Thought this would make for an interesting discussion. A fair amount of good 200 freestyle swimmers are also good at the 200 fly. Swimmers such as Michael Phelps, Chad Le Clos, James Guy, Duncan Scott, Kyle Chalmers.
So what are the similarities? Is it the energy zones being used? The groups of muscles being used in a specific way? What is it about these strokes that often seem to pair them well?
Following on from that, is there an optimal way to train for these two events together?
There is a fundamental difference: in the 200 FR, if you die, you can just easy swim the rest of it and finish. In the 200 FL, if you die (somewhere about the 20-25M mark on the last 50) it’s like being tossed in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. You cannot “easy fly” to the finish. There is no such thing. The feeling I’ve been left with a few times is enough to induce a panic attack. Give me the 200 yard FL and those walls any day. As for training similarities? I mean they are both 200s to working on your VO2 max and pacing is always key to 200 success!
also would add that some of the guys you listed are more like butterfliers (and 200 butterfliers at that) who are also very good at the 200 FR.
There is a fundamental difference: in the 200 FR, if you die, you can just easy swim the rest of it and finish. In the 200 FL, if you die (somewhere about the 20-25M mark on the last 50) it’s like being tossed in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. You cannot “easy fly” to the finish. There is no such thing. The feeling I’ve been left with a few times is enough to induce a panic attack. Give me the 200 yard FL and those walls any day. As for training similarities? I mean they are both 200s to working on your VO2 max and pacing is always key to 200 success!
also would add that some of the guys you listed are more like butterfliers (and 200 butterfliers at that) who are also very good at the 200 FR.
