I just finished my 3rd year of competitive swimming and my Junior year of highschool. I swim for a 4A school during the highschool swim season and a not very competitive club team year round. The team I swim for in highschool is relatively competitive as far as 4A gets, and I am one of the faster swimmers on the team. I had a couple questions going into my senior year.
1. Over this past season, I dropped 4 seconds in my 100 free going from a 59 to a 55. My coach wants me at a 51 by next year. Being a small guy, (5'5") I do not have height as an advantage to drop time. Are there training techniques that anybody knows to help drop time? As in, what aspect of swimming fast should I focus on? Power, stamina, technique, stroke rate, etc. I swim 2 hrs a day 4 days a week in summer and I will be running and going to the gym as well.
2. Are there any suggestions on staying focused and motivated during practice? I have a tendency to lose focus and swim mindlessly during longer practices.
3. In the 100 free, what is more important to focus on, making that first 50 faster, or shrinking the time difference between the first and second 50? My splits are currently 26 and 29. My 50 free PR is a 24.9
4. What is the best way to tackle dropping time in the 50 free as a fairly short guy?
Thanks so much for your help!
First, congrats on dropping from 59 to 55!
I'm 5' 7", so I'm very sympathetic the challenge of swimming against taller swimmers. I was fortunate to have Sheila Taormina coach my Masters team for a couple of years. At 5' 2-1/2", she is the shortest Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming, and obviously knew something about how to overcome a height disadvantage.
Some thoughts in no particular order:
1. Everyday pick one or two specific things to focus on at practice.
2. Work on your catch every day. Sculling drills are great for this.
2. Accelerate into your turns & tight streamline off the wall.
3. Finish hard into the wall every time. Don't glide in.
4. A minimum of two dolphins off EVERY wall in practice (breaststroke excepted, of course).
5. Stay long and make your catch out front to maximize pull stroke distance.
6. Accelerate the arm pull (this is one I have to remind myself to do all the time - it makes a big difference).
7. Lots of kick sets, including dolphins on both chest & back.
8. Stay on the interval your coach gives you, no cheating.
9. Swim with faster swimmers.
10. Body alignment, especially head position.
11. Work on core strength and maintaining core tone throughout your stroke.
12. Only increase your stroke rate when you can still maintain good technique.
In my particular situation, most of my improvement in my 100 times have come from improving my second fifty. I attribute that to better conditioning and being able hold my technique longer.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
First, congrats on dropping from 59 to 55!
I'm 5' 7", so I'm very sympathetic the challenge of swimming against taller swimmers. I was fortunate to have Sheila Taormina coach my Masters team for a couple of years. At 5' 2-1/2", she is the shortest Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming, and obviously knew something about how to overcome a height disadvantage.
Some thoughts in no particular order:
1. Everyday pick one or two specific things to focus on at practice.
2. Work on your catch every day. Sculling drills are great for this.
2. Accelerate into your turns & tight streamline off the wall.
3. Finish hard into the wall every time. Don't glide in.
4. A minimum of two dolphins off EVERY wall in practice (breaststroke excepted, of course).
5. Stay long and make your catch out front to maximize pull stroke distance.
6. Accelerate the arm pull (this is one I have to remind myself to do all the time - it makes a big difference).
7. Lots of kick sets, including dolphins on both chest & back.
8. Stay on the interval your coach gives you, no cheating.
9. Swim with faster swimmers.
10. Body alignment, especially head position.
11. Work on core strength and maintaining core tone throughout your stroke.
12. Only increase your stroke rate when you can still maintain good technique.
In my particular situation, most of my improvement in my 100 times have come from improving my second fifty. I attribute that to better conditioning and being able hold my technique longer.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
