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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That is a very interesting passage from Weismuller's book Terry. His age group swimming coach "Bach" seemed to be years ahead of his time when it came to understanding the sport of competitive swimming. I also had no idea that Johnny Weismuller had been sub 50 in the 100 yard freestyle (and at 36)......How many swimmers in USMS in the 35 - 39 agegroup swim a sub 50 100 free today?....Not many is my guess....and this guy did it way back before most of us were ever born (except maybe you Terry...LOL!!).
I also want to say that I have been carefully reading all of your postings on this forum as well as others who both oppose your viewpoints and those who seem to agree predominantly with your views. I am not an Elite swimmer like the Smiths or the Raz (or some of the other regular posters).....so maybe my opinions dopn't carry the same weight as theirs do....BUT I will say that I find your views in general to be very logical....Moving through water is so much different than moving on land and its this difference between land and water that makes swimming so much different than land sports....and the way you train in water....as well as the proper technique needed to excel in water is the real focus....and thats what both you and this guy "Bach" seem to have in common. I also beleive in relaxing my recovery as much as possible and establishing a good "feel for the water" with my stroke in much the same way as what you have been describing in your postings....While I'm not "yet" amongst the elite in my agegroup here at USMS, I think that I could be if I train more consistently and focus on all the key ideas that you have been talking about. I appreciate all your input Terry! BTW you are friends with Emmit Hines from Houston right? I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with him about a year ago or so at one of his practices.....I really enjoyed that conversation....he also seems to be a real visionary about proper swimming mechanics and such....All just my humble opinion though....So relax geek and gull....We all have our own opinions and this is the forum to express them...I also pay close attention to what you guys say too....its a good thing to see healthy debates with differing viewpoints in order to weigh all the opinions on the subject before estabilishing one's own opinions sometimes.
Newmastersswimmer
That is a very interesting passage from Weismuller's book Terry. His age group swimming coach "Bach" seemed to be years ahead of his time when it came to understanding the sport of competitive swimming. I also had no idea that Johnny Weismuller had been sub 50 in the 100 yard freestyle (and at 36)......How many swimmers in USMS in the 35 - 39 agegroup swim a sub 50 100 free today?....Not many is my guess....and this guy did it way back before most of us were ever born (except maybe you Terry...LOL!!).
I also want to say that I have been carefully reading all of your postings on this forum as well as others who both oppose your viewpoints and those who seem to agree predominantly with your views. I am not an Elite swimmer like the Smiths or the Raz (or some of the other regular posters).....so maybe my opinions dopn't carry the same weight as theirs do....BUT I will say that I find your views in general to be very logical....Moving through water is so much different than moving on land and its this difference between land and water that makes swimming so much different than land sports....and the way you train in water....as well as the proper technique needed to excel in water is the real focus....and thats what both you and this guy "Bach" seem to have in common. I also beleive in relaxing my recovery as much as possible and establishing a good "feel for the water" with my stroke in much the same way as what you have been describing in your postings....While I'm not "yet" amongst the elite in my agegroup here at USMS, I think that I could be if I train more consistently and focus on all the key ideas that you have been talking about. I appreciate all your input Terry! BTW you are friends with Emmit Hines from Houston right? I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with him about a year ago or so at one of his practices.....I really enjoyed that conversation....he also seems to be a real visionary about proper swimming mechanics and such....All just my humble opinion though....So relax geek and gull....We all have our own opinions and this is the forum to express them...I also pay close attention to what you guys say too....its a good thing to see healthy debates with differing viewpoints in order to weigh all the opinions on the subject before estabilishing one's own opinions sometimes.
Newmastersswimmer
