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!
There is some very good advice here.
Don't ever think of your height as a limitation. There are many excellent sprinters under six feet. I swam D1 and we had a fellow who was 5'-7" and he could churn out a low to mid :20 (for the 50 free) pretty much any day of the week - which was very fast in the early 80's.
Strength and flexibility will pay big dividends. Running is great for active rest, but you may only wind up getting better ...at running! Hop on your bike as well. Your ankles won't tighten up as much, and it only takes a small dip in the road to twist an ankle - maybe because swimmers tend to have slightly more flex in this area.
Pace is key in that the 100 is more of a distance sprint - not an all out race like the 50. Think of it like letting air out of a balloon. You do not want to be empty by the third turn. The key is in saving some gas for the last lap. Easy speed means fast, but loose. You'll be going fast enough - but mentally it won't feel that way if you think of it as easy speed. ...For the 50...don't leave anything in the pool. Just turn it over.
Lastly, perfect your turns and the start...and when you practice - come into the wall with a real finish. Whatever you do in the pool during practice - you will do in a race. Best technique will sooner or later become second nature.
All the best to you.
There is some very good advice here.
Don't ever think of your height as a limitation. There are many excellent sprinters under six feet. I swam D1 and we had a fellow who was 5'-7" and he could churn out a low to mid :20 (for the 50 free) pretty much any day of the week - which was very fast in the early 80's.
Strength and flexibility will pay big dividends. Running is great for active rest, but you may only wind up getting better ...at running! Hop on your bike as well. Your ankles won't tighten up as much, and it only takes a small dip in the road to twist an ankle - maybe because swimmers tend to have slightly more flex in this area.
Pace is key in that the 100 is more of a distance sprint - not an all out race like the 50. Think of it like letting air out of a balloon. You do not want to be empty by the third turn. The key is in saving some gas for the last lap. Easy speed means fast, but loose. You'll be going fast enough - but mentally it won't feel that way if you think of it as easy speed. ...For the 50...don't leave anything in the pool. Just turn it over.
Lastly, perfect your turns and the start...and when you practice - come into the wall with a real finish. Whatever you do in the pool during practice - you will do in a race. Best technique will sooner or later become second nature.
All the best to you.
