I'm looking to gain more knowledge about sprint freestyle swimming. As an long retired distance freestyler I don't have a great deal of personal knowledge of how to swim the 50 or 100 freestyle. I've coached many sprint freestylers and I know that many of the best sprinters have what I would say an amazing strategy to their sprint swims. I am currently giving private lessons to many age groupers and high school swimmers and I've been explaining to them that some of the best sprinters in the world swim their 50 or 100 with more strategy than just the plain old thought of swimming "FAST".
I would very much appreciate any of you sprinters out there who would like to share your strategies for swimming these two events. I would love to be able to pass on some of this information, but I think many of us in the masters community could learn from some of you as well. I look forward to seeing some of the responses. Maybe I will try sprinting one day (LOL):rofl: .
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Former Member
World class sprinters and wanting to become faster are, of course, two different things. But, if you want to get faster quicker, here are some suggestions.
#1 - Increase ankle flexibility by forcing pressure on the tendons of the ankles. Placing a rolled-up towel on the floor and then putting the top of your feet on the towel, then sitting on your heels is a great flexibility increaser. You could also pull on your ankles with your hands, another simple exercise. The point of course is, - Ankles that aren't flexible are a hinderance to speed.
# 2 - Improve your catch or Early Vertical Forearm. There are a lot of videos swimdownhill.com/.../page3.html that show great swimmers and many of the fundamentals and nuances that make them great. Watch them and try to emulate them.
#3 - Use isometric or static exercises that help improve the shoulder strength that allows the forearm and elbow to stay in that EVF position. Great sprinters have great should adductors.
#4 - Improve the soleus or the muscle behind the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) this muscle helps you jump and get off the block and the wall with more speed and distance.
Good luck!
World class sprinters and wanting to become faster are, of course, two different things. But, if you want to get faster quicker, here are some suggestions.
#1 - Increase ankle flexibility by forcing pressure on the tendons of the ankles. Placing a rolled-up towel on the floor and then putting the top of your feet on the towel, then sitting on your heels is a great flexibility increaser. You could also pull on your ankles with your hands, another simple exercise. The point of course is, - Ankles that aren't flexible are a hinderance to speed.
# 2 - Improve your catch or Early Vertical Forearm. There are a lot of videos swimdownhill.com/.../page3.html that show great swimmers and many of the fundamentals and nuances that make them great. Watch them and try to emulate them.
#3 - Use isometric or static exercises that help improve the shoulder strength that allows the forearm and elbow to stay in that EVF position. Great sprinters have great should adductors.
#4 - Improve the soleus or the muscle behind the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) this muscle helps you jump and get off the block and the wall with more speed and distance.
Good luck!
