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
Okay, I'll clarify a few things:
First of all, I am a male high school swimmer (sophomore), 6'0" and growing with size 12 feet and hands big enough to palm basketballs so I think I can take high distance and intensity workouts if I really put in the effort.
Second of all, I was referring to the 500 yard freestyle, which is the longest available race in high school swimming.
Third of all, I usually swim freestyle exclusively, but I think it would be fun to add in another stroke or two (not breaststroke, though).
Judging from the comments, I am getting the vibe that I should not necessarily specialize yet as I am so young. And I guess it is much more logical to open myself up to multiple strokes and events by training all around. But I still feel like I belong in the weird space in between sprinters and long distance swimmers.
So, modifying my question a bit, how should I train for events LIKE the 500 (yard) freestyle, so that includes things like the 200y/m, 400m/500y etc. swims in different strokes (mostly freestyle but I want to add in back and later fly)? I've read a little about things like USRPT but I'm not 100% sure of its philosophy. But, should I leave days where I do primarily kick, or primarily pull, or mainly distance, or mainly sprints?
Thanks,
bow
Okay, I'll clarify a few things:
First of all, I am a male high school swimmer (sophomore), 6'0" and growing with size 12 feet and hands big enough to palm basketballs so I think I can take high distance and intensity workouts if I really put in the effort.
Second of all, I was referring to the 500 yard freestyle, which is the longest available race in high school swimming.
Third of all, I usually swim freestyle exclusively, but I think it would be fun to add in another stroke or two (not breaststroke, though).
Judging from the comments, I am getting the vibe that I should not necessarily specialize yet as I am so young. And I guess it is much more logical to open myself up to multiple strokes and events by training all around. But I still feel like I belong in the weird space in between sprinters and long distance swimmers.
So, modifying my question a bit, how should I train for events LIKE the 500 (yard) freestyle, so that includes things like the 200y/m, 400m/500y etc. swims in different strokes (mostly freestyle but I want to add in back and later fly)? I've read a little about things like USRPT but I'm not 100% sure of its philosophy. But, should I leave days where I do primarily kick, or primarily pull, or mainly distance, or mainly sprints?
Thanks,
bow
