The thread about pacing made me wonder which is the best strategy for each race. Also I would like to know if you have a good strategy that makes you win or get into a good position.
examples:
50 free = all out, 100% from the beggining, good start from the block is crucial, Short course: most swimmer would suggest 1 breath on the first 25, and 2 breaths on the second. Also not to make the turn too long underwater.
500 free: I personally try to follow the faster guy the first 250 (if he is too fast or too far I try another swimmer faster than me), and then swim the last 250 as hard as possible, long turns, no breathing pattern.
200 im: I try to follow the faster guy on the 50 fly without kill my self, then is my race. The backstroke as fast as I can with the longest turns underwater possibles/ Make a good turn back-*** without breathing/
during the *** I never watch the wall, I try to concentrate on my technique to keep it as good as I can, and the last 50 free I usually breath everystroke.
Im gonna leave the idea, I want to see your strategies, like the pace on the 200 ***, etc.
50 BR-Good start,don't spend too much time underwater(since race speed is faster it takes less time to slow to race speed) keep the head low for the breakout,stroke as fast as possible making sure to get full streamline extension each stroke.
100 BR,hesitate just a tick in streamline position each stroke to "ride the glide",but only a tick,less than a sec.Head low on breakouts.
200 BR"ride the glide"at least a sec each stroke.Keep the strokes long.Focus on DPS.Head low on breakouts.First 50 easy speed,second 50 focus on stroke length,3rd 50 pick up the pull,4th 50 REALLY focus on kick and blast the last 25 with all that is left(note this is not what I did in the swim I referred to in the pacing thread.).If I have someone I am trying to beat I like to stay right at their shoulder the first 100,get a little ahead by the 150 and hold on (this works well with most opponents,not so well with strong finishers such as Jim Clemmons.)
New-
With the exception of the 50 free it seems like you are relying on the other swimmers to set your pace. What if they are having an off day? Go out and swim your race, do not base it on what others are doing. Put the blinders on and go for it. You know what you can do based from your training, but might not know others swimming tactics (unless you train with them)
Greg
That's true, but.... did you learn how to swim all by yourself?
I didn't make up the way I swim and the way I race, I always take ideas from the experience of others and try them on my routine, race, workouts or whatever m doing.
actually, I improved my 100 *** by using one of my friend's pace during race, also my 200 back trying to go underwater as far as I can, short kicking dolph, from a friend's advice.... The 400 im...not killing myself during the 1rst 100 fly, and doing long *** strokes with a stronger kick than usual, also from a friend's advice, and I've more examples...
If you have any advice for a race, then tell me, but don't tell I can't take ideas from the experience of others. :fish2:
Relax, I am not telling you not to take ideas from others and learn. Just stating to trust your own training and do not race a race based on what someone else is doing next to you. I personally just race the clock, usually getting my a$$ kicked anyways by someone. But I will not let someone next to me determine how I swim my race. I swim my races based on how I have been training and how I am feeling.
Maybe I will see you at the meet in February at Miami Univ.
greg
50 freestyle: 100% all out. Fast reaction time-fast strong start, I don't bother with SDK on the 50, I have a good strong flutter kick so I get into that right away. Strong breakout. One breath down one breath back. Strong tight fast turn, get those legs going right off the wall.
100 freestyle: I like to concentrate a little more on the first 50, still going out at like 95%, but make it feel nice and smooth, and build that second 25 into a fast turn. Come off the turn like a bat out of hell and give it all you have for the last 50.
200 freestyle: I mentioned this on the pacing thread but I am taught to do the 75-50-75. 75 long and strong, 50 build to a 75 all out sprint. Normally I do more of a 100 long and strong, 50 all out, and bring it home with whatever I have left for the last 50. I'm going to really try to use the 75=50=75 today at a meet though.
500 freestyle: I try to keep the same pace throughout. I work my walls really hard, because most distance swimmers don't so this always gives me an advantage over at least half the heat. If I get ahead of them on the first few turns...they're working a ton harder during those first few lengths to catch up and by the time we hit the 200 I have clear water out front because i've tired them out. I average something like a 1:03, 1:07, 1:07, 1:08, 1:04. I want to try to move them all to 1:05 or better. Thats my initial goal. (I actually would like them to be under 1:04, so I could break my school record, but we've got a few more weeks).
Well, we'll see how things go today. I'm swimming the 200 and 500 and anchoring a 400 free relay.
New-
With the exception of the 50 free it seems like you are relying on the other swimmers to set your pace. What if they are having an off day? Go out and swim your race, do not base it on what others are doing. Put the blinders on and go for it. You know what you can do based from your training, but might not know others swimming tactics (unless you train with them)
Greg
I suggest working to achieve the right splits. But this requires at least a bit of race history. I agree the 50 is an all-out race from the beginning. Maglischo's book Swimming Fastest suggests it might be possible to swim a faster 50 through a tiny bit of pacing. But a pacing error might cause you to swim too slow. The safest strategy is all out for the 50.
For other distances:
Example: your 50 free time is 30 secs.
100 free: Split 31/34 for a 1:05
200 free: Split 1:06/1:10 for a 2:16
(or similar)
My 15 yr. old son's recent times are:
50 free: 24.0
100 free: 25/27 = 52
200 free: 54/58 = 1:52
200 IM pacing depends at least a bit on strengths and weaknesses by stroke. But I suggest that 50 fly should be swum smooth+fast, about like the first 50 of a 100 fly. Resist the temptation to use your weak strokes as recovery phases. If your arms are lead (heavy) halfway through breaststroke you probably went too fast.
