Hello, all:
I just recently joined these forums but was hoping I could get some tips on how to improve my 500 free. My current times lie around 5:40 (PR is 5:35), usually with my split from a dive being around 28.00 then having the rest of my splits level off to around 34.00-35.00. My goal is to have my time down to a 5:25 by memorial day weekend (15 weeks), and eventually down to under 5:00, although I haven't set a time for that. I currently swim 3800-4200 5 days a week with no real focus in my workouts. I plan to up my workouts gradually so that I'm swimming around 30,000 yards a week (up from 20,000). What things should I be focusing on in my workouts to help my splits? Are there any specific aspects of swimming that I should be focusing on for the 500?
Thanks,
bow
Are you part of a team or are you an "unattached" swimmer who has complete control over your workouts?
You say you work out 5 days a week, is that once a day? Are 2-a-days possible? Are you currently resting 2 consecutive days?
soph in hs? oh snap!
this -> so intervaul training, race pace training and some grinding at times too.
you will need to work up to 5x100s on 1:10 or 05 even ... touch and go
4x300s on 4min...maybe start at 4:30 and take 10secs off a week at a time...if you can.
come to texas and after a week training with me or up in dallas with McRibs you will be faster...or passed out :D
you REALLY need to be on a club team. it is the only way to get faster.
This^^^^^!
Do what sunruh says! I've been following some of his workouts (12x200 skips) for the last few months, and I've had 5 Master's PR's in the last 2 months.
Painful truth is, if you want to swim the 500 free fast, it's going to hurt. A lot.
To build on that 5x100s set, we've started doing a "test" set of 10x100s, starting on 1:05. Do as many 100's as you can until you miss the interval(I'm up to 4) and then change the interval to 1:10 and continue.
I am an unattached swimmer for the spring, summer, and fall, but I swim on a winter team. I usually practice once a day for 5 days per week, resting Saturday and Sunday. I would be willing to up my number of practices, but I'd rather fill up all my afternoons than to get up in the morning and swim.
A big big aerobic base as Mr Unruh describes, most definitely helps when swimming the 500. in both Mr Unruh and my case years of age group and College training was required to build our base. It's hard to build a base yet so easy to loose it.
I am surprised you did not throw out Blue Bell ice cream as a tool when training for the 500 Mr Unruh.
30k a week is a lot..to the point of being absurd unless you are under 30 (maybe even 34).
dont let total yardage be a focus point.
you need endurance, stamina, speed...here have a blue pill....whoops wrong commercial!
so intervaul training, race pace training and some grinding at times too. as well as a few meets to actually race in.
glhf!
I have a few questions about your original post. First…when you say “500 free”…is that yards or meters? The reason I ask is because you refer to your weekly total as “yards” and I think there’s noticeable difference between the 500y and 500m race distance. Secondly, I’m kind of curious what your age is too? And, is that weekly total all toward 500 free training? Do you train/race other strokes? And although I think there’s merit for a young swimmer to specialize in this manner (if he/she wants to)…there are many in these forums who’ll argue that specializing at the high school level is ill advised.
Dan
I've never heard of a 500 race in meters, just 400, 800, 1500. I think the 500 free is a peculiarly American invention. :)
Here in Rhode Island high schools race 500 meters free (individual). But the free relay is 400 meters.
Dan
I think I'm going to combine some of the traditional high intensity sets with some USRPT. Thank you for your input everybody. If theres any more questions or suggestions I'll be happy to read/reply.
bow
