At a local meet last weekend I did a 200 backstroke SCY, just for kicks. It was only the second time swimming it SCY, plus once LCM. I like to try out different things at meets just to shake up the routine and get a read on my progress, or lack-of.
After the swim, all of my team mates commented on the swim, saying it looked-- great, really smooth, strong, good rotation, strong walls, etc. The swim actually felt very good (I'd been sick all week and debated scratching), to the point it felt easy.
I would like to make this a "reguar" event, and have even added it to my nationals line-up (bonus event w/o qual. time). Would love feedback from those of you who consider yourselves 200 backstrokers.
How do I improve speed overall? Maintain speed on the back half (splits below)? Should I be using lots of legs throughout or save for the back half?
No video to share, but my splits from previous swims are:
8/08 LCM 3:07.22 --42.8 1:30.1(47.3) 2:20.0(49.9) 3:07.22 (47.2)
4/07 SCY 2:46.88 --1:19.4 (37, 42) 1:26.88 (43, 43)
3/08 SCY 2:41.xx -- 1:18.xx 1:22.xx (no 50 splits)
Clearly my second 100 needs work; although, this last time was better. My 100 usually runs around 1:16 high, so I think I'm taking it out ok. I get 3-4 SDK off each wall, which brings out past the flags.
I have two more opportunities to swim the 200 in meets before nationals. Any tips would be appreciated.
Dana
You're a natural! Welcome to a great event.
The goal is to take out the first hundred 3-4 seconds off your best time, and to hold the last 3 50s about the same time. For example, you might try:
37.5 + 40 (1:17.5), 40 + 40 (1:20) = 2:37.5.
Or adopt to your own goal; you get the idea.
-- Definitely save your legs on the first half! Backstroke is kick-intensive.
-- If you have an SDK, work on it always when doing backstroke, not just on sets devloted to kicking. If you don't, consider developing one (unless you don't feel like it!)
-- Get a good feel for what a 40 sec 50yd pace feels like with short rest: do broken 200s with 10 seconds rest at each 50 and try to hold close to 40s. It will be hard, so get plenty of rest between 200s. (If it isn't hard, then re-evaluate your goal time!)
-- Another option that simulates what a real 200 feels like: break it up with 10 sec, then 5 sec, then 3 sec at the 50/100/150. The last 50 will be tough: hold the same pace on the last 3 50s! Keep up your SDKs even on the last 50! The first 50 can be SLIGHTLY faster but not too much.
Good luck!
all great advice
I think my 200 scy bk is likely to be much better than my 200 LCM back
give a huge Amen to save your legs on the first half!
you're dead if you over kick
pacing and splitting are critical,
as a jr in HS I went 56.9 in the 100 bk,
then at the same meet I took my 200 bk out in 57,
big mistake I wound up going 2:04
ande
You're a natural! Welcome to a great event.
The goal is to take out the first hundred 3 - 4 seconds off your best time, and to hold the last 3 50s about the same time. For example, you might try:
37.5 + 40 (1:17.5), 40 + 40 (1:20) = 2:37.5.
Or adopt to your own goal; you get the idea.
-- Definitely save your legs on the first half! Backstroke is kick-intensive.
-- If you have an SDK, work on it always when doing backstroke, not just on sets devloted to kicking. If you don't, consider developing one (unless you don't feel like it!)
-- Get a good feel for what a 40 sec 50yd pace feels like with short rest: do broken 200s with 10 seconds rest at each 50 and try to hold close to 40s. It will be hard, so get plenty of rest between 200s. (If it isn't hard, then re-evaluate your goal time!)
-- Another option that simulates what a real 200 feels like: break it up with 10 sec, then 5 sec, then 3 sec at the 50/100/150. The last 50 will be tough: hold the same pace on the last 3 50s! Keep up your SDKs even on the last 50! The first 50 can be SLIGHTLY faster but not too much.
Good luck!
So Art, do you spend more time doing longer backstroke swims, or long sets of short swims? I can see how both have benefits. Just wondering which you thinks helped more for the 200?
Dana
For me, doing alot of 200s in practice builds your endurance and gets your mind conditioned for doing that distance in the race. I used to train alot of 100s in practice, so doing the 200 in a race was a nightmare both psychologically and physically. Nowadays, doing sets like 10x200 in practice makes the race seem like a breeeze in comparision.
The broken swims help in learning to pace correctly and get you used to that pace. You should do both types of training, with the pace work probably closer to race/taper time.
While I wouldn't say I'm a guru, nor very fast at the 200, I've always enjoyed it. I like to think of it this way: the race doesn't really start until the 100! You're supposed to build the 3rd 50 and hang on from there :]
Note: Fear of pain can lead to a bad swim! At a meet in Feb, I actually negative split the 200, totally unintentionally, and something I've never done in my swimming career! I just had Finnian a month before and knew I wasn't in any kind of shape, and I really was scared of the pain in my legs during the last 100. Needless to say going as easy as I did there was absolutely no pain anywhere! Stupid, stupid, stupid :[
work on a good roll, don't cut your stoke short. keep your fingers together. when your arm leaves the water drive it through the air. a lot of people just have it going the same speed underwater and above, it takes less energy to make it move above the air so you can still conserve and be able to initiate a pull faster. I love the 20 back. I only get to swim it in fall and summer though, high school scy doesn't have the 20 fortunately. also if you have a good streamline utilize it, especially lcm meets, backstroke streamlines can really really be helpful. if you watch ncaa champs or olympics and the like they take the full 15 meter streamline for the back because its so much quicker than the actual stroke.
You're a natural! Welcome to a great event.
The goal is to take out the first hundred 3-4 seconds off your best time, and to hold the last 3 50s about the same time. For example, you might try:
37.5 + 40 (1:17.5), 40 + 40 (1:20) = 2:37.5.
Or adopt to your own goal; you get the idea.
-- Definitely save your legs on the first half! Backstroke is kick-intensive.
-- If you have an SDK, work on it always when doing backstroke, not just on sets devloted to kicking. If you don't, consider developing one (unless you don't feel like it!)
-- Get a good feel for what a 40 sec 50yd pace feels like with short rest: do broken 200s with 10 seconds rest at each 50 and try to hold close to 40s. It will be hard, so get plenty of rest between 200s. (If it isn't hard, then re-evaluate your goal time!)
-- Another option that simulates what a real 200 feels like: break it up with 10 sec, then 5 sec, then 3 sec at the 50/100/150. The last 50 will be tough: hold the same pace on the last 3 50s! Keep up your SDKs even on the last 50! The first 50 can be SLIGHTLY faster but not too much.
Good luck!
Thanks for the feedback Chris. So from what you posted, it sounds like I'm splitting it ok, but need to bring all the splits down. That's good news, since it means not having to learn to swim it differently--just better!
My SDK is pretty good, and I do work on that all the time. One disadvantage I have is my pool is 50M, so less turns in general means less chances to work it.
I'm hoping that spending more time on backstroke in general will help with the splits, especially my endurance for the back half. Since the 200 wasn't something I did often, I tended to favor shorter back sets in practice.
Last night I went to a SCY practice and we did some awesome pacing sets. Sets of 200s & 100s @ easy speed and a fast 50 that moved by each rotation (i did back on the fast 50) and a fast 200/100 at the end. It was good to feel the effect of fatigue on my stroke as the set progressed.
The pace sets sound great. I'll have to try to work them in.
Thanks,
Dana
Very good advice from Chris. I will second training much more 200 backstrokes in practice. Broken swims are great too for getting the pace down and comfortable, or doing VO2 type sets (10x25 on 30, holding 200 race pace for each 25, and then 4x50 on 1:00 race pace). Change the intervals to what works better for you, but its important to condition the body to hold the pace you need in that 3rd and 4th fifty.
Since I don't compete in freestyle races, whenever my team is doing freestyle sets on a reasonable interval (say 1:20 base/100) I'll do them backstroke instead of free, especially 200s on 2:40 or 300s on 4:00. It made a big difference for me. I went faster at 41 training for the 200, than I did in my mid 30s while not training for it.
I hated the 200 when I was younger, because I was a 100 guy and would die in the 200. I never properly trained for it. Now, it is much more reasonable.
So Art, do you spend more time doing longer backstroke swims, or long sets of short swims? I can see how both have benefits. Just wondering which you thinks helped more for the 200?
Dana
Very good advice from Chris. I will second training much more 200 backstrokes in practice. Broken swims are great too for getting the pace down and comfortable, or doing VO2 type sets (10x25 on 30, holding 200 race pace for each 25, and then 4x50 on 1:00 race pace). Change the intervals to what works better for you, but its important to condition the body to hold the pace you need in that 3rd and 4th fifty.
Since I don't compete in freestyle races, whenever my team is doing freestyle sets on a reasonable interval (say 1:20 base/100) I'll do them backstroke instead of free, especially 200s on 2:40 or 300s on 4:00. It made a big difference for me. I went faster at 41 training for the 200, than I did in my mid 30s while not training for it.
I hated the 200 when I was younger, because I was a 100 guy and would die in the 200. I never properly trained for it. Now, it is much more reasonable.
