Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:29:57 GMT

I've also been thinking of trying an 800 or 1000 medley, just to make the 400 feel shorter. I did this a few years ago at a 1000 meet. I ended up with a 15:30, which was a couple of minutes faster then I thought I could do. I just looked at my times and I held pretty well for each 50, at least for me. I remember feeling sick on the *** though.

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:49:36 GMT

There are two routes: 1) get in incredible shape 2) add a lot of glide to your stroke Personally I'm still trying to rid myself of the bad habits I acquired from learning to swim longer distances in fly than I was in condition for.

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:56:23 GMT

My 9 year old swimmer said "Wow!" and I say...FLY rocks!

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:32:00 GMT

I have much more modest goals. I'm comfortable with the 50 fly, so my next goal would be entering the 100 fly in a meet, and maybe someday the 200 fly, but probably not. Is there some stroke technique for 'distance fly'? I consume a lot of energy trying to maintain a certain critical speed or faster. If I drop below that critical speed, it's like I'm fighting a wall of water and it actually takes more energy to go slower.

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

That Guy — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:21:36 GMT

Is there some stroke technique for 'distance fly'? I consume a lot of energy trying to maintain a certain critical speed or faster. If I drop below that critical speed, it's like I'm fighting a wall of water and it actually takes more energy to go slower. Yes! Inquiring minds want to know how to swim fly below anaerobic threshold! I'll even offer up some money! Well, not real money. This money: :2cents: (I think the answer is "increase fly volume until it becomes easier." I'm noticing that slowly, it is becoming easier. But don't take my word for it, not when there's fake cash on the table!)

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:30:48 GMT

A few years ago we did a 4X1 hour medley relay. The goal was to go as far as you could in an hour. I did backstroke (imagine that), but we had a guy Mark Booth do 1 hour of butterfly. He NEVER broke stroke nor stopped at the turns. I think he went over 4,300 yards of fly when all was said and done. Needless to say he was a bit sore. He was a hard trainer, but nothing like Baker. Needless to say, I was impressed.

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:18:57 GMT

... no prizes for insanity/courage/stupidity/...

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:09:41 GMT

I still have trouble swimming a 50 fly. Even bigger trouble swimming 1500 m crawl (free)

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:54:51 GMT

One of my ex-swimming bud's (from the 1980s) had to swim a 5000 fly for time. He did it. Don't know what his time was though. I think I'll ask him. I'm not joking on this!

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:35:48 GMT

Southern Connecticut University coach had star swimmer Kristen Frost do the 500(scy) butterfly as punishment for something (I think being late to practice her teammates said?) at one of our bigger conference invitationals...she went around a 5:40 and never broke form! ((though she's quite the swimmer as you will note if u look at the results of NCAA II champs)) At the first school I attended we swam the Merchant Marine Academy and a boy on their team swam the 1000scy butterfly as well...his wasn't as pretty as Frost's but...he did finish and he did beat at least 2 of the other guys who were swimming free.

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:08:40 GMT

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

That Guy — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:51:12 GMT

Two years ago, Dave did the hour swim butterfly. He didn't do it straight (the big wuss), he did 50s with about 5-10 sec rest. After he finished, he wasn't happy with his distance -- I think he was just shy of 4000 yards. So after about 10 minutes rest, he did it again. He broke 4000 the second time. :notworthy:

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Chris Stevenson — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:35:18 GMT

Southern Connecticut University coach had star swimmer Kristen Frost do the 500(scy) butterfly as punishment I became a 200 flyer because in high school I was very often given 500-1000 swims fly as punishments, usually for mouthing off to the coach (I was such a joy to coach). There was no problem keeping good form and I got my senior national cuts that season for the first time. We often did overdistance fly in college. The nice thing they do for you is that you no longer fear a measly 200 -- you really do get to the point where it is no more difficult than freestyle. One of my teammates once did a straight 8,000 fly in a LCM pool -- he actually volunteered to do it, to avoid doing a 10,000m free. I can't do things like that now, though my 40-year-old teammate Dave Holland still can. Two years ago, Dave did the hour swim butterfly. He didn't do it straight (the big wuss), he did 50s with about 5-10 sec rest. After he finished, he wasn't happy with his distance -- I think he was just shy of 4000 yards. So after about 10 minutes rest, he did it again. He broke 4000 the second time.

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Former Member — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:30:35 GMT

"Shake and Bake" Don't really understand that attempt, but good luck to Dennis on that endeavor. John Smith

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

smontanaro — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:25:40 GMT

In late 70's Arden Hills phenom Brett Favaro swam the 1500 at US Nationals and took 7th... I knew Rex at UCLA (he swam, I didn't). He told me they used to occasionally swim 1500 fly in practice (I'm pretty sure this was pre-UCLA). He didn't tell me he'd ever done it in competition! Skip Montanaro

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

Paul Smith — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:32:49 GMT

In late 70's Arden Hills phenom Brett Favaro swam the 1500 at US Nationals and took 7th....then again he wasn't 45...then again Dennis better taper for once!! :)

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

ourswimmer — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:18:36 GMT

The 1650 fly is a regular event at the Rinconada Masters Spring Meet in Palo Alto. www.swimborboleta.info/.../Welcome.html These results aren't up to date from the most recent event, which was my teammate's third time doing it.

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

slknight — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:10:23 GMT

I swam a 3000 LCM fly for time once in college. Never ever again. :cane:

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

That Guy — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:09:28 GMT

When did the 1500m fly become an Olympic event. Or is this 1500m fly cruelty to animals. Now if fly is faster then free (crawl), I can see the reason for doing this. Otherwise it is a useless swim other then showing some one can do this. About as useless as someone swimming across Lake Erie doing the fly or someone swimming the Alcatraz swim with hand cuffs on. I know the last two. Like BillS said in this post, "Try something new." It's a freestyle event, you can do sidestroke if you want to. I'm not interested in finding out what I can do in the 1500 elementary backstroke, but I do want to improve my 500 fly time enough to where I'd be comfortable swimming it in a meet. I've also been thinking of trying an 800 or 1000 medley, just to make the 400 feel shorter.

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

knelson — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:22:25 GMT

Otherwise it is a useless swim other then showing some one can do this. Isn't every swim just a way to show what you can do?

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

swimshark — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:57:09 GMT

Dennis, I can't wait to see you and see that awesome fly of yours in August!

RE: Dennis Baker to swim 1500 fly

That Guy — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:53:56 GMT

This was (cryptically) discussed in this thread: forums.usms.org/showthread.php