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
Ehoch,
I'm 6'3" and a smidge and am going at about 248 right now. I'm still swimming mostly with my shoulders but am slowly starting to get my lower body into the mix.
I am dropping time every meet I swim. Not always in the same events but at least one event (and usually 2-3) I have time drops.
This was my 100m free in Dec
1:01.37, 28.67 32.70 - 4.03s diff
This was my 100m free this past weekend.
59.17, 27.73, 31.44 - 3.71s diff
Here is my 100y free in Oct, 07
56.89 26.96 29.93 - 2.97s diff
and at SCY Nats in April
52.85 25.29 27.56 - 2.27s diff
So a 2.2s time drop broken down as .94/1.26 for SCM and a 4.04s drop broken down as 1.67/2.37 for SCY, so it appears that I am swimming the back half better in relation to the front half but it is still poor in my opinion. And no surprise, I'm a better swimming in SCY than SCM. I was 20+ years ago, no surprise I am now. I really think I need to get the difference down to 3 seconds or less. And sure, I know I could do that by swimmer the front half slower and trying to dial it up on the back half but I don't think that's a good method as it will be hard to really crank it up on the back 50.
So I am still improving but (see Type A personality) I think I can go faster and it seems that swimming a 'smarter' race would be the key here. Granted, it's a 100, how much tactics could be involved?
A couple of more thoughts along training...
Definitely should add some aerobic conditioning work to the mix to get you home. Also, I sometimes try to replicate that end of race feel in some sets. For example, some 100s broken swam as 75 hard, 5 - 10 sec rest, then 25 fly (or kick) hard(er). And don't forget to work that 3rd turn in particular in swimming SC (although that set is not good for that).
You should also experiment a bit on breathing patterns, and effort to find out works best for you. I've landed on a swim 2, breath 1 pattern, with a fast build on the 1st 25, and all out for the last 75. The last 25 I'm so O2 deprived, more breathing hardly matters. I've tried breathing every stroke, and swimming all out the whole way, but felt like I was flailing and swam slower than expected.... but it might work for you.
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.
Paul do you really need to set times for your splits. I would suggest go as fast as you can and die at the finish line.
Under 10 for the first 25
Under 24 for the for the 50
Ok -- I am not sure what you look like, but judging from your "getting stronger" posts, I am guessing that you are a big guy (strong). The splits listed here are way too general. You need to pick somebody very fast that is somewhat similiar to you in terms of swimming. A big time sprinter will not reach the +1 then +2 rule. Look at Dara Torres -- 24.5 in the 50, and she will not go 53.0. Gary Hall in 2004 going 21.9 and 49.0.
You need race pace work -- all the other stuff is just warm-up for you.
Start by going 5-8x50 on 4-5 minutes and target about 1.5-2 sec slower than your best time (adjust of course if you go from a push). Do this 4-5 times along with your aerobic work. Then you can venture out doing broken 75s and eventually 100s broken (and rest needs to go up for this).
