All,
I'm now starting to feel more powerful on my free and am able hold shorter intervals so I decided to take a look at what an effective split would be and figure out how to start training for it.
So far my best times are in SC
50y - 24.98
100y - 56.89, 26.96,29.93
50m - 27.25
100m - 1:01.37, 28.67,32.70
Now looking at the percentages it is clear that my conditioning (or lack thereof) played a huge part in the drop offs.
SCY (based upon 50y event time)
1st 50 - 92.07%, 2nd 50 80.18%
SCM
1st 50 - 94.79%, 2nd 50 - 80.00%
So in each of my best swims, I took the front 50 out a little differently but had about the same Death March on the back half. Taking a look at other splits it appears that the most effective split is about 95%/88%.
I'm pretty sure that I'm in the low 24s for SCY now so let's use 24.00 as a 50y time. That means I should split 100 25.26/27.27/52.54.
Now the question is, what would be the best way to train for this? Would it be to throw in some 5x100 Sprints on 8:00 and try to find someone to time? Do less than that? Do more than that? What should I expect the times to be without access to blocks?
Paul
Parents
Former Member
I wouldn't get too caught up in the traditional way that elite swimmers spilt their 100 free. Yeah, if you were an elite-level swimmer, you should definitely know how to swim the race and you should also know how your competition swims the race. I think swimming is very unique to the swimmer. By this I mean that you aren't built like the traditional swimmer. If I remember correctly, you're really heavy for a swimmer, more along the powerlifting lines. Your body type will naturally tend to make you flame out the longer you go. There's a reason why most great sprinters are usually medium to light build and over 6'3" in the sprints. Too much mass can be a detriment, even if it's powerful muscle. That being said, I do think your splits are too far off. I would try to get them closer, but in the end, you need to try and figure out what works best for you. You could easily get your splits more in tune by just going out a lot easier and coming back faster, but the question is if this would give you a faster 100 time. You might actually be faster by doing what you're currently doing (going out like a madman and falling to pieces in the end). I don't lift like Ed Coan, and I sure as heck don't base my lifting regiment on what he was able to do. Also, your breathing pattern is weird to me. Just breathe every stroke, especially with the death you're suffering at the end.
I wouldn't get too caught up in the traditional way that elite swimmers spilt their 100 free. Yeah, if you were an elite-level swimmer, you should definitely know how to swim the race and you should also know how your competition swims the race. I think swimming is very unique to the swimmer. By this I mean that you aren't built like the traditional swimmer. If I remember correctly, you're really heavy for a swimmer, more along the powerlifting lines. Your body type will naturally tend to make you flame out the longer you go. There's a reason why most great sprinters are usually medium to light build and over 6'3" in the sprints. Too much mass can be a detriment, even if it's powerful muscle. That being said, I do think your splits are too far off. I would try to get them closer, but in the end, you need to try and figure out what works best for you. You could easily get your splits more in tune by just going out a lot easier and coming back faster, but the question is if this would give you a faster 100 time. You might actually be faster by doing what you're currently doing (going out like a madman and falling to pieces in the end). I don't lift like Ed Coan, and I sure as heck don't base my lifting regiment on what he was able to do. Also, your breathing pattern is weird to me. Just breathe every stroke, especially with the death you're suffering at the end.
