How to build up endurance to swim the 200 fly? I haven't competed in this event in almost 30 years, but I can still do a respectable 50 fly. Is it lost forever, or can I get it back? Or maybe at least the 100 fly? Any training tips or advice? :afraid:
Do repeat 25 flys. Take plenty of rest and work on lowering your stroke count. If your stroke technique starts breaking down, stop swimming fly. Once those 25's become easy (which could take weeks), add some 50's, again taking plenty of rest. Once those 50's become easy, try some 75's. 200 fly is probably my best event and I rarely do more than 75 fly at a time. If you get to where you can finish a set like 6 x 75 fly with plenty of rest, you are more than ready to race a 200.
Another approach that works for some people is to treat the 200 like a set of 8 x 25 fly. This week work on 8 x 25 fly with 30 seconds rest. Next week, 8 x 25 fly with 25 seconds rest. And so on until your rest between each 25 is just a couple extra breaths during the turn. At some point what you're doing becomes indistinguishable from swimming a 200 fly, but you know in your mind that you're just swimming 8 x 25.
Another approach that works for some people is to treat the 200 like a set of 8 x 25 fly. This week work on 8 x 25 fly with 30 seconds rest. Next week, 8 x 25 fly with 25 seconds rest. And so on until your rest between each 25 is just a couple extra breaths during the turn. At some point what you're doing becomes indistinguishable from swimming a 200 fly, but you know in your mind that you're just swimming 8 x 25.
I had a coach back in the day who called these "ideals". Set a realistic target time. Divide that into pieces (say, 8x25 or 4x50) and swim each piece at the target pace with the rest necessary to hold it together. Over time, reduce the rest as you described above.
S
You didn't give us much information about yourself, other than it's been 30 years, so you must be somewhere near 45 years of age.
If you are a regular swimmer, follow the advice above. If you're just getting restarted, make sure to get a health check-up before you undertake this challenge.
Better safe than sorry.
Thanks for the suggestions! I plan to start using them.
Yes, I am 45, and still swim regularly, just not a lot of stroke work in recent years. :applaud:
Former Member
How to build up endurance to swim the 200 fly? I haven't competed in this event in almost 30 years, but I can still do a respectable 50 fly. Is it lost forever, or can I get it back? Or maybe at least the 100 fly? Any training tips or advice? :afraid: An interesting set for rebuilding 200m specific endurance/technique is to go:
10-15m @ SDK followed by NAD (No Arm Drill) then
10-15m @ Full Stroke
It's a lot of fun, great balance between fitness and technique. Allows for booking massive volumes at Fly. The NAD takes care of the technical aspect, and it's a lot of fun too.
Obviously, you first need to learn the NAD. Here are 3 distinct executions:
1 - Very slow, over water view
Butterfly NAD Drill - Slow Execution - YouTube
2 - Fast execution, with some SDK
Butterfly Kick - NAD (No Arm Drill) Fast - YouTube
3 - Slow execution, underwater view
Fly NAD (No Arm Drill) Underwater View - YouTube
Note. The NAD can be performed with speed in mind. In this regard, it's more than possible to actually perform this set (10-15m kick / 10-15m stroke) either at slow, moderate, or even race pace.
And for that matter, I strongly recommend the use of a tempo trainer. This little guizmo will assist you by providing you with the rate at which you should train. And what's great is that the same Tempo used for the Full Stroke also applies to NAD, since the later is nothing else than Fly without the arms. The fast NAD execution posted above is done at a rate of 76bpm, that is 38 cycles per minute. That, with the dive and the SDK translates into a time of around 42sec for a 50. Therefore at that rate, given that you have enough juice to hold the rate full stroke, you'd be looking at booking full 200m reps under 3min. In comparison, Phelps on his famous fly technique clip performs at 86spm (ie, 43 cycles per minute). I personnally sprint my 50s at a rate that's over 50 cycles per minute.
Enjoy!
Do repeat 25 flys. Take plenty of rest and work on lowering your stroke count. If your stroke technique starts breaking down, stop swimming fly. Once those 25's become easy (which could take weeks), add some 50's, again taking plenty of rest. Once those 50's become easy, try some 75's. QUOTE]
These are great ideas! Now, how to get the courage to swim fly w/out my zoomers? If I leave them at home, I'll just not do fly, most likely!
Also can you modify this for a 50m pool, which I train in most mornings? Should I just switch to free at the 1/2 way point, or switch to drill or what? I can go about 37.5 without breaking my stroke right now, when it's LCM. I miss my walls!
I have same question. 57 yo. Former D3 college swimmer. Back in water for 4 years now after 30 year lay off (stayed in shape, just not swimming). Currently swimming 30-40k SCY per month, 3-4 days per week. Swam 100 fly 30-39 for 109 low last sunday.
work outs are +/- 3000 with varied distance sets totaling 800 yds, 50-300 lengths
Form is solid, need endurance.
You say?
These are great ideas! Now, how to get the courage to swim fly w/out my zoomers? If I leave them at home, I'll just not do fly, most likely!
Also can you modify this for a 50m pool, which I train in most mornings? Should I just switch to free at the 1/2 way point, or switch to drill or what? I can go about 37.5 without breaking my stroke right now, when it's LCM. I miss my walls!
I think switching to free, one-arm fly, or DPS fly (wherein you take more than 2 kicks per stroke) would be a good adaptation for LCM. As for weaning oneself from fins, well I don't know about that since I never use them. Anyone else have experience there?
I think switching to free, one-arm fly, or DPS fly (wherein you take more than 2 kicks per stroke) would be a good adaptation for LCM. As for weaning oneself from fins, well I don't know about that since I never use them. Anyone else have experience there?
Just leave them at home...it will reduce the temptation to use them if the fins are not available. :)