I guess some background information may help you in answering my question. Hello, my name is Alex and I am quickly approaching my last year of high school swimming. Last high school season I finished my 200 yard free with my best time of 2:12.17 (not that stellar I know :cry: ) However I did end up getting second place overall. Now next high school season I'm ranked first in the 200 yard free, but there's always room for improvement. I would LOVE to get the school record (1:55.45) by may 2012 but that's pushing it I think. So how do you swim a 200 free?
Last 200 yard free I swam I got a time of 2:17.09 I tried breathing every 4 the whole race and it really tired me out.
I believe my next strategy is going to be
1st 25 - go 99% breathing every 4
75 - 500 pace breathing every 2
50 - going 100% breathing every 6
50 - anything I got left
i used to have all sorts of trouble with the fry and die when I thought about the 200 as a sprint. Per the late great George Haines, it isn't. You work the middle 100. Here's how I do it, and when I changed to this way in high school, my 200 went from 2:10 to 2:03. Got even better as I went through college, and I love swimming it as a 50 year old Masters swimmer.
First 50--control. Set your rhythm and breathing. Light kick unless you have the legs of a god. If you're going more than 3 strokes between breaths, make sure your will is in order. You will die like a pig.
Second 50--build. Hold onto your breathing, and begin pressing your pace forward. Don't let your mechanics go.
Third 50--go. Open it up and go, but keep the air coming in. Always keep sharp on the mechanics. If you've got the legs left, bring 'em, but don't burn them out.
Fourth 50--keep it up and bring it home. This is where you find out if you've been putting forth an honest effort in practice.
I am happy if the drop off between my first 100 and second 100 is 3 sec or less.
i used to have all sorts of trouble with the fry and die when I thought about the 200 as a sprint. Per the late great George Haines, it isn't. You work the middle 100. Here's how I do it, and when I changed to this way in high school, my 200 went from 2:10 to 2:03. Got even better as I went through college, and I love swimming it as a 50 year old Masters swimmer.
First 50--control. Set your rhythm and breathing. Light kick unless you have the legs of a god. If you're going more than 3 strokes between breaths, make sure your will is in order. You will die like a pig.
Second 50--build. Hold onto your breathing, and begin pressing your pace forward. Don't let your mechanics go.
Third 50--go. Open it up and go, but keep the air coming in. Always keep sharp on the mechanics. If you've got the legs left, bring 'em, but don't burn them out.
Fourth 50--keep it up and bring it home. This is where you find out if you've been putting forth an honest effort in practice.
I am happy if the drop off between my first 100 and second 100 is 3 sec or less.
