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: .
I think Terry has some very good points about strength in that he distinguishes between water strength and weight room strength......especially when comparing short course to long course.
Speaking only for myself, I find that when I decide to be a sprinter (about every 3-4 years simply to piss John off) and focus on the 50/100 the increase in power from lifting hard and focused sprint trainiong at the pool I see major differences:
2003 (focus on 200/500, minimal weights, mid distance swimming)
50 free:21.96
100 free:47.05
200 free: 1:43.37
500 free: 4:48.06
50 fly: 23.07
100 fly: 51.56
2004 (50/100 focus, lots of emphasis on weights and sprint work)
50 free: 20.95
100 free: 45.95
200 free: 1:45+ (unrested)
500 free: skipped
50 fly:23.62 (unrested)
100 fly: 50.26
2005 (mid distance training, no weights, shoulder problems leading to surgery in Oct)
50 free:21.78
100 free:47.76
200 free: 1:45.93
50 fly: 23.37
100 fly: 51.53
2006 (focus on 50's for worlds, back to heavy emphasis on weights/speed work)
50m free: 24.2
50m fly 25.9
So for me its pretty clear that the change in training has an effect and feel the difference big time of lifting in the pool. To Terry';s point on short course/long course....I did stop lifting for worlds 6 weeks out and felt the change in stroke length/count.
I think Terry has some very good points about strength in that he distinguishes between water strength and weight room strength......especially when comparing short course to long course.
Speaking only for myself, I find that when I decide to be a sprinter (about every 3-4 years simply to piss John off) and focus on the 50/100 the increase in power from lifting hard and focused sprint trainiong at the pool I see major differences:
2003 (focus on 200/500, minimal weights, mid distance swimming)
50 free:21.96
100 free:47.05
200 free: 1:43.37
500 free: 4:48.06
50 fly: 23.07
100 fly: 51.56
2004 (50/100 focus, lots of emphasis on weights and sprint work)
50 free: 20.95
100 free: 45.95
200 free: 1:45+ (unrested)
500 free: skipped
50 fly:23.62 (unrested)
100 fly: 50.26
2005 (mid distance training, no weights, shoulder problems leading to surgery in Oct)
50 free:21.78
100 free:47.76
200 free: 1:45.93
50 fly: 23.37
100 fly: 51.53
2006 (focus on 50's for worlds, back to heavy emphasis on weights/speed work)
50m free: 24.2
50m fly 25.9
So for me its pretty clear that the change in training has an effect and feel the difference big time of lifting in the pool. To Terry';s point on short course/long course....I did stop lifting for worlds 6 weeks out and felt the change in stroke length/count.
