Five Fast Facts: 50 *** is the title of an article in the latest January 2007 USMS Swimmer magazine, page 10. This is under training and technique.
I normally like the USMS Swimmer magazine, but has anyone else but me been truly upset by such garbage!
They wasted 35 words saying that you have to surface before 15 meters!!!!!
Obviously the writer knew NOTHING about breaststroke, NO SUCH RULE exists for breaststroke.
Then they waste more space with " a scissor kick is illegal in competition.
And "the best *** swimmers spend more than half the race underwater is also JUST WRONG. That may be true in the 200 sc yards or meters, but not the 50 ***.
I am sorry to offend anyone, including the writer, but you should have checked your sources, there are many that could have put together MUCH better tips. It would have taken 10 seconds to email a masters breaststroker to confirn the information.:dedhorse:
I invite people like Allen Stark, Jeff Commings, Seth Van Neerden, Roque J Santos, David M Guthrie, Jack Groselle etc. to come up with 5 fast facts and tips for the 50 ***.
Parents
Former Member
I would start with:
1) The underwater stroke is shortened for the 50 race, about one to two seconds shorterless time than the 100 and 200 breaststroke races. You are faster on the surface and so after the initial speed of the dive and underwater stroke wears off, getting to the surface with a very powerfull first stroke up is important to set the rest of the strokes up. Great breaststrokers will still go 10 meters off the start.
2) Practice the start to enter the water streamlined and underwater stroke to be quick and minimize water resistance. Practice the new underwater downwards dolphin kick just as the hands are coming down past the shoulders of the underwater stroke. This is worth about a tenth to two tenth reduction of time.
3) On the first stroke after underwater pullout, time arms so maximum width of outscull as head breaks water surface- worth .2 sec. per length
4) The 50 race can be muscled more than the longer races. Sometimes coming higher or pulling the knees up a little can generate more speed although for a shorter time.
5) Practice the race finish, try to touch with a huge lunge and end up with the head, arms and body finishing underwater. You are faster underwater, you can gain up to half a second on a great finish. The best finish ever was Ed Moses, see his finishes, they are a work of art.
Since I wrote Faster Breaststroke and New Thinking For Sprint Breaststroke, the World Records for both men and women have fallen over ONE FULL second in the 50 meter short course and longs course races. The mens 50 SCM is now 26.18 and the LCM is 26.17 seconds.
For those who have used my web site, it is back on a new server. Look for new articles soon.
I would start with:
1) The underwater stroke is shortened for the 50 race, about one to two seconds shorterless time than the 100 and 200 breaststroke races. You are faster on the surface and so after the initial speed of the dive and underwater stroke wears off, getting to the surface with a very powerfull first stroke up is important to set the rest of the strokes up. Great breaststrokers will still go 10 meters off the start.
2) Practice the start to enter the water streamlined and underwater stroke to be quick and minimize water resistance. Practice the new underwater downwards dolphin kick just as the hands are coming down past the shoulders of the underwater stroke. This is worth about a tenth to two tenth reduction of time.
3) On the first stroke after underwater pullout, time arms so maximum width of outscull as head breaks water surface- worth .2 sec. per length
4) The 50 race can be muscled more than the longer races. Sometimes coming higher or pulling the knees up a little can generate more speed although for a shorter time.
5) Practice the race finish, try to touch with a huge lunge and end up with the head, arms and body finishing underwater. You are faster underwater, you can gain up to half a second on a great finish. The best finish ever was Ed Moses, see his finishes, they are a work of art.
Since I wrote Faster Breaststroke and New Thinking For Sprint Breaststroke, the World Records for both men and women have fallen over ONE FULL second in the 50 meter short course and longs course races. The mens 50 SCM is now 26.18 and the LCM is 26.17 seconds.
For those who have used my web site, it is back on a new server. Look for new articles soon.
