Need suggestions for improving my 500 free.
A little background: 52 year old male. been swimming again for about a year. up to 3500-4000 6 times a week. 5'10", 172 lbs (down from 195 when starting:)). Went to first masters meet last weekend. happy with times except 500. wanted to go 1:15,1:20,1:20,1:20,1:15. Went a 6:52 instead. 1:13, 1:26, 1:26, 1:27, 1:20. so about 43's per 50. swam the 1650 and went 44.5's per 50. (24:14). 50 free was 28secs. Even after swimming a year, pulls are faster than swims.
Usual workout is 1650 warmup, 5x100s on 2 pull (~1:11s), 5x100s on 2 swim (~1:13s), 1x500 kick, 12x50's IM on 1:15, 10x25's no breathers free/fly. breath every 2 in the 500. breath 2/3 on the 1650 (no legs hardly). high exertion difference for only 1.5 second difference per 50.
personal bests were 49 100 free, 4:59 500 free at age 20.
worried a bit about heart rate max. even though 52 no problem hitting 180 on tough sets (if I shorten rest on 100s). Is that too high for 52? I thought 220-age should be about max.
started swimming with a masters group 2 weeks ago but can only go on Saturdays.
I'm guessing shorter rest on the 100's.
(all distances are SCY)
Thanks
Don't know why, but for pace I always found doing 50s was more beneficial for the 500. That being said, I know when my goal was to break 5:00 years ago, a coach told me I better be able to do any FAST repeats under my goal pace (1:00), and when I coached the distance group for a DI college team, I told my girls the same thing. Anything fast we ever did up to 175 yards, be it push or from block, better be under your goal pace (for a lot of them that was trying to break 5:00).
Love the 500 though. It is the TRUE "controlled sprint."
Don't know why, but for pace I always found doing 50s was more beneficial for the 500. That being said, I know when my goal was to break 5:00 years ago, a coach told me I better be able to do any FAST repeats under my goal pace (1:00), and when I coached the distance group for a DI college team, I told my girls the same thing. Anything fast we ever did up to 175 yards, be it push or from block, better be under your goal pace (for a lot of them that was trying to break 5:00).
Love the 500 though. It is the TRUE "controlled sprint."
