How to Boost Your Speed Over the Long Haul

Thought this was a an interesting example of different training philosophies.  One thing is for sure, in the world of swimming, there may never be agreement on the question of "How Much"

 

"Zena, who has an extensive competitive swimming background dating back to her college days, has advised Eric that the best way to improve his 1,650-yard freestyle time is to swim 4,000 to 5,000 yards a day and focus on some faster-paced sets to quicken his average speed.

Eric, who only started swimming in his late 30's, insists that swimming a whopping 10,000 yards a day, five days a week, will provide him with the conditioning he missed out on as a youth. With such yardage under his belt, Eric claims he is bound to improve his long-distance swims. Ultimately, the goal is to get Eric's 19-plus-minute 1,650 time down to under 19 minutes.

Swimmers and triathletes always seem to struggle with the yardage question. Generally a motivated and focused bunch, they know deep down that doing more may not always be the best way to improve. However, these athletes can't help but believe that if they slack off, they just might get beaten by the slightly more dedicated someone who may have done those extra miles during mid-season training."

 

Read the entire article on Active.com