What's everyone working on this SCY season?

I am trying to do the same, it is discouraging though. The other day we were swimming SCM and I did a set of 8 X 100 backstroke descend 1-4. On the first set, I worked on SDK and took 2-6 off of each wall (less as the swim went on). I went a 1:07.0. The next set of 4, I did no SDK on the fast one and went 1:05.5. It is hard to work on something that is making me slower. Any advice? Please remember this was SCM not LCM so I had 3 turns. Trying to figure this out for my SCM meet in November. Sam: Welcome to the world of SDK! I think it takes some serious time to learn and master SDKs. I never did SDKs in age group swimming and didn't my first year of masters either. Then, from watching and reading, I just decided it was a logical path to time drops. (Swimming underwater also compensates for my height disadvantage.) I've been working at it pretty diligently for 8 months or so. Much improved, especially on starts, but I still need to work on SDKs off the walls. I'm definitely not at 10-12 on each turn. 12?! SDKs just take practice, practice, practice and a strong core. Plus, I love the monofin for SDKs. Ande doesn't, and so he is not my identical evil twin. ;)

100 back...This year is all about the 100 back. I'm tired of being a distance swimmer.

Thanks for the advice. I also bought a monofin this summer. Great for LCM but not so good for SCM, not enough time to get a rhythm. How often are you using it? And what kind of set do you use it on? It's a blast to use to say the least. I have talked to many people who swear it helps, bt of course Raz has a different opinion on this. I use it most practices. But I love it for SC too, especially for 25s!! (In fact, I don't think I used it at the few LC practices I did this summer with my team.) I do all sorts of things with it. Almost every practice I do a set of 10 x 25 underwater dolphin kick shooters. Or I'll do sets of 16 x 25 four point shooters (back, front, left side, right side). I do a lot of 10 x 50s. I'll occasionally go longer for some core work. Almost never over 100 though. I tend to use it for speed work. I also use it for fly drills and BR pull drills. I think it is a blast -- and gives a little variety to the practice. It's really helped my backstroke start! Great for the core and glutes too! I'm definitely in the "swear it helps" camp. But I do practice SDKs without it to keep me honest and avoid utter toy addiction. Still working on the walls though. My last turn (100 meter back, zones) I counted only 7-8 SDKs after 14 on the start.

I'll be working on: 1) trying to swim 10-11 spl per 25yd lengths 2) forcing myself to stick to flip turns for every lap 3) 4-6 skd's off of each wall 4) getting enough rest each night 5) coming in on a 1:00 for sets of 100s (freestyle) 6) doing more fly, back, and breaststroke :banana:

I just want to know if anyone's working on Jeff's roll over turn for their IM ... LOL. I contemplated adding that to my list, but I can't seem to flip very well if it's my right hand that hits the wall. It took six months for me to get it legal and correct. Mostly, breath control was the problem. You're not breathing for at least six seconds in the middle of a race. If you're serious about doing it, there's no reason to work on it. Watch video tapes, have someone work with you. You have eight months until Austin!

I hope to improve my SDK, in practice (from a dive) I want to regularly go under 25 sec for 50 yard SDK's & 11 sec for 25 yard SDK's I'm training to take more SDK's off each wall in my races Got to make SDKs a habit in practice. my race plans are to take _____ SDKs off each wall in _______ event 05 - 07 in the 100 fr 10 - 12 in the 100 bk 08 - 10 in the 100 fl 06 - 08 in the 050 fr 12 - 13 in the 050 bk 08 - 10 in the 050 fl 04 - 06 in the 200 fr (if I swim it) On free I plan to do most SDK's on my back then roll over to my belly So far I've noticed it really helps in practice. several times in 100's I've turned even with folks at the 50 then came up a ahead when I break out Ande Rasmussen I am trying to do the same, it is discouraging though. The other day we were swimming SCM and I did a set of 8 X 100 backstroke descend 1-4. On the first set, I worked on SDK and took 2-6 off of each wall (less as the swim went on). I went a 1:07.0. The next set of 4, I did no SDK on the fast one and went 1:05.5. It is hard to work on something that is making me slower. Any advice? Please remember this was SCM not LCM so I had 3 turns. Trying to figure this out for my SCM meet in November.

Sam: Welcome to the world of SDK! I think it takes some serious time to learn and master SDKs. I never did SDKs in age group swimming and didn't my first year of masters either. Then, from watching and reading, I just decided it was a logical path to time drops. (Swimming underwater also compensates for my height disadvantage.) I've been working at it pretty diligently for 8 months or so. Much improved, especially on starts, but I still need to work on SDKs off the walls. I'm definitely not at 10-12 on each turn. 12?! SDKs just take practice, practice, practice and a strong core. Plus, I love the monofin for SDKs. Ande doesn't, and so he is not my identical evil twin. ;) Thanks for the advice. I also bought a monofin this summer. Great for LCM but not so good for SCM, not enough time to get a rhythm. How often are you using it? And what kind of set do you use it on? It's a blast to use to say the least. I have talked to many people who swear it helps, bt of course Raz has a different opinion on this.

From the USMS rule book: Backstroke to breaststroke—The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the *** when the swimmer leaves the wall and the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke. "On the back" doesn't have to mean flat on your back. You can roll onto your side, but you must not let the exposed shoulder go beyond that invisible line that goes 90 degrees from the water's surface. Worked on these suckers today and they really weren't too bad. If I lunge down for the backstroke finish, I almost automatically flip right over. Much more fun this way. Problem is I can only do it with my left hand so far. But it might be faster this way even if I glide in. Going to force myself to only do rollover turns on IMs the next couple months and see how it goes. I think I'll even do one at my next meet. Nothing to lose. :bouncing: (Have to admit, though, that I don't think I was under water for 6 seconds. Safe assumption that your breaststroke pullout is a lot longer than mine!)

I might do it. I've been in a rut in my 100 IM. I think I should be about 2 seconds faster. I've been working on improving the evilstroke leg. But a fast turn would help too. I think I can handle the air deprivation because of my underwater SDK work, but getting it legal is another thing. What is the exact rule for the head/shoulder position? From the USMS rule book: Backstroke to breaststroke—The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the *** when the swimmer leaves the wall and the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke. "On the back" doesn't have to mean flat on your back. You can roll onto your side, but you must not let the exposed shoulder go beyond that invisible line that goes 90 degrees from the water's surface.

I'm working on making my final 15 months in the 30-34 age group good ones, to prove to people that being at the end of the age group doesn't mean you should just roll over and let the young'ins win everything. I think I will enjoy my first year in the 35-39 age group (also my first year back in the pool after 13 years away from swimming) without having to worry about you or Roque Santos reminding me that I'm really not that good.:p I will also focus on swimming as fast as I did in high school, which I hope to accomplish through better technique, weight training (which I didn't do in high school), better flexibility and a better diet (but MUCH shorter workouts:D).