Need Breaststroke advice and workouts

YES! It makes so much sense; I can't wait to try it in the water - the videos of drills have been extremely helpful; thanks again!

I have a great Mon-Wed-Frid, coached, 90 minute, interval-based, workout that is IM mixed, 3400-3800+ yards. Right now we are building endurance without much sprinting and not focused at all on the breaststroke. You might be able to add a little more breatstroke in the MWF woorkouts by doing things like changing a set that is 100 free into 25 ***/75free. It may requiring moving into a slower lane, but thats okay. Just make sure you let the coach and lanemates know what you are doing. Or I suppose if the set is 100, you could do a 50 *** as long as it doesn't interfere with the other people in the lane. When we were doing a lot of IM training we used to do 125 yard IM where we did a 50 of our stroke (or rotate through the strokes) and then a 25 of each of the other strokes. Those were good for conditioning. start :soapbox: I think (and I've seen it in plenty of other threads) that you need to get in lots of race pace swimming to drop your times in the 50 and 100. If you can't get that in during your coached workouts, make sure you are doing it in your own workout. end :soapbox:

As the butterflyer sets is arms to pull is really almost the same for a breastroker. I think there is to much talk about ther kick. Its all one fluid action but the pull is powerfully set like a flyer. I am not saying that the kick isn't important just has to be instinc with the pull. I have known many great breastrokers that had a weak kick when doing kicking but the perfect timing with the pull made them fantasticIMO

I played around with my timing on all breaststroke sets this morning, and boy everything is all messed up. I worked on placing the narrow/strong kick after I had attacked the recovery (instead of at the same time as I had been doing) and after I was streamlined underwater - but I never found a rhythm for very long. I've also been working on a narrower pull, and strong scull; lifting me up into the "wave" more, rolling my shoulders, and lungeing forward - I can tell this is helping but it is also exhausting me. I know I need to be patient when changing up my stroke, I think more drills will help. I do need workouts on my own, to focus on *** and sprint, as many have suggested. Thanks for all the ideas - all suggestions are welcomed!

Try keeping the chin down if it already isn't. Also pull the hips in. Many swimmers around my age (14) tend to use the head to lead the way, but hey the stroke can go very wrong if that happens. When finishing the recovery and you're gliding at the top of the stroke, keep the elbow tucked in nicely so water can roll down the arms better. I dropped my 100 time from a 1:10 to a 1:08 (SCY) by doing that.

Here's a workout I did last night which worked pretty well: 400 warmup: 100 swim, 300 misc kicking with and without a board (no fins) 5 X 200 swim, alt free and *** with fistgloves (200 free, 200 ***, etc.) 60 sec rest between. Focus on relaxed, consistent pull technique, good body roll on the free, and good hip/body position on the BR. 5 X 100 swim, alt free and *** 60 sec rest. gloves off. Focus on finishing the pull on the free (push the hip out of the way). Focus on fast hand recovery and squeezing the elbows together to raise the head on the breaststroke. 5 X 50 swim, alt free and *** No conscious thought, just relax and try to go FAST by applying what was imprinted during the 200s and 100s. 400 pull warmdown If you don't have the gloves just swim with closed fists. Make sure you keep them closed for the whole 1000 yd set though, to get the full effect. It's amazing how much it helps with the breaststroke.

Try this everyday for a week, you will see Your OWN warm up, then...: 4 x 50 *** kick fast 4 x 50 brest drill 4 x 50 *** kick fast Main sets: All ***: between: 15-20 seconds rest, no more! -12x25 on :30 -6 x 50 on :50 or :45 -3 x 100 on 1:45 or 1:30 -200 try best time 25" rest -3 x 100 on 1:45 or 1:30 -6 x 50 on :50 or :45 -10 x 25 on :30 Your own warm down. I've added this workout to my week and have done it several times now. I love it; it is really helping develop my endurance, speed, and technique as I focus on different stroke elements each time. I've had difficulty keeping the intervals. I've also slightly sprained my inner thigh muscle. I also start getting cramps toward the end of the workout in my legs. Is ths because my body is not used to this much focused breaststroke training, or am I doing something wrong? Going from a few hundred yards of breaststroke 3 X week, to 2000 yards in one practice is a big jump for me. Any feedback or advice? I do love the workout however, and plan to set my intermediate goals in line with making the intervals for each set, closer and closer to this workout. Also, I'm adding in more breaststroke work in my other 3 weeky workouts (with my coach's blessing of course). Any other ideas, suggestions, and advice?

Thanks for the modified workout; I'll give it a try too - I love a challenge though so I'm determined to keep at it till I can meet the intervals of the first workout. I'm already getting some time drops in my 25 yd kick and also 25 yd swim. Partly due to stroke modifications but also due to adding in these workouts I think. I appreciate it!!!

Any other ideas, suggestions, and advice? I do th workout every 7-8 days to work on my breaststroke before the big IM workout. I have a friend that do that workout everyday (he always add new sets), He goes 1:02 on the 100 *** SCM. The first times are hard, but you will get used to after two months doing it once or twice a week. (or everyday) You can try an easier workout to start: ;) Your own warm up, plus some ***-kick and some drills. Then: -10x25 5-10" rest -30" rest -5x50 10" rest -30" rest -3x100 15" rest -30" rest -1x200 decend by 50's -25" rest -1x150 keep same speed -25" rest -2x100 15" rest -30" rest -5x50 10" rest -30" rest -10x25 5-10" rest Cool down This is way easier since you are not concern about making times, even so you have to try hard.