Getting into Fly

Just watched this video, saw some great backstroke turns here www.youtube.com/watch This video breaks the backstroke down very well and has animations, www.youtube.com/watch Getting back to fly here is the one on butterfly that I believe Hoffman showed us before www.youtube.com/watch Geo!! This is a great site. See it do it!! These are awesome videos. Now I need help on my back to *** turn. Happy flying! P

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

Syd, I swam in my first masters meet last March, after a hiatus of 28 years. It was really great--totally affirming. I did not go nearly as fast as I had hoped, but the feeling of competition helped me achieve the mental buy-in to improve in a lasting way. I swam in two meets, and used the information gained from that to spend all summer drilling in anticipation of the SCY season in 2008. I will probably do a meet or two before the end of this year, then compete more frequently next. I have agreed to meet an old swimming chum at SCY nationals in Austin next May. Masters competition is characterized by a very supportive atmosphere, so far as I can tell. Very different ability levels are welcomed.

I learned butterfly at age 44, it was one of my fitness goals for 2003. The inspiration was a woman who started doing it in the next lane one day. I think she must have been an exceptionally good swimmer, because I haven't seen too many people since who did it that well. I'm a T.I. geek, so a lot of the learning came from their dvds and books. I figure if I could learn, anyone can! The hardest part was getting the hang of the body dolphin drill without the fins on. Once I nailed that part, the rest came a little easier. Using fist gloves has helped with the arm stroke a lot, I tended to drop my hands too much before trying them. I'll probably never be fast enough to be competitive, but it's a fun stroke to do and I enjoy it.

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?

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. That's a wonderful feeling! Even that 10 seconds is enough to get you hooked! Congratulations on your achievement! Glad to hear that you are getting excited about the stroke. I never thought I would be excited about fly either. Masters competition in Taiwan?...well there is one next month... I will see...don't know if I am ready to participate yet...last time I competed was at the end of 1983 (about 24 years ago) and only got back into swimming recently. Thanks for your interest. Syd

Hi. New here, but not to swimming. But getting back into fly, as per thread for first time in 10 years or so. I'm always so skittish about shoulder problems that I've avoided it. But now I think it's not such a big problem if you increase intensity, swims, and yardage slowly. I only swim a true fly set every third workout or so. I've been at it 6 weeks now and today was my most 'intense" set yet: 6 x 75 fly/ez 25 free on 1:45. I mean, it was intense--and longish--for me. It is a real thrill to get in the zone, huh? :wave:

Hey - I did my first masters meet last January...and I worked up the courage to attempt a 200 Fly. I didn't recall ever doing one before in a meet, so after a 20 year or so break from competative swimming I decided that I would at least have done one once in my lifetime. It was a challenge - and I didn't say "never again". I plan to do one this December and I am trying to get a few others to do it with me....(don't want to be the only one in the event - there was one other brave soul with me the last time). I asked my daughters swim coach who was an All American 200 flyer for some good sets to help me train. This is what she told me. Do a 200. The first lap do 3 full butterfly strokes and the rest of the lap easy free. The second lap do 4 full strokes and the rest easy free. Add one butterfly stroke on each lap until you complete the 200. Do a good pullout at each wall. It is a relaxing 200 - nice to do between sets of 25's or 50's. Let me know what any of you think....

Thanks for the welcome, Syd and gang. Best of luck with your training. While we're on the subject, what is the thinking on training for a 200 fly? Build up to occasional 250s/300s for confidence? Do you ever actually swim sets of 200s? Or is 100s on interval, with the occasional 200 for time thrown in, enough to get you there? Thanks in advance.

Swimmerlady, I am going to attempt my 1st 200 fly in October. Up until last year, it was all I could do to swim a 50 fly. I decided to do the 400 IM last year. Still never trained fly but just knew that if I got through the 1st 4 lengths the rest would be ok. I have been doing lots of fly in practice this year. I do alot of drill. It is starting to seem easier. Good Luck getting others to swim it with you. I get laughed at when I ask people to swim it with me.