We have already seen how to incorporate a micro-cycle of training sessions (weekly training cycle) over a period of time.
We have decided to call one of these sessions a “dedicated session” or, in other words, a specific work out for all four swim strokes.
This kind of training session is mainly important due to the specific nature of this kind of race: you will have to perform at your best in all four legs, which means you will have to learn how to “coordinate them together” properly.
There are two main “to hidden difficulties”:
1. Adapting to changes in body position: the angle of our body in relation to the surface of the water changes for each swim stroke.
This change in position also includes your head and line of vision. To prevent this from having a negative effect on your performance (variations to the nervous and hormonal systems), you need to adapt to these changes very quickly.
2. Coordination in the use of different muscle groups: each swim stroke has its own peculiarities, which means you use your muscles differently as you swim.
When you swim just one single stroke in a race this happens a lot less and only during certain phases (start, turn etc…).
For example, you use your triceps less and the front of your legs more…
