what is the optimal differential between the first and second 50 on a 100 yard short course freestyle? The first 50 benefits from the dive and the relative freshness of the swimmer; the second 50 requires two turns and contending with lactate and fatigue.
Is it better to go all out and try to hold on, or save a little for the end?
Say you can swim an all-out 50 by itself at 25 seconds. How would you ideally swim the 100?
Example: 25.5 then 28.5 for 3 second differential and a 54.0
or 26.0 and 28 for a 2 second differential and a 54.
Which method do you think is best?
"It doesn't work for me either. Way off. I'm thinking it's not accurate for yardage slacker masters? Could just be a real underachiever, I guess."
At some point the body adjusts to whatever work load you're giving it. Training at a harder interval for a longer duration is tough. But everyone can learn how to adjust as long as the change isn't radical. Sooner or later the interval which seemed impossible gets easier to swim through. That's when the times start dropping.
In a way a more challenging workout forces you to swim with economy and effectiveness. ...tighter streamlines, better body posture...more dolphin kicks...Anything that will assist you in picking up a second here and there will have a positive effect.
So maybe it would help if I did some 100 frees in practice or meets? :joker:
I thought us sprinters were supposed to be doing serious race pace work with more rest. But now you're saying to do tougher intervals ... I guess we have to do some of both? I've just gotten very fond of my semi-regular set of 32 x 25 or 16 x 25 ...
Does your 3 second theory hold for the strokes too or just for the 100 free? Must be a higher differential for strokes. Plus, does the 3 second differential for the 100 free hold for every age group?
"It doesn't work for me either. Way off. I'm thinking it's not accurate for yardage slacker masters? Could just be a real underachiever, I guess."
At some point the body adjusts to whatever work load you're giving it. Training at a harder interval for a longer duration is tough. But everyone can learn how to adjust as long as the change isn't radical. Sooner or later the interval which seemed impossible gets easier to swim through. That's when the times start dropping.
In a way a more challenging workout forces you to swim with economy and effectiveness. ...tighter streamlines, better body posture...more dolphin kicks...Anything that will assist you in picking up a second here and there will have a positive effect.
So maybe it would help if I did some 100 frees in practice or meets? :joker:
I thought us sprinters were supposed to be doing serious race pace work with more rest. But now you're saying to do tougher intervals ... I guess we have to do some of both? I've just gotten very fond of my semi-regular set of 32 x 25 or 16 x 25 ...
Does your 3 second theory hold for the strokes too or just for the 100 free? Must be a higher differential for strokes. Plus, does the 3 second differential for the 100 free hold for every age group?
