As a kid my father and my coach always wanted me to swim the fly but I always resisted. Only once was I ever persuaded to swim the 100m fly. I went out hell for leather in the first 50 and even turned in front but the wheels came off in the second 50, in a bad way, and I ended up limping in the last 25m swimming one arm butterfly! I never tried again!
Now after a 20 odd year abscence from swimming I find myself actually wanting to swim fly and enjoying it when I do. It's a beautiful feeling when the fly is executed well: smooth, rhythmic and exhilarating. When you hit the zone in fly it is an even better feeling than hitting the zone in crawl. It is an addictive feeling.
How did I get into fly? Well it has only been recently really, but I started to do a set of 25m at the end of every practice. I started off really slowly: 10 times 25m at 30 sec's alternating fly and crawl. Slowly I have built that up to 40 times 25m at 30sec and more recently I have been adding a set of 10 times 50 fly at 90sec. Next I plan to cut the repeat interval down to at least a minute on the 50's and then add some 100's. I can't wait to try the 100's but I don't want to try before I am really ready for them.
I always laugh when I see SwimStud's "Fly: Just say no!" because that is exactly how I felt but I have to say now, a practice without fly is a a practice without my 'fix'!
Anyone else have a similar experience?
Syd
Parents
Former Member
Yesterday I realised something while swimming the last 25m of a 100: Fly gets easier but it never gets easy. In fact, the only time fly is easy is when it is the first 25 of the first set and you are wearing fins.
And another platitude you are probably aware of: You must train the distance in order to swim the distance.
In the last few weeks I have been swimming fly almost on a daily basis. Most of it, however, has been 25's and 50's. Every now and then I will throw in a 100 when I am really feeling good, but it is the same everytime: it hurts like hell.
I keep going back to the same thought: why is it possible for me to complete 200m of all the other strokes except fly? Note: I am not talking about swimming a PB here but rather, just completing the distance.
Some practices I have been swimming up to 1000m of fly. 10 x 50 fly and 40 x 25 (alternating free and fly). I erroneously thought that amount of distance in a session would allow me to sail through a 100m but, in reality, not so. You have to train the distance to go the distance.
So yesterday I did a 100 followed by 5 x 75's and that was painful but manageable. In fact when I did a 50 afterwards I breezed it. It's all about breaking down new pain barriers and slowly increasing the distance.
This morning, when I raise my arms, there is a delicious aching sensation in my lats and I can't wait to get back and subject myself to more.:D
yours, truly hooked
Syd
Yesterday I realised something while swimming the last 25m of a 100: Fly gets easier but it never gets easy. In fact, the only time fly is easy is when it is the first 25 of the first set and you are wearing fins.
And another platitude you are probably aware of: You must train the distance in order to swim the distance.
In the last few weeks I have been swimming fly almost on a daily basis. Most of it, however, has been 25's and 50's. Every now and then I will throw in a 100 when I am really feeling good, but it is the same everytime: it hurts like hell.
I keep going back to the same thought: why is it possible for me to complete 200m of all the other strokes except fly? Note: I am not talking about swimming a PB here but rather, just completing the distance.
Some practices I have been swimming up to 1000m of fly. 10 x 50 fly and 40 x 25 (alternating free and fly). I erroneously thought that amount of distance in a session would allow me to sail through a 100m but, in reality, not so. You have to train the distance to go the distance.
So yesterday I did a 100 followed by 5 x 75's and that was painful but manageable. In fact when I did a 50 afterwards I breezed it. It's all about breaking down new pain barriers and slowly increasing the distance.
This morning, when I raise my arms, there is a delicious aching sensation in my lats and I can't wait to get back and subject myself to more.:D
yours, truly hooked
Syd
