My apologies up front for asking a question that has been asked on various different threads over the past couple of years I have been in USMS. I don't remember the responses, however, and can't seem to find the answers in my searches.
Here's the deal: I started as a breaststroker and only competed in the three breaststroke events as a newbie. Seven months later, however, I competed in a pentathlon and found I really enjoyed racing the stroke sprints and 100 IM. Last year, I ended up winning my age group and felt even more encouraged to continue working on my other strokes.
Recently, I attempted an easy 400 IM in workout to see if I could swim a 100 fly without pausing at the walls. I came in at 7:24 :cane:, but it wasn't the worst in my age group in the rankings! :D
Today, after my usual three day post-meet bout of insomnia, I thought, what the heck, I'll try it again. (Yes, I AM crazy!) Again, I took the fly out very easy with the intent of surviving without rescue. My time ended up 7:16, now placing me 56 out of 71 in my age group; still low, but improved. :wiggle: So, now, I'm thinking of giving it some real effort and see where I can go with this...
50 breaststroke is my best event, followed by 100 breaststroke. After that is 50 free and 100 IM. Don't even ask where my 200 breaststroke rates... :bitching: But, my 400 IM, with some effort, will have it beat soon enough.
As a six day per week swimmer on pace to beat my goal of 400 miles for the year, how would you recommend I plan my swim week out to train 400 IM without losing breaststroke speed? I average 3,000 yards per workout and currently dedicate Mondays and Fridays to Allen's breaststroke sets or Ande's sprint IM sets that he wrote up for me. Saturday is my recovery day. September thru May, I train in a challenging coached adult program and swim 3,500 - 3,800yards; a mix of speed, endurance, etc.
Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated! (Oh, and, by the way, I am working up to swimming 400m IM and 200yd fly, too.) :afraid:I hope to swim 400IM at Dixie Zone Championships, in August, and see where it goes from there. :worms:
Elaine, I agree that you should try every stroke and event at every distance, to find out where your skills lie. You may find that you're a sprint breaststroker, but more of a distance swimmer in another stroke or event. Try 'em all, because (to borrow a phrase) you never know unless you go.
IM is a good training emphasis since it works all the strokes and muscles and maxes you out aerobically.
I agree with Ande's caution against sloppy fly. While you've really proven something to yourself with the ultra-fly, I would revert now to the traditional race distances for fly and IM and try to really hone your fly technique (finding and holding your ideal stroke count throughout). Bottom line: anything resembling geezer fly can make it harder to eventually get to your best potential racing fly style.
Rock bottom line: be proud, you're stretching your abilities into uncharted aqua incognita.
:wave: Hi Woofus! Thanks for your input on this; I always respect your opinions and advice. Yeah, that geezer fly was just to prove to myself that I could push my limits more than I think I can. I see no point in pushing it past 2,000 yards, because I could end up pushing my shoulders into scary (painful) territory. And, as much as I like my surgeon, I really have no intention on returning to have my right shoulder operated on for thoracic outlet syndrome! :afraid:
Having said that (and knowing I escaped my 900 fly and 2,000 fly with no repercussions), swimming distance geezer fly those two times gave me the confidence I needed to race more difficult events. Every time I practice my 200 fly and 400 IM, I say to myself, "If you can swim 2,000 fly, surely you can do this." Now, I'm just trying to pick up the pace so it more closely resembles my :39 - 50 fly (still slowww), rather than my one-minute pace geezer fly :cane: , when I swim a 200 fly.
I love training IM's; daisy IM's, as you recommended, or regular IM's, starting with an 800 and working my way down. Unfortunately, after doing an 800, 600, 400, 200, and 100 IM, I'm too shot to go back up! But, I agree; training IM's has been great to improve my aerobic capacity and build strength.
So, you agree with That Guy; try it all! I'm off to a good start doing that this year. I swam eight different events, back in February, at the Auburn meet, and will swim my first OW 3k and 1k, this Saturday. At Dixie Zone, I have decided to pass on the 200m br in favor of swimming the 800m fr; the last event of the day, after my 400 IM. In all, I will be swimming five completely new events in two days.
Thanks, Woofus! :agree:
Elaine, I agree that you should try every stroke and event at every distance, to find out where your skills lie. You may find that you're a sprint breaststroker, but more of a distance swimmer in another stroke or event. Try 'em all, because (to borrow a phrase) you never know unless you go.
IM is a good training emphasis since it works all the strokes and muscles and maxes you out aerobically.
I agree with Ande's caution against sloppy fly. While you've really proven something to yourself with the ultra-fly, I would revert now to the traditional race distances for fly and IM and try to really hone your fly technique (finding and holding your ideal stroke count throughout). Bottom line: anything resembling geezer fly can make it harder to eventually get to your best potential racing fly style.
Rock bottom line: be proud, you're stretching your abilities into uncharted aqua incognita.
:wave: Hi Woofus! Thanks for your input on this; I always respect your opinions and advice. Yeah, that geezer fly was just to prove to myself that I could push my limits more than I think I can. I see no point in pushing it past 2,000 yards, because I could end up pushing my shoulders into scary (painful) territory. And, as much as I like my surgeon, I really have no intention on returning to have my right shoulder operated on for thoracic outlet syndrome! :afraid:
Having said that (and knowing I escaped my 900 fly and 2,000 fly with no repercussions), swimming distance geezer fly those two times gave me the confidence I needed to race more difficult events. Every time I practice my 200 fly and 400 IM, I say to myself, "If you can swim 2,000 fly, surely you can do this." Now, I'm just trying to pick up the pace so it more closely resembles my :39 - 50 fly (still slowww), rather than my one-minute pace geezer fly :cane: , when I swim a 200 fly.
I love training IM's; daisy IM's, as you recommended, or regular IM's, starting with an 800 and working my way down. Unfortunately, after doing an 800, 600, 400, 200, and 100 IM, I'm too shot to go back up! But, I agree; training IM's has been great to improve my aerobic capacity and build strength.
So, you agree with That Guy; try it all! I'm off to a good start doing that this year. I swam eight different events, back in February, at the Auburn meet, and will swim my first OW 3k and 1k, this Saturday. At Dixie Zone, I have decided to pass on the 200m br in favor of swimming the 800m fr; the last event of the day, after my 400 IM. In all, I will be swimming five completely new events in two days.
Thanks, Woofus! :agree:
