I have been wondering about differences in pool lengths and competition issues between short course yards, and meters, and LCMs...
I train in a short course yard pool, but had my first meet in a 25 meter pool. I didn't notice too much of a difference, and it didn't bother me. I am interested in doing more meets, but there are only a couple of short course meets, and more long course meets in the area.
Is it suicide to train in a 25 yd pool then go to a long course 50 meter meet? has anyone done this before? I am interested in going for fun, and just to see the difference..
J.
Here in Illinois the age group teams are facing this more and more as the park districts are doing away with the old outdoor 50 meter pools, and replacing them with water parks(Joliets closed last summer, Champaigns is open for its last summer this year).
The kids have no choice but to train SC and swim LC. It is possible, but what I have observed is there is a definate breakdown about 3/4 across that they are searching for the wall, especially early in the season. Once they have raced a few meets, they adjust.
LC helps if you are not good at turns!
I have never had the opportunity to swim a LC pool. I swim SCY regularly. Heck, every once in a while I will swim SCM and it seems long.
Rumor has it that the Y where I swim is planning to start construction on a LCM pool this fall. I say rumor because the same thing has been said for a couple of years now. As you would expect with a Y, funding is an issue.
They switch my pool up every so often, so I have trained in both the 50 Meter LC and the 50 Yard SC. I prefer the LC over the SC because it lets me focus more on my stroke and getting into a rythm. Plus, I feel like I get a better work out and it seems like I am swimming less (due to less laps).
The one advantage I think training in a SC pool gives you is the ability to work on your turns and to develope better lungs because you spend more time on your turns. Focusing on making the fourth line after each turn really helps you develope a sense of how little you really need air and how you can go past that burning sensation. Obviously, this will help you in your races, no matter the type of pool.
Just my 2 cents, if it is even worth that.
Hook'em
Blue
I can always tell 25 m from 25 y with my stroke count. Just do a couple of pace 50's and you'll see a time difference as well, provided you know your 25 y pace 50 times!
I think the change from 25y to 25 is more psychological than physical. You just need to get used to the wall not being where you're used to it :p
This is one of my pet peeves --along with twisted phone cords…
I talk to people who say they have an “Olympic size swimming pool” and I believe they are meaning a 50 meter pool. So I quickly ask, “it looks as long as a football field right?” and they look at me bewildered and usually say, “No, it's not as long as a football field…” and my retort is usually, “then it’s not an Olympic size pool…” response “yes it is…” and they start arguing with me. I just smile remembering how the wall NEVER seemed to come and REALLY working the turns so I would have to stroke less. Hey, this is what I remember when I was 10 years old!
Now I have never heard of this one (before going to Ohio), “Junior Olympic size pool” meaning 25 yards. For me, it’s 25 yards or 50 meters. I suppose it’s because we have about three 25 meter pools in New England. Our 50 meter pools are almost always public pools (different set of tangents there seen in different threads) and these pools are always in disarray and are always being threatened to be closed by the Parks and Recreation Dept. every Spring.
I have much more of a “Wow!” factor when I read about the swimmers who can buzz down and back in record time. Yet, when I get to watch on TV they seem slow, I freely admit this is a “seem” kind of thing, and I feel really bad about it. Maybe it’s too much NASCAR and I think sound effects should be added!
Originally posted by Alicat
.... Maybe it’s too much NASCAR and I think sound effects should be added!
That would be cool. As Phelps (or Croker, Beard, Thorpe, ....) goes by the camera you would hear the rrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRROOOOOWWWWWWwwwwwww!
It's a real help in knowing your stroke count per lap in the smaller pool (for both race pace and normal speed), and letting this information be your guide for the longer lanes.
Freestyle isn't usually a problem if there's a mark along the middle of the pool. The mid way point is often defined. But as a few of you mentioned, backstroke can be a bit trickier especially outdoors.
During warm-up at my last long course meet I swam alot of backstroke studying the ceiling fixtures to guage when the walls would appear. (We don't have many outdoors pools in the North East).
I love LCM. I like to say"LCM is for swimmers and SCY is for turners."None the less,I rarely get to train long course. To compensate I not only swim over distance(75 for a 50,125 for a 100) but I don't push off on every other turn. This not only gets the stroke count about right for the distance,but it gives the experience of having to accelerate which is great for that last 25 when you want to speed up,but don't have the crutch of a wall to push off of.
Originally posted by Scansy
That would be cool. As Phelps (or Croker, Beard, Thorpe, ....) goes by the camera you would hear the rrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRROOOOOWWWWWWwwwwwww!
Know what? I'll bet that if they had underwater microphones, you might very well hear something like that.
I know that when I push it, I tend to grunt or growl on my exhales.
It might make an interesting "flavor" for TV swimming coverage if they miked the pool.
