Faster vs. Longer - how to train?

[ukgm]

An often overlooked factor is just training with other people.

I have been training mostly on my own and thought I was getting pretty fit. Yesterday I did a training session with someone better than me and realised I am not fit. He pushed me in ways I would never be able to push myself. I realised a lot about how I had been training and that it was not "hard" at all.

Having other people on the water to chase, draft and do drills with makes the whole experience more enjoyable. There will be days you will get to the water and not feel like pushing yourself and then once everyone is on the water before you know it you have put in a very decent session. Try and get in a squad and do regular squad training it opens a new world.

The problem that SUP has is that the means to quantify training effort lag behind other sports. It still relies exclusively on either pace or heart rate and these aren’t reliable. They don’t always let people train to exactly the right levels they should and can rely too much on the mindset. Power meters would sort some of the issues you raise but these still haven’t made it to market yet. Even running has started to shift to other metrics.

Likewise working in groups can be good but it’s not something I recommend too frequently as what often happens is that only the strongest athlete gets the right prescribed session whereas the weaker ones overcook themselves working relatively harder trying to keep up thereby needing more recovery and this can sour more of the weeks training. A 60 minutes session at 80% heart rate for a good paddler could be a 100% flat out time trial for a weaker one.  Care is needed but I do group paddles once a week myself during the long winter months.

[singingdog]

I don't see a lot of recommendations about technique training. I don't race, but I do paddle 5 days/week and keep pretty good track of my progress. SUP is a sport, unlike cycling, that is hugely dependent on efficient technique. If you are already fairly fit (and it sounds like you are) then focusing on good technique will pay big dividends.

[yugi]

yep

Definitely the smartest thing to focus on.

[ukgm]

I don't see a lot of recommendations about technique training. I don't race, but I do paddle 5 days/week and keep pretty good track of my progress. SUP is a sport, unlike cycling, that is hugely dependent on efficient technique. If you are already fairly fit (and it sounds like you are) then focusing on good technique will pay big dividends.

I do agree with this but the risk is that it needs to be rigorous, repeated frequently and comprehensive to get the gains. A smarter bet may well be to do drills at the start of the session and then tailored aerobic orientated training after it. Swimmers do this and I don't see the hard yards or the drills as mutually exclusive.

I'd also suggest taking a look at nutrition (notice i'm not using the word 'diet'). If you're not lean(ish) then its free speed if you can lose any lumber you may have.

[safetyboy]

Thanks for all the tips.  I decided to do the following:

I figure I need all 3 of: 

1) Speed 2) Endurance 3) Form

to really get good at 6 mile races.  So I decided to alternate between:

• Fast Days, where I paddle at race speed for 1 mile, take a breather, and then do another fast mile (with warm-ups and downs, of course).
• Slow Days, where I go somewhat slower, all the way up and down the lake (which is more like 3 - 3.5 miles), without a breather, but focusing more on good form than speed.

Form is the hardest for me, because while I can watch videos on "proper" form, I have a hard time judging myself on how well I am doing it.  I don't have a coach or paddle-buddy, so I probably need to talk my wife into coming along to video me a few times. 

I'll let you know how it goes - current goal is to get under 25 min for the next 2 mile race.

- Thanks, Kevin