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
Former Member
Well I survived my 1st ever 200 fly. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. I went a 3:22 in scm. I am very excited about that. My goal was under 3:30 and didn't care if it was 3:29.99. I am definitely going to add that to my list of events for the rest of the year.
Next challenge....ButterNut....
Congratulations Linda!:groovy: Oooooh! I am full of admiration! That must have taken some courage. How did you swim it? Easy out in the first 100 and then concentrating on the kick in the second 100? How did you feel afterwards? That's wonderful news!
Syd
Syd...
I kept it long and smooth. Relaxed the 1st 100 and build the last 100. It was an awesome feeling when I was done. Nothing hurt the whole time except my abs toward the end. I think next time I can go out a little faster. I will just say that the 800 I swam on the 1st day hurt much worse than the 200 Fly and I swam the fly after a nice battle I had in the 200 IM. On the 1st day of the meet I also did the 100 fly followed by a 50 free and right into the 400 IM. 100 fly was a 1:32 and the 100 fly in the 400 IM was 1:35 I think. My fly felt real good all weekend and the frees hurt.
Have you raced your fly's yet? Trust me you can do it. Once you get through it whether it is a 50, 100, or 200 it is a great feeling to have achieved it.
Well I survived my 1st ever 200 fly. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. I went a 3:22 in scm. I am very excited about that. My goal was under 3:30 and didn't care if it was 3:29.99. I am definitely going to add that to my list of events for the rest of the year.
Next challenge....ButterNut....
Great job! I'm also working on the ButterNut. I need to get through the mental barrier that tells me that 500 yards of fly is impossible. Some marathon runners say, "I'm not going to run 26 miles, I'm going to run 1 mile 26 times." So with that in mind, here's a set that I did this morning: 20x25 fly on :25, and at the end of each 25, I began a normal open turn but paused just before releasing the right hand's grip on the wall. Then I waited for the interval and continued. I swam the last 25 in 16 seconds so since I didn't do anything illegal (like touching the bottom) I could claim that I did a 500 fly in 8:11. I'm not making that claim yet. I'm going to try more sets like this (move up to 50's and 75's, or 25's on 5 seconds rest, etc.) before taking on the Big Kahuna.
i've been through a number of mantras on my road to successful butterfly. my current one is "think 'forward' (not 'up')."
I have to say this has been the single most important advice in improving my fly. Thank you:notworthy:! Thank you:notworthy:!
Syd
Hmmm.....all this talk is making me want to enter the 50Fly for a meet on Nov. 18th.......just not sure I can hold it together for 50Meters (short course).
Go for it Minnow. It is not as bad as you think it would be. If I can hold it together for 200 SCM you can do a 50 SCM. I couldn't do more than a 50 until last year when I decided I was going to do the 400 IM.
Let us know how it goes....
Good Luck
I am 75. After a year of swimming straight freestyle building up to 1600 meters non-stop I joined masters a month ago. I swam fly in school 57 years ago. I decided I wanted to try again. Gratefully my coach swam fly in college and I have now, with a start, been able to go fifty meters with a respectable fly. My best 25 meter time is around 24secs. I finally, in this last week, according to coach have really mastered the rhythm. I don't know what my potential is at this age but i am starting to get two or three hundred meters of fly in each work out. There is a meet Saturday and, at least, I am going to try it and see where I get. I know I can to better than 24s eventually. Any old guys out their with advice. :dunno:
Well I am swam the fly at a meet in Portsmouth NH. 50 M in 58. I know I can do better. I also did 50 free in 49s. I am now trying to build fly endurance for the 100. It will take some more work at 75. I won both age groups being the only one entered. Not a great accomplishment. :applaud:
