I didn't swim for a week. They say that it takes you the same time to get back to the water and get use to it as the time you were out of the water. So, today, after a very gentle workout yesterday, I had another great workout. After it, however, I decided to time my 25m breaststroke sprint from pushoff. I got 20s. Again. I've been getting this time for a few months now. It's never higher or lower (okay, maybe a few hundreths of a second under, but my pool only has a pace clock with only the second hand). I'm not improving at all!!! I've been doing 4x50 backwards eggbeater kicks all out on every length, and people said it would help. Well, it didn't yet. Maybe I'm being too impatient:D. The thing is, I have one year, exactly one year, until next year's provincial meet, and I want to get my pathetic 41s 50m *** down to about 35s or under (no one said it would be easy :(). Anyways, at this pace this seems unrealistic.
Something else weird happened. I was swimming the 25m all out with high turnover rate concentrating on finishing each stroke, got 20s. Then I swam the thing with gliding, had 2 less strokes for the 25m (8 strokes), and got the exact same time! 20s!!! Maybe I was worn out, no muscle glycogen left, but the same time no matter the turnover rate! I wasn't even sprinting the second time! What is happening?
So please respond. I want to know how I can get faster, well, faster, and what are some reasons for my gliding breaststroke to be as fast as my sprint.
One more thing. During a 25m sprint, which one is the most influential factor: technique, strength, or conditioning? Is endurance out of the question?
Thanks a lot!
Sprinting breaststroke'I find it is very easy to chop my stroke,especially the pull. Count your strokes every length. Do some workouts where you build into sprints.Swim a couple of 25s concentrating only on having the most perfect stroke you can,then swim a couple of 25s at 80% keeping the same stroke count as before. Then a couple at 90% keeping the same stroke count. Then 100% effort but don't increase the stroke count(yes you'll glide alot,but Kitajima glides alot. Also in 2004 when Leisel Jones was setting World records in prelims and getting beat in the finals she was gliding in prelims and not in finals.) Then swim regular sprints. What was your time and what was your stroke count? How much did the stroke count go up when sprinting? Can you go that fast with fewer strokes? If you can use your time as a tool you can take it often. Also because of the fact that if you are training hard,you'll be a little worn down and your sprinting may get slower until you have a meet you taper for. Having not seen you swim I can't be sure, but from reading your posts I think your goal of a 6 sec. drop is possible!
Sprinting breaststroke'I find it is very easy to chop my stroke,especially the pull. Count your strokes every length. Do some workouts where you build into sprints.Swim a couple of 25s concentrating only on having the most perfect stroke you can,then swim a couple of 25s at 80% keeping the same stroke count as before. Then a couple at 90% keeping the same stroke count. Then 100% effort but don't increase the stroke count(yes you'll glide alot,but Kitajima glides alot. Also in 2004 when Leisel Jones was setting World records in prelims and getting beat in the finals she was gliding in prelims and not in finals.) Then swim regular sprints. What was your time and what was your stroke count? How much did the stroke count go up when sprinting? Can you go that fast with fewer strokes? If you can use your time as a tool you can take it often. Also because of the fact that if you are training hard,you'll be a little worn down and your sprinting may get slower until you have a meet you taper for. Having not seen you swim I can't be sure, but from reading your posts I think your goal of a 6 sec. drop is possible!
