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?
Parents
Former Member
I really think you should go out as fast as you possibly can. Usually this means you'll be at least a couple tenths off your best 50 (which makes sense because you're slower touching to your feet rather than your hands). Then just try to hold on for the second 50. That said, I've never split a 100 like that in my life, but I still think it's the way to go for the fastest possible time. If you can pull it off you'll have an incredible time. If not, you could die like a dog on that second 50, but at least you went for it and maybe it will inspire you to train harder and actually be able to do it next time.
I think this is bad advice. In the first 25 seconds of all out swimming you will exhaust your anerobic capacity. Lactic acid will quickly develop and you will fade quickly. Your splits will be too far apart and your time will be worse than if you had swum the race correctly. I don't have the monster book Swimming Fastest with me but it offers race guidance. I think it suggests the 1st 50 is about 1 second above your best 50. It aims for the 2nd 50 about 2 secs above the first 50.
That is the way Roland Schoeman did it in Athens and it seems to be his preferred way of approaching the 100m. He shares the world record for the 100m free SCM with Ian Crocker (46.25). He also has the world record for the 50m free SCM (20.98) and the 50m fly LCM (22.96).
Some may argue that it was exactly this approach that cost him the gold in Athens. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch He goes out in a blisteringly fast 22.60 (this is less than a second faster than his best all out 50 - I think he went a 21.74 once but I just can't find it now) and comes back in 25.63 for a total time of 48.23. Only 6 hundredths of a second off Van Hoogenbrand! His split difference is 3.03. Imagine if he could get that second 50 to within 2.5 seconds of the first....that would be under world record pace. You can see the wheels starting to fall off in the last 25m and Van Hoogenbrand gains steadily on him. Now perhaps if he had gone out in a 22.90 it could have made all the difference....
Syd
I really think you should go out as fast as you possibly can. Usually this means you'll be at least a couple tenths off your best 50 (which makes sense because you're slower touching to your feet rather than your hands). Then just try to hold on for the second 50. That said, I've never split a 100 like that in my life, but I still think it's the way to go for the fastest possible time. If you can pull it off you'll have an incredible time. If not, you could die like a dog on that second 50, but at least you went for it and maybe it will inspire you to train harder and actually be able to do it next time.
I think this is bad advice. In the first 25 seconds of all out swimming you will exhaust your anerobic capacity. Lactic acid will quickly develop and you will fade quickly. Your splits will be too far apart and your time will be worse than if you had swum the race correctly. I don't have the monster book Swimming Fastest with me but it offers race guidance. I think it suggests the 1st 50 is about 1 second above your best 50. It aims for the 2nd 50 about 2 secs above the first 50.
That is the way Roland Schoeman did it in Athens and it seems to be his preferred way of approaching the 100m. He shares the world record for the 100m free SCM with Ian Crocker (46.25). He also has the world record for the 50m free SCM (20.98) and the 50m fly LCM (22.96).
Some may argue that it was exactly this approach that cost him the gold in Athens. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch He goes out in a blisteringly fast 22.60 (this is less than a second faster than his best all out 50 - I think he went a 21.74 once but I just can't find it now) and comes back in 25.63 for a total time of 48.23. Only 6 hundredths of a second off Van Hoogenbrand! His split difference is 3.03. Imagine if he could get that second 50 to within 2.5 seconds of the first....that would be under world record pace. You can see the wheels starting to fall off in the last 25m and Van Hoogenbrand gains steadily on him. Now perhaps if he had gone out in a 22.90 it could have made all the difference....
Syd
