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
Syd, glad to hear your update. I am thinking of you as I begin to add more fly to my workouts, beginning with the alternating fly and free 25s and a few 50s. I've also been doing 3 strokes one arm, 3 strokes the other, and 3 strokes both arms on sets of 3 x 100, and I think that's really helping with the feel of the stroke. I'm aiming to bump up to longer sets in the next week.
I am definitely beginning to feel a new rhythm. Yesterday, on the first 25 of a 50 I swear to God I had an aesthetic experience, in which the undulating rhythm of my body and the propulsion from my kick had me zooming through the water in the most astounding way. It only lasted about 10 seconds, if that, but it was fabulous. I want to get that back and stretch it out over a longer distance.
Have not had the guts to attempt a 100 yet, and am not in a hurry. I am taking my time. But I'm getting more and more excited about the stroke. I wonder about how you work on speed once you have the endurance, but that can wait for another month or so.
Thanks for the thread and the inspiration.
In the meantime, I'm curious: are there masters meets in Taiwan?
Syd, glad to hear your update. I am thinking of you as I begin to add more fly to my workouts, beginning with the alternating fly and free 25s and a few 50s. I've also been doing 3 strokes one arm, 3 strokes the other, and 3 strokes both arms on sets of 3 x 100, and I think that's really helping with the feel of the stroke. I'm aiming to bump up to longer sets in the next week.
I am definitely beginning to feel a new rhythm. Yesterday, on the first 25 of a 50 I swear to God I had an aesthetic experience, in which the undulating rhythm of my body and the propulsion from my kick had me zooming through the water in the most astounding way. It only lasted about 10 seconds, if that, but it was fabulous. I want to get that back and stretch it out over a longer distance.
Have not had the guts to attempt a 100 yet, and am not in a hurry. I am taking my time. But I'm getting more and more excited about the stroke. I wonder about how you work on speed once you have the endurance, but that can wait for another month or so.
Thanks for the thread and the inspiration.
In the meantime, I'm curious: are there masters meets in Taiwan?
