1 second improvement

Thanks everyone for the advice. Ande, I'm almost 62 and have swum in 5 or 6 Masters events. Before that I last swam in a Jr. AAU meet in 1959. Training now is unstructured a few days a week. I don't want to get too much structure and get bored and quit, but I think I can improve my time by a second or two. 6' 198 lbs--down from 205-210 since retiring and exercising regularly. Jack

so fort what kind of stuff have you been doing in the pool? yardage? i saw you went a 25 in the 50 free, that's smoking fast

well it sounds like it's working for you. i'm still focusing on the shorter races. i really wanna get my 50 time down but it's tough to break the habit of engine building which i'm so used to. we have already started lifeguarding on the weekends down here so i've been doing a couple open water swims. i think i'm going to start using the ow swims for lifeguarding as my conditioning and just sprint sprint sprint when i'm in the pool

DPS = distance per stroke. Even though you're swimming a 50, it's still important. I do a lot of 25s working on this, thanks to Paul Smith. I mix up the 25s, doing sprint, DPS, build, easy, kick, etc. I'm not saying I'm great at it. I still have a high stroke rate in a 50, but I do it faithfully. I'm sure others, such as Rich Abrahams, can give better advice. Plus, there is the "Ask Ande" thread. Warren: I am living proof that you do not need good "conditioning" for a goodly drop in the 50 free. I am in good shape for my age, but I have not done any engine building in the pool for awhile and I just swam my fastest 50 since college after being sick. This is masters and sprinting is not utterly defined by conditioning in the pool. Or I'd be sunk. Better to spend some time practicing sprinting, lifting weights, SDK-ing, and napping before meets. Doing sprints in practice is conditioning for the 50 free. I didn't mean endurance training. I wasn't very clear in my answer. I should have said step up the practice intinsity to get in better condition and you will drop a second.

if I were in your situation and wanted to drop a second in the 50 free here's how I'd do it focus on the 50 in your training lose more weight get down to 170 - 180 Keep in mind that loosing weight is not always the answer. "From 1999 to 2000 Gary Hall Jr. dramatically increased his muscle mass. His body weight went from about 180 to 219 pounds during this same year." - The Swim Coaching Bible. Michael Bottom wrote this and was surprised that Gary's weight gain didn't work against him. He thought it would translate into increased resistance in the water, instead Gary could generate more power compensating for the increase in resistance. I would recommend buying "The Swim Coaching Bible". It will teach you a lot about swimming and will be useful even if you are not a coach. Michael Bottom doesn't have a book out and he wrote the chapter on Freestyle Sprint Training in this book. I had the opportunity to meet him at the Fina Masters Competition at Stanford. He's a pretty eccentric guy. He's very creative and after meeting him I understand why he was a good fit for Gary. Michael Bottom was Gary Hall Jr.'s sprint coach. I don't know if he is currently training him for 2008. Currently I'm also trying to get a better time in the 50 free. I know if I improve my turn it will definitely help. I just ordered some tapes. I'll let you know if they helped. Hopefully they will come in time. If not there is always next season. Good luck :)

if I were in your situation and wanted to drop a second in the 50 free here's how I'd do it focus on the 50 in your training lose more weight get down to 170 - 180 lift weights 2 - 3 x / wk (start out very easy, consider getting a trainer) swim 4 - 6 times a week, preferably with a coach and team, if not find a partner in your work outs warm up then do sprints with plenty of rest do 15's, 25's & 50's swimming and kicking get timed on a few whenever you swim easy concentrate on distance per stroke, great streamlines, great form get your splits when you swim fast 50's learn the track start get a fast skin suit good luck hope you improve ande Thanks everyone for the advice. Ande, I'm almost 62 and have swum in 5 or 6 Masters events. Before that I last swam in a Jr. AAU meet in 1959. Training now is unstructured a few days a week. I don't want to get too much structure and get bored and quit, but I think I can improve my time by a second or two. 6' 198 lbs--down from 205 - 210 since retiring and exercising regularly. Jack

... SDKs on the starts and turns, even for free .... Thanks for your excellent summary. I am sorry but what is SDK? I guess DK is Dolphin Kick but what is S? You may be amazed but I know better SDK as Software Development Kit.

Streamlined. Not like any software I am accustomed to.

The first reply from the Fortress was awesome. I'd like to add two things; 1. Add some EVF isometrics where you raise your elbows near or above your ears and hold them there. The duration of an isometric will vary from six seconds to specific times (times that duplicate the goal time). Endurace swimmers need to hold the isometrics longer while sprinters may need to add stretch cords or light dumbells to their routine. 2. Perform EVF drill that are super slow and emphasize that aspect of the stroke. Dropping one second isn't easy but you can do it. Good luck, Coach T.

Great starts an turns.