Swimming

I’ve seen a lot of programs introduce aerobic training outside of the pool. Is running a suitable option for swimmers or is it too taxing on the body?

I don't think so, man. There are so many other better ways of developing aerobic capacity in swimmers. Just get rid of anything that has the impact of running because you cannot sacrifice your swimmers' heaps, niece, backs just for the sake of aerobic conditioning. I mean, you have better options.

Running is not a good way to develop aerobic capacity in swimmers; there are better options that won't sacrifice their health.

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As a 50 freestyler do you ever train aerobically? How often and how much yardage? Could you share an example of aerobic
set suitable for sprinters?

I do train aerobically, but it's not the classic set up of 10, 20, 30, 40 hundredths on interval. I do shorter distances on very, very almost nonexistent intervals and on a little bit higher intensity. When you spend too much time swimming, let's call it doing a hip-driven swimming just like gliding on your stroke, you end up out missing that stroke in your brain. So it takes you completely away from your sprinting stroke. So I believe that you would need to spend as much time as possible connected with this type of stroke. That's why I only like to use shorter distances and shorter intervals so you can make it a little more aerobic. But if we're talking about going 3k, 4k, 5k, it's been years and I don't do that.

I do shorter distances aerobically with short intervals and higher intensity, rather than the classic 10, 20, 30, 40 hundredths on interval approach. This helps keep me connected to my sprinting stroke.

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What are you favorite drills for sprint freestylers and thoughts on straight arm technique?

If you're trying to learn how to sprint using a straight arm freestyle, I recommend you to try the sprint using freestyle strokes and dolphin kicks. That will give you a nice feel for your stroke and it's going to teach you how to throw your arm and not just to rotate it. Because when you swim freestyle with straight-- when you swim a straight arm freestyle, what you do outside the water is just as important as what you do inside of water.

To learn how to sprint using a straight arm freestyle, use freestyle strokes and dolphin kicks to get a feel for your stroke. Pay attention to what you do outside the water as much as what you do inside of it.

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Can you share the best speed set Brett Hawke gave you?

Me and Brett, we had some good workouts. When we used to work together, there was this set that I loved, that we'd go several 35s, with fence, from-- at that start, which means no push, no dive, no anything. You just lay flat in the water and start sprinting from a stationary position. And we never knew how many we're going to do. So you're just trying to push max speed, max effort, and try to endure as far as you can.

Me and Brett used to do a workout that involved sprinting from a stationary position for several 35s with no push, dive or anything else. We would try to go as far as we could and push our max speed and effort.

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What’s your favourite set to develop front end speed for the 50/100?

My favorite side to develop front end speed for the 50 and 100. Sudha step on the Block and race over and over and over and over and over again which is what is important to point here is that if you want to develop the power the speed you need a lot of rest and culturally in swimmy. We're now used to rest enough. So think about that.

To develop front end speed for the 50 and 100, focus on Sudha steps on the block and racing repeatedly, making sure to include plenty of rest in between.

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How much do you think 50m kick time correlates with 50m free time? Any example sets to work on kick speed?

It varies from swimmer to swimmer. I'm a terrible kicker myself, and I'm one of the best 50 freestylers out there, so it doesn't really translate much. Of course, it will help you a lot if you're a great kicker, but, in the end of the day, what counts the most is how you connect your kick and your swimmer stroke in order to make you swim a full race fast. You're not going to swim the Olympics with a board.

Being a great kicker can help, but what counts the most is how you connect your kick and swim stroke for an efficient race.

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Bruno Fratus is a professional swimmer from Brazil. A sprint freestyle specialist, Fratus competed in the 2012 London Olympics and represented Brazil in front of a home crowd at the Rio Olympics. Fratus won several medals at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai and 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara. In 2012, he finished fourth in the 50m freestyle at the London Olympics and won a bronze in the 400m freestyle relay. He also underwent shoulder surgery in 2014 and had a great comeback year. At the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships, he won gold in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 400m freestyle relay. At the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, he won a bronze in the 50m freestyle, and at the 2015 Pan American Games, he won silver in the 50m freestyle and gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay. In 2019, Fratus won a silver medal in the 50m freestyle at the World Championships, 2 gold medals at the Pan American Games. At the 2020 Olympic Games he won his first Olympic medal.

I’ve seen a lot of programs introduce aerobic training outside of the pool. Is running a suitable option for swimmers or is it too taxing on the body?

Bruno Fratus