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

Yeh, I do know that races can be won on even hundredths of a second. Donna Donna: I know you know!!!! We all do. I was just reminding you, friendly like. The 50 back isn't that bad an event. I even swam the 100 back in both yards and meters last year!! I confess I did not do the 200. I wish I was swimming in that gorgeous blue stuff on vacation right now! But I want the blue stuff without sea lice...

I travel. Eastern Zones at GMU April 13-15 might be my only other pool meet before Nationals. . Thanks Terry. I hope you're speaking of the Colonies Zones meet at GMU because I should be there absent a shoulder crisis. I want to see you do the 400 IM and the 200 fly with that elegant, originale breaststroke kick for fly. If both you and Peter like it so much, there must be something to it! :banana: (As you know, however, I likely will only be doing the 50 fly with that very modern dolphin kick. If my team doesn't make me swim too many relays, maybe I'll buck up and do the 100.)

i agree with some girl!! shouldn't all strokes just be kept pure and in original form? :thhbbb:

I appreciate all of your reading up and experiences with swimming, but I would not, had I been you, told someone to read or revisit the history of Swimming 101. That is not a good way to preface knowledge if you are trying to get someone to listen.... So, does anyone have things they have done to help them break that "barrier?" Yeah, Donna, I did a few things. First, I read Swimming 101 and TI swimming. Then, I got back in the water after a long layoff. Then I had a good TI-type coach. Then I did a lot of drills to improve technique. Then I joined a good team with fast swimmers. Then I started lifting more weights. Then I swam in more meets. Then I practiced starts more. After a year of this, I thought I did OK for a mom of 3. Now, I haven't tried the breaststroke kick on the fly. And I need to sprint more and train more. So right now, after I get this project for work done, I'm going to focus on the "more." (Except for running, that I need to do less.) Also, I think Terry's comment wasn't nearly as iffy as a couple of your previous ones in which you prefaced your remarks with "yeh, I know. I went to the Olympics" or saying the "50 back wasn't much of an accomplishment." Terry was just clarifying the historical record.

It is again legal for Masters and certainly we deserve that option if it helps older swimmers remain active and happy swimming Fly. Okay, but fly is now a different stroke from breastroke. And if you are over 70, say, go wild. But it is total BS to say, Well, I swim the stroke wrong because it's easier and faster and legal because there are still people swimming masters who learned it that way (which is, according to my understanding, why it is still legal). Breastroke is easier and faster with a fly kick, and after all, they were once the same stroke! Why can't I just change everything to suit me? It is a cop out. Yeah, fly is hard. Wah.

Some girl: I must say that I wouldn't mind using the dolphin kick on ***. I'm sure I'd be faster.

I need to increase my practice time and focus. I will not have access to a pool for the second half of December, but in January I should be able to increase my practice from 4 days a week to 5-6. My practices have been pretty bland lately, so I need to really focus on what I need to do when I'm working on technique, endurance, and sprints instead of just going through the motions. I'm really hoping to improve my 200 IM by the spring. It's currently about 3:03, but I think with some serious work I should be able to get it closer to 2:50.

Some girl: I must say that I wouldn't mind using the dolphin kick on ***. I'm sure I'd be faster. We'll call it breastroke for flyers.

Sometimes I am amazed at what I read. I guess I don't see the true value of not breathing for a 50 sprint. Does anyone know how much time is gained (a tenth of a second?) over that distance to offset the tremendous oxygen debt your muscles will be in? What comes to my mind are exploding lungs and brain; at least this would happen to me. I will tell you that I do practice the under/over drill where you swim underwater with arms in front and doing the dolphin kick. And it will build great lung capacity. But seriously, I've seen some of the men in the Olympics take two breaths on a 50 but many others taking 4. And the fly with the *** kick is baffling. Dolphin kick uses a lot of energy and I would think a person would be better off training with the kick he/she will be using in the swim. At least more than not. Because when you go back from *** kick and start the dolphin kick, what happens to that SR then? Why not train with the correct kick to start with? All of this is so interesting, though, I love reading it all!!!!:groovy: Donna

Okay, but fly is now a different stroke from breastroke. And if you are over 70, say, go wild. But it is total BS to say, Well, I swim the stroke wrong because it's easier and faster and legal because there are still people swimming masters who learned it that way (which is, according to my understanding, why it is still legal). Breastroke is easier and faster with a fly kick, and after all, they were once the same stroke! Why can't I just change everything to suit me? It is a cop out. Yeah, fly is hard. Wah. Do you swim on a team with older swimmers? Have you competed in many masters meets with older swimmers? Just curious as to why you have this attitude that it is a cop out. I'd rather have them "cop out" than not participate.