500 free improvement needed

Good Morning Paul, I agree with Calvin about doing 50s when training for the 500. When I coached in Red Wing, the distance guys would do 12 x 50 on :45 - trying to hit their target pace (usually 30). I agree with this, too. Since the OP's goal time is 6:30 or 1:18 pace per 100 I'd suggest perhaps doing 50s on 1:00. See how many you can make at your goal pace. If you fall off try taking a recovery 50 and then get back into it.

10x50s on :50 swim, held 38s, just under race pace:) ...Heart rate 170-180 at end of 50s, but felt easier than that. Felt smooth compared to longer rest and faster pace old way 100s. To me this suggests you might want to drop your pace. If you want to swim a 6:00 500 then definitely shoot for :36 on these. They should be very difficult.

You seem to focus mostly on power/conditioning in your workouts. But as other forumites have pointed out, technique is also important, particularly for longer distances. You could also consider posting a video here to get some opinions on your stroke and what you might be able to do to increase your efficiency, in addition to strength and speed work.

Another great idea. Thanks. I have an off-brand too and, well, to-do list tile. I'll rig this up tonight.

Thanks again for the input. I made these changes to my workout this AM: 1x500 swim/ 1x500 pull for warmup 10x100s on 1:50 pull/swim. 1:16s pull, 1:18s swim. (counted strokes, 15/25 pull, 17/25 swim. Position problem!?) 10x50s on :50 swim, held 38s, just under race pace:) 5x100s kick (free / fly / back / *** / free) 10x50s 1:15 – technique, exaggerate under water dolphin kicks (6-8) and check streamline on turns 20x25s free / fly no breathers, lots of rest, try for perfect form, high elbow early catch. (10 min. whirlpool / stretch) Heart rate 170 at end of 100s Heart rate 170-180 at end of 50s, but felt easier than that. Felt smooth compared to longer rest and faster pace old way 100s. I will make a little shorter interval on 100s/50s each week. I will talk to masters coaches (Barb / Carrie) about strokes / length and better drills for technique on Saturday. What they want me to do during the week too. I usually do 1 day a week concentrate on IM. Replace the 10x100 free with IM set of 1x400IM, 2x200s IM, 2x100s IM. Have another meet at same pool in April. Good chance to see where I’m at in 500 then. Torres abs workout might have not been described well. www.youtube.com/watch Its 6:30secs of basically laying on back kicking drills, and then last half is different kinds of planks. I’d like to make 6:30 at next meet, but goal is to break 6:00. Other races are just for team points. I also have goal of under :60 100 free. I think this training will get me there though.

me neither. My cartoon bubble shows Ryan Lochte with a gray beard. Video will probably show elmer fudd.

I'm not sure if I want to see what I actually look like in the water??!!

update on practice change suggestions from last 3 days: 10x100s on 1:50 swim/pull: could even descend them today, 1:16start-1:14end (no difference pull to swim anymore) 10x50s on :50 swim: :38 start to :36 end. really gassed (HR 180 at end of last 4) but like these counted strokes, pull still 15/25, but swim is down to 15-16/25 I'm trying chin down a little more now so looking at bottom of pool instead of for feet to draft off of. Need eyeballs up now looking for wall on turn. I do think this helped the swim, hips up more, even feet feel closer to surface now when kicking on swims. THANK YOU for suggestions, may be too early but I think this is really helping

I'm impressed with how far you came in a short period of time. Was reading through, and thinking a few things, but then got to your last post, and it seems that you have made some improvements, already. Stroke count is one of the big things I use to determine where I am. I think it could still be lower, and that would help you. I've been doing this about a year longer than you, but saw similar improvements in health. I'm 45 and 5'8", so a little younger and a little shorter. I started out at 19 strokes per 25, and was probably about 15 when I was a year into it. Now I'm around 12-13, depending on how many UDK's I do off the wall, which depends on how far into a set or swim I am. One fewer for the mile, one more for the 100 and 200. So it will be interesting to see how far you get with another year. The other big thing you mentioned is head positioning. I think that may have a lot to do with efficiency, too. Absolutely keep the eyes down, even slightly behind you if you can. I'm in the habit of watching my feet off the walls doing UDK's to keep my eyes from wondering ahead. I also use a snorkel on kick sets, and keep my hands on the board, not my arms. When you breathe, look about 3/4 behind you. THese are things that have worked for me. They might not for you, but they are things that can be done throughout a workout, rather than just using drills to improve technique. The folks who have chimed in are a lot more qualified to give you workout feedback, but FWIW, I followed the Basic Training workouts that were posted. I still use the old ones (a new coach is now authoring workouts, but I prefer the older workouts), and tweak them a little as I see fit. They are much more based on more yardage doing 50's, rather than less doing 100's. An example would be 40 50's wiht a 20 second rest interval. I'll do that, and try to hit a 200 pace, rather than a 500 pace. Another is a Hackett set, where you do 3 reps at one pace and 1 at a faster pace, 4 times through with about 5 rest (based on the slower pace), then 2 and 1 with 10 seconds rest, then 1 and 1 with 15 seconds rest, and finally 4 50's at the faster pace with 20 seconds rest. Most of the time, those are set up to be done at the mile pace and 500 pace, but I have started shooting for 500 and 200 pace. Caveat here is that I've still not been able to do a meet, so my pacing is guessing combined with a few test swims to see how close I am. Again, the others are much more qualified to give you feedback, but just sharing what worked for me. And it might help give you some different things to make the wokrout more interesting.

I think the head positioning is really making a difference. Masters coach also suggested the same head position change yesterday BTW. At last Saturdays meet during the 1650, I swam in a lane next to a lady from our team that avg. 42.4 sec/50 in the mile. I went about 44.1 sec/50. Yesterday at practice I was in a lane next to her again. During the 200s, when I would keep my eyes/head position at bottom of pool, after about 4 to 5 strokes, I would gain about 1/2 a body length. If I looked at the guys feet ahead of me, we would be even again after 4 to 5 strokes. I can't tell where my hips were at but I do think when my head is down I feel my ankles on the surface some, and dont ever feel that when I'm looking for feet.