Essential Measurements In A Practice Set

[Admin Mediterra]

In each of our practices we have fitness and skills we are training to increase. In order to monitor and improve these, we must measure them.

There are two dimensions to our improvement:

1. Improving qualities
2. Improving quantities

Quantities are objective things like time, distance, speed, number of strokes, tempo, etc. 

Qualities are subjective things that tell us how well energy is being used on the inside of the body.

Read more about this in Two Essential Measurements.

In a practice set, to be able to compare results from one practice to the next in some meaningful way, we need to approach it in a more scientific way in how we treat variables.

There are four things we measure:

1. What we will hold constant
2. What we will adjust (if assigned)
3. What the outcome will be
4. How well we used energy (quality)

For example, let’s say I have just given you an assignment to swim 3x 100, hold SPL at 19, start at tempo of 1.09 and increase (speed up) by -0.03 on each repeat. Watch the time. Concentrate on relaxation of the recovery as tempo increases.

You would measure in this way:

1. Count strokes and control your body in such a way to produce exactly 19 SPL on each length.
2. Set the Tempo Trainer at 1.09 and keep your stroke timed to the BEEP.
3. Start the repeat at certain moment on the clock, and then notice the time when you finish the repeat. If you have successfully executed the assigned metrics, then your times should have gotten faster for each 100. This would be quantitative success or failure.
4. And, you can evaluate whether you used more relaxation in the recovery to achieve this, or you used more power or effort instead. This would be qualitative success or failure.

 

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