CSS - Critical Swim Speed · EnduranceworX

CSS - Critical Swim Speed

What is it and why do we use it? CSS is a test derived metric that provides an estimate of what your speed is over a continuous 1500m swim. It is derived from a test where you swim a 400m and a 200m time trial within a carefully constructed swim set. We first came across it when getting accredited by Swim Smooth and have used it ever since.

Your CSS is the speed that is gained swimming at your threshold level and we use it to set pace targets in all of our swim sessions and also for estimating potential race times. Like FTP on the bike we can measure any performance shifts looking at how it moves over time. The right level of training stimulus coupled with attention to improving body position and stroke mechanics will 100% shift it the right way. This does mean that you have to swim often - otherwise it is unlikely you will aquire the skills or the fitness to improve. There is almost zero transfer of ability to your swim from biking or running - this is why good riders and runners can get frustrated with swimming. Riding or running you push harder, you go faster. Push harder in swimming chances are you will go slower over any distance further than 100m. Like all things in life - there are no shortcuts or 'hacks' to improvement, only focus, practice and repetition. How does it go? The definition of madnss Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome !

0 comments