Training for the 100 fly?

I'm seeking advice on training for the 100 fly. Decided to start swimming it last year. Swam it 7x on the three courses. I can only remember 3x times where I didn't suffer from complete paralysis the last 15 meters or so and worry about a DQ. Gah. So how can I fix this? I've read that you don't need to train fly in practice. I'm not sure I buy this. The muscular fatigue from fly seems unique. And I don't want to substitute freestyle training for it. What are some good sets? How many SDKs per length should I take to prevent oxygen debt? If too much fly hurts the shoulders, is kicking a decent training substitute? I also seem to swim better 100 flys on a week rest. The paralysis seems to be associated with a 2 week taper. Does aerobic fitness drop off that quickly? Is this an age thing? Or is it that I just don't train enough yards for a 2 week taper? Lots of good answers here and YMMV. A few random thoughts, take them or leave them: -- It has also been my experience that you have to train fly to race fly. -- Fly is both the most tiring stroke to swim and the one where efficiency suffers the most when you are very tired. A tough combo! -- The number of SDKs depends on both your ability to do them without getting too tired, and hitting the wall properly. (For example, in SCY when I use 6 SDKs I always have to glide or jam the stroke.) Initially, at least, I'd opt for fewer SDKs, save your legs and energy. If you were too conservative and you're feeling good you can always through in a Phelps-like last turn! -- kicking helps butterfly very much. Legs are used a lot in fly. That becomes apparent to me when I swim fly with a parachute, there is a "dead spot" in the stroke where most of the propulsion comes from legs & hips. -- legs conditioning is important too: if your legs die in the middle of a 100 fly, you're done. -- when you do intense/fast kick sets don't just do 25s and 50s, do fast 75s and 100s with some significant rest. For example, at the end of practice today I did 8 x 75 kick on 1:30 (pretty much rest for me) for best average. It hurt, a lot. But it is a good way to condition your legs for the end of races. It also helps a lot on SDKs late in backstroke races. -- weight lifting helps butterfly a lot too. You need both power (few reps, high load) and serious muscular endurance (more reps, lighter). -- I like some_girl's set a lot, but then again I do a lot of 100s fly in practice. Partly that's because I'm also training for the 200 fly. Still, you might want to try it at first with 30 sec rest, and/or going the freestyle easy instead of moderate. Decrease the rest until the bulk of your recovery is active. -- Regardless of the sets you do, you need to reproduce that feeling you get at the end of the race, in practice. I don't think 25s and 50s alone get that done, you need 75s at least. Good luck!

I'm seeking advice on training for the 100 fly. Decided to start swimming it last year. Swam it 7x on the three courses. I can only remember 3x times where I didn't suffer from complete paralysis the last 15 meters or so and worry about a DQ. Gah. So how can I fix this? I've read that you don't need to train fly in practice. I'm not sure I buy this. The muscular fatigue from fly seems unique. And I don't want to substitute freestyle training for it. What are some good sets? How many SDKs per length should I take to prevent oxygen debt? If too much fly hurts the shoulders, is kicking a decent training substitute? I also seem to swim better 100 flys on a week rest. The paralysis seems to be associated with a 2 week taper. Does aerobic fitness drop off that quickly? Is this an age thing? Or is it that I just don't train enough yards for a 2 week taper? Lots of good answers here and YMMV. A few random thoughts, take them or leave them: -- It has also been my experience that you have to train fly to race fly. -- Fly is both the most tiring stroke to swim and the one where efficiency suffers the most when you are very tired. A tough combo! -- The number of SDKs depends on both your ability to do them without getting too tired, and hitting the wall properly. (For example, in SCY when I use 6 SDKs I always have to glide or jam the stroke.) Initially, at least, I'd opt for fewer SDKs, save your legs and energy. If you were too conservative and you're feeling good you can always through in a Phelps-like last turn! -- kicking helps butterfly very much. Legs are used a lot in fly. That becomes apparent to me when I swim fly with a parachute, there is a "dead spot" in the stroke where most of the propulsion comes from legs & hips. -- legs conditioning is important too: if your legs die in the middle of a 100 fly, you're done. -- when you do intense/fast kick sets don't just do 25s and 50s, do fast 75s and 100s with some significant rest. For example, at the end of practice today I did 8 x 75 kick on 1:30 (pretty much rest for me) for best average. It hurt, a lot. But it is a good way to condition your legs for the end of races. It also helps a lot on SDKs late in backstroke races. -- weight lifting helps butterfly a lot too. You need both power (few reps, high load) and serious muscular endurance (more reps, lighter). -- I like some_girl's set a lot, but then again I do a lot of 100s fly in practice. Partly that's because I'm also training for the 200 fly. Still, you might want to try it at first with 30 sec rest, and/or going the freestyle easy instead of moderate. Decrease the rest until the bulk of your recovery is active. -- Regardless of the sets you do, you need to reproduce that feeling you get at the end of the race, in practice. I don't think 25s and 50s alone get that done, you need 75s at least. Good luck!