"What do YOU need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?"

I have not posted in a good while, but have gotten consistently valuable advice from Ande and others, often indirectly. I love this forum. Beginning several years ago I began trying to rebuild my freestyle stroke. My form was generally okay, but my timing was poor–no “front quadrant”–more like opposing arms on a windmill. I worked with a coach, and I changed the stroke to a significant degree but it hasn’t really changed my speed. Meanwhile I have been working on other strokes and making progress there. The same coach worked with me on my backstroke, which was (is) horrendous. I swim IM to keep from getting bored, both in practice and in occasional competition. So here’s the thing: one day, while trying to get my backstroke to work I was using fins to keep me moving a little more efficiently while I worked out what my hips, shoulders and arms should be doing. Somehow, the extra propulsion from the fins made it possible to time the stroke better, and–boink!–suddenly I got it. The relationship between the action of my arms seemed related in a new way. I immediately turned over and tried it on my front. Same thing: suddenly, I was “climbing the rope.” I felt like a completely different swimmer, like I was literally crawling over the water. It was crazy. An epiphany. Since that time I have been able to recreate that feeling without fins for relatively short distances. My timing is way better when I don’t breathe, so once I get to breathing every stroke I lose the feeling, I think because I pull the trigger on my right arm too quickly when I breathe to my left. Anyway, I do feel different on sprints, and I am trying to figure out an approach for dropping time in my 50 free. When I have swum it in meets I have tended to feel like I’m fighting the water. So I know I have to do more sprinting in practice. I swim with folks who are mostly fitness swimmers. It’s a bit awkward to do sprints. But I can figure that out. Here is my basic question (sorry it’s taken this long to get to it!) How often should I sprint in practice? I know that I need to improve my 25 first. Specifically, how many times a week, assuming 4 to 5 workouts per, approximately 2500 to 3000 yards? Secondarily, can I use the fins sometimes to reinforce the proper rhythm? I mean this less as a sprinting question than a drilling one. Finally, does anybody know of a realistic way to self-time 25 yard sprints? Thanks in advance! Sprint twice a week,or once a week and once at 100 pace.On sprint days allow enough rest to really sprint each one.It is fine to do some sprinting with fins,maybe 30%.I time 25s with my Ironman watch.I don't stop the chronograph,I just look at it after I touch.That is only accurate to about 1/3 sec,but that is close enough for my purposes.

I have not posted in a good while, but have gotten consistently valuable advice from Ande and others, often indirectly. I love this forum. Beginning several years ago I began trying to rebuild my freestyle stroke. My form was generally okay, but my timing was poor–no “front quadrant”–more like opposing arms on a windmill. I worked with a coach, and I changed the stroke to a significant degree but it hasn’t really changed my speed. Meanwhile I have been working on other strokes and making progress there. The same coach worked with me on my backstroke, which was (is) horrendous. I swim IM to keep from getting bored, both in practice and in occasional competition. So here’s the thing: one day, while trying to get my backstroke to work I was using fins to keep me moving a little more efficiently while I worked out what my hips, shoulders and arms should be doing. Somehow, the extra propulsion from the fins made it possible to time the stroke better, and–boink!–suddenly I got it. The relationship between the action of my arms seemed related in a new way. I immediately turned over and tried it on my front. Same thing: suddenly, I was “climbing the rope.” I felt like a completely different swimmer, like I was literally crawling over the water. It was crazy. An epiphany. Since that time I have been able to recreate that feeling without fins for relatively short distances. My timing is way better when I don’t breathe, so once I get to breathing every stroke I lose the feeling, I think because I pull the trigger on my right arm too quickly when I breathe to my left. Anyway, I do feel different on sprints, and I am trying to figure out an approach for dropping time in my 50 free. When I have swum it in meets I have tended to feel like I’m fighting the water. So I know I have to do more sprinting in practice. I swim with folks who are mostly fitness swimmers. It’s a bit awkward to do sprints. But I can figure that out. Here is my basic question (sorry it’s taken this long to get to it!) How often should I sprint in practice? I know that I need to improve my 25 first. Specifically, how many times a week, assuming 4 to 5 workouts per, approximately 2500 to 3000 yards? Secondarily, can I use the fins sometimes to reinforce the proper rhythm? I mean this less as a sprinting question than a drilling one. Finally, does anybody know of a realistic way to self-time 25 yard sprints? Thanks in advance!

Allen, Michael, Ande: Many thanks for the response. The pace clocks where I swim are analog with skinny second hands; I have trouble reading them from any distance, especially quickly. I don't have a digital watch for the pool, but have resolved to get one. I'll look into the snorkel. Thirty years ago in high school I was around 23 flat in the 50 and 51ish in the 100 free; since my return to the pool in 2006 I'm stuck at high 27s and 1:02/3 in the 100. Seems I ought to be able to get under 27 and 1:00 in the 100. At the moment I'm less concerned about the 100 than the 50; I would just like to feel fast. Recent 25s feel faster, so I'm out to build on that. I have really invested in stroke improvement, now I want to convert that investment into lower times. I will try the more frequent sprinting with times to establish a baseline, then measure progress. The frequency suggestions are helpful; clearly I will have to become more focused about this to make progress. I'll report back when I have news. Ande, don't know if those times above provide enough information to identify goals for 25s, but if so I'm all ears. I do better with tangible measurements than atmospheric / sensory ones. Thanks again! Re: goals for 25s.You want to break 27.The start is worth 2 sec so ideal splits would be 12.5&14.5.So I'd say 14.5 should be your goal time for 25s.If you can go faster than that you certainly should be able to break 27.For the way I do it with a digital watch I touch and immediately glance at the watch,for you if you see 14 you are OK.If you see 15 something needs to get better(or you need more rest.)If you see 13,you need to revise your goals(or work more on your turns because you are losing time somewhere.)

Get rid of 4 related foot problems that I have had all summer!

Re: goals for 25s.You want to break 27.The start is worth 2 sec so ideal splits would be 12.5&14.5.So I'd say 14.5 should be your goal time for 25s.If you can go faster than that you certainly should be able to break 27... Allen, I gather your are a breaststroker, but what do you estimate the start is worth in backstroke? (Backstrokers feel free to chime-in.) I have done a 14-high 25 back from a push in practice, (coach timed with hand-held stopwatch) but I have yet to break 31 in the 50 in a meet. This does not appear to be a stamina issue, my 100 is more competitive than my 50 and my 200 is even more competitive. ("More competitive" = higher rating compared to theoretical record curve.) I peeled about 0.5s off my 50 last year by working on the turn. There may be some more time to be had there, but not more than a few tenths I recon.

Allen, I gather your are a breaststroker, but what do you estimate the start is worth in backstroke? (Backstrokers feel free to chime-in.) I have done a 14-high 25 back from a push in practice, (coach timed with hand-held stopwatch) but I have yet to break 31 in the 50 in a meet. This does not appear to be a stamina issue, my 100 is more competitive than my 50 and my 200 is even more competitive. ("More competitive" = higher rating compared to theoretical record curve.) I peeled about 0.5s off my 50 last year by working on the turn. There may be some more time to be had there, but not more than a few tenths I recon. I can't answer the back start question,but if you can break 15 for a 25 back it seems like you should be able to be well under 31 for a 50,especially given the flip turn.Have you had you races taped.Maybe your stroke changes at a meet relative to workout.

Allen, I gather your are a breaststroker, but what do you estimate the start is worth in backstroke? (Backstrokers feel free to chime-in.) I have done a 14-high 25 back from a push in practice, (coach timed with hand-held stopwatch) but I have yet to break 31 in the 50 in a meet. Partly it depends on when you coach starts the watch. If he starts when you actually push off (a pretty common practice among coaches) then you won't necessarily get much from a start compared to your push-off. Plus add 0.5-1.0 sec due to the fact that you need to do a flip-turn, so a foot touch rather than a hand touch. I wouldn't be surprised if you are at 15-flat or even higher on a foot touch at the 25 during a 50 back race. I have a hard time with 50s, often feeling like I'm spinning my wheels in backstroke. Give me a 100 or 200 any day.

Allen, Michael, Ande: Many thanks for the response. The pace clocks where I swim are analog with skinny second hands; I have trouble reading them from any distance, especially quickly. I don't have a digital watch for the pool, but have resolved to get one. I'll look into the snorkel. Thirty years ago in high school I was around 23 flat in the 50 and 51ish in the 100 free; since my return to the pool in 2006 I'm stuck at high 27s and 1:02/3 in the 100. Seems I ought to be able to get under 27 and 1:00 in the 100. At the moment I'm less concerned about the 100 than the 50; I would just like to feel fast. Recent 25s feel faster, so I'm out to build on that. I have really invested in stroke improvement, now I want to convert that investment into lower times. I will try the more frequent sprinting with times to establish a baseline, then measure progress. The frequency suggestions are helpful; clearly I will have to become more focused about this to make progress. I'll report back when I have news. Ande, don't know if those times above provide enough information to identify goals for 25s, but if so I'm all ears. I do better with tangible measurements than atmospheric / sensory ones. Thanks again!

I probably need to get in the pool.

Finally, does anybody know of a realistic way to self-time 25 yard sprints? Earlier this year I spent $40 on a SportCount Chrono 100, a little stopwatch you wear on your index finger like a ring. It's great for timing sprints and interval sets. It records times to 1/100th, and remembers up to 100 intervals. I use it for one purpose or another almost every day. I often use it to time all-out 25s underwater SDK and 25s backstroke, to improve my 50 back. So far, so good -- my time dropped 0.74 in about 4 months. To time 25s backstroke or freestyle I always include the turn and time to the feet -- that way the watch-bearing hand is always free to stop the timer. Here is a post that provides a few more details. I really like my little watch.