How to split a 200 free

I agree with Fred, you need both distance work and sprint work. Along with stroke technique work, race pace training and possibly weigh training. And time. Without knowing what it took for you to get to the 2:10 200, it is difficult to prescribe a simple solution. For instance, if you are currently training year-round, 5-6 days a week averaging 25,000 to 40,000 yards per week, then the answer is probably not adding more yards. Fred, my son is not yet addicted to the USMS discussion forum, so I’ll try to reply in his stead. In his 5 years of swimming, Noah has been blessed with tremendous coaches who have worked him hard and more importantly kept him enthused and motivated. He is also blessed with a “swimmers body”, long arms, big hands, flexible joints, and high buoyancy. He swims on a year-round program, along side some other great kids, and this year has added weight training to his training regime.

I also agree with Fred and Rob...the 200 is a difficult distance, maybe the most difficult. You have to have a sprinter's speed and yet a middle-distance swimmer's endurance. The 200 is where sprinters and endurance swimmers meet in the middle. So, you have to mix speed work with volume to go really fast!

Originally posted by LindsayNB What are your current 50 and 100 times? How much rest do you currently need between them to do 4x50 in 30s each? My 50 time is 26.0. My 100 I don't know, I haven't done it in a meet. If I want to do 50s on the 30s I need about 1:30 swim interval, or 1:00 rest.

PRs as a senior in HS: 200 free of 1:55 500 free of 5:09 That after swimming during the season only (pretty much a couch potato 9 months of the year) with about 40k yards per week during the season. Now planning to swim year-round, but most of the summer will be maintenence swims (2-3 days per week ~10k yards/week) since its tri season and I have to cycle and run also. I'm both satisfied with my progress and totally frustrated at the same time. I don't know if I can get back down to my PR HS times, but I think

What are your current 50 and 100 times? How much rest do you currently need between them to do 4x50 in 30s each? How to train depends on what you can currently do and what is limiting you. A single time for the 200 is not enough information to know what you need to improve.

Originally posted by LindsayNB What are your current 50 and 100 times? How much rest do you currently need between them to do 4x50 in 30s each? How to train depends on what you can currently do and what is limiting you. A single time for the 200 is not enough information to know what you need to improve. When you say 4x50 in the 30s, are you asking about holding 50s between 30 and 40 seconds? How low in the 30s? I can hold 36 to 38 with 50s on the 1:00. Maybe on the :55. Am I in the range you are thinking of or are you saying 50s at :30 holding? Just wondering and trying to see where I fall? Thanks for the clarification.

if your kid swims 54.00 the 100 flat maybe you should start the first 1oo with 56.00-56.50 and on the second half try to mentain your pace in under a minute. 1.50- 27.00 2.50- 29.5 3.50- 30.5 4.50-29.5 please excuse my spelling i am not american dan77hunedoara

Originally posted by Fred Johnson When you say 4x50 in the 30s, are you asking about holding 50s between 30 and 40 seconds? How low in the 30s? I can hold 36 to 38 with 50s on the 1:00. Maybe on the :55. Am I in the range you are thinking of or are you saying 50s at :30 holding? Just wondering and trying to see where I fall? Thanks for the clarification. I took that to mean how much rest is required to hold 4x50 coming in at :30. Meaning 30 seconds flat for the 50. My answer was 1:30, meaning that I can swim a 50 in 29-30 seconds, rest 1 minute and then do it again 3 more times. I assume the question was directed at pointing out that you must do 4x50 in :30 even to get a 2:00 200 free.

which is perfect i too once went 1:39.99 in the 200 free i think my first 50 was 22.5 and things went downhill from there. ande Originally posted by Rob Copeland Since this thread is still active, please allow a father’s indulgence… At the Georgia High School Championships my sons splits in his 200 free were: 23.67 25.28 25.38 25.66 (1:39.99) He is a better at middle distance swimming rather than sprinting, so as Ande mentioned a sprinter may be out a little faster and fade more.

i'd agree when you're legs go you're gone ande Originally posted by shark Rob, That is a great swim for your son. I have always been taught that a 200 swim should be evenly split. You will always get a two second jump on your first 50 due to the start. 23, 25, 25, 25 with tenths should be a 1:38low to 1:39high. That is what we trained for in college. My high school kids are not All-American yet such as your son, so we just try to get them into the 40's: 25mid, 27mid, 27mid, 27mid = 1:48 with a couple of highs for 1:49. Your son will go high in the draft. Congratulations. To answer the beginning thread question. The 200 is not a sprint, it is a fast pace swim. The start should be two seconds faster than the other three with those three being evenly split. Comfy, attack, legs, get home x 50. Good Luck.