlete and trains all muscle groups to work as slow-twitch muscles. Each person has a different level of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles which makes certain swimmers better at sprints and others mid-to-distance events. One type of training will not maximize each swimmer’s potential and this is up to the coach and swimmer to determine. Quality over quantity training with the right mix of recovery and dryland workouts can maximize a swimmer’s potential. Training with proper stroke mechanics is harder to do and the benefits are twofold.