I'm interested to know what kind of workouts people are doing who are preparing for 200 back, long or short course. I'm interested primarily because I'm pretty much incapable of approaching the distances and volume that Ande has been doing recently.
What are the rest of you doing? Are you gunning for a top 10 time, a National Qualifying Time, a PB, or are you just trying to stave off a precipitous decline in speed? What is the longest interval you'll do with any frequency? Do you ever get up to the 800's that Ande is posting?
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Former Member
I am one to spend a lot of time on my back. Literally and figuratively that is.
When I am training for a specific competition, which has been a while, I will do repeats of 100s or 200s to get 200 Back stamina. I like to do sets descending times and/or intervals. I feel if I can finish strong, then I am going to have a good swim. The only way I get the confidence to finish strong, is to continue to do descend/negative split swims. And no, negative split does not mean loaf the first half and sprint the second. I try to do a 3 second drop at most per 100 of distance.
A good set that I like to do is:
18 X 100
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:20
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:15
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:10
(Descend each set of 3)
This is short course, I adjust by 10% for long course, you can adjust for level, course type. I feel if I can descend the last 3 on 1:10 interval I am in good shape for a 200 Backstroke.
One other thing, the way I like to swim a 200 Backstroke is the following:
1. Use the start and turn to make a VERY STRONG first 50
2. SPRINT (and I mean SPRINT) the middle 100
3. Rely on my confidence of training to finish the last 50 as best as I can.
This may sound odd, but the more you practice this, the more sense it will make.
I am one to spend a lot of time on my back. Literally and figuratively that is.
When I am training for a specific competition, which has been a while, I will do repeats of 100s or 200s to get 200 Back stamina. I like to do sets descending times and/or intervals. I feel if I can finish strong, then I am going to have a good swim. The only way I get the confidence to finish strong, is to continue to do descend/negative split swims. And no, negative split does not mean loaf the first half and sprint the second. I try to do a 3 second drop at most per 100 of distance.
A good set that I like to do is:
18 X 100
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:20
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:15
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:10
(Descend each set of 3)
This is short course, I adjust by 10% for long course, you can adjust for level, course type. I feel if I can descend the last 3 on 1:10 interval I am in good shape for a 200 Backstroke.
One other thing, the way I like to swim a 200 Backstroke is the following:
1. Use the start and turn to make a VERY STRONG first 50
2. SPRINT (and I mean SPRINT) the middle 100
3. Rely on my confidence of training to finish the last 50 as best as I can.
This may sound odd, but the more you practice this, the more sense it will make.
