by Dr. Paul Hutinger
Question: Is it important to know my heart rate during training?
Answer: Yes, it is the most important and practical physiological measurement that you can analyze. Blood lactates have been popular with many elite programs. For the Master swimmer, heart rate monitoring can easily be included, without expensive equipment. Unfortunately, many swimmers and coaches think only in terms of the quantity of yardage done in a training session.
Heart rate can be taken at the carotid artery (neck, slight pressure) or wrist, immediately upon completion of the required swim or sets of swims. Take HR for 6 seconds and add a 0 for your minute rate. Monitoring your training swims can give you information and identify which aspects of your program you are achieving. You can apply this scientific approach to the energy systems needed to train for your events and plan ahead to when your meets are scheduled. The following table gives information on HR's to elicit training of the three energy systems.
3 primary energy systems classification |
HR age 20-30 |
HR age 50-60 |
% of training for endurance phase |
| A1---low intensity aerobic | 110-120 |
90-100 |
50% |
| A2---aerobic | 120-130 |
100-110 | |
| AT---anaerobic threshold | 160-170 |
140-150 |
30% |
| V02--above threshold | 170-180 |
150-160 |
15% |
| LT---lactic acid | 180-200 |
160-170 |
5% |
Max HR=220 minus your age (example, for a 50-year old: 220-50=170)
Swimming elicits a lower HR by approximately 10%, compared to running. Recovery HR should be taken 1 minute after the previous HR. In this time, a highly trained swimmer will recover from a max of 170>100. By taking your recovery HR each week, you can measure your fitness improvement. Straight sets with the same average time each week should show you a lower HR as your conditioning improves.
The 50% of your training at aerobic levels includes your warm up, cool down and usually, any short rest swims, such as with 5-10 second intervals. Your AT and V02 levels are usually at your race pace intensities. If you swim 5000 yards per session, you would need 8x25's or 4x50's each workout at close to all out swims. Follow these guidelines to maximize your training for performance. If you specialize in only distance, like 500 yards and up, or sprint 200 yards and under, modify the percent of energy systems. The early season training, however, needs all systems.
Anyone wanting additional information, or having personal questions, please send a large SASE to Dr. Paul Hutinger, 1755 Georgia Ave NE, St. Petersburg FL 33703. You can e-mail me at phut@usms.org.