at the moment i have a 1:08 100yd fly. i need to drop that to a 1:05-1:00. I've got motivation, i just need some direction.
what I need:
Drills (breathing, kicks,turns)
Stretches
Strength Workouts
Opinions on Side-breathing vs. regular breathing and breathing every other stroke vs. breathing every two strokes
Ray,
I am 5"7" and weighed about 145 in high school. I swam about a 1:30 100 fly as a freshman, then about a 1:15 fly as a soph.
Then I figured out how to swim the race when I was a junior.
This is for 100 yards. For me, the first 50 is not a sprint. It is long and strong. You should be at about 80 percent. Ramp up up for the next 25 and bring it home for the last 25.
For me, it never worked going all out. My stroke tightens and I fight the water. I have always swum fastest when I am relaxed and pulling hard. That allows me to take really deep breaths and keep my strokes long and fluid.
So, how to mechanically improve?
Weights. Be careful here. No more than three times per week. 30-40 minutes a session. 10 -15 reps of light weights that replicate the long pulls i.e. lat machine with arms extended in front and pulling down. Do lunges and squats without weights. Use a medicine ball to get that core steady. Don't try to get bigger muscles. That does not work in swimming.
Underwater body dolphin. YOu can make huge improvements off of your time here. Keep that streamline really really tight (hand over hand and tight against the ears) and practice your body dolphin every time you bust a wall. watch how the best in the world do it (Phelps, Lochte and especially Natalie Coughlin) It is NOT A KICK. It is full body involvement. Think of it as cracking a whip that starts at your toes and ends up on the tips of your fingers. In practice, Coughlin does 7 after every wall.
Make sure you do two STRONG dolphin kicks for every stroke. Most swimmers crank the kick as their arms are leaving the water but do a half kick for the next dolphin.
I alternate up down breathing. I do not breath to the side. You should be able to keep your head low enough going straight ahead. Imagine skimming your chin over the water. Imagine yourself swimming downhill. This image will keep you head moving out and over.
Soft hands. Keep that entry nice and soft. Don't hold any tension in your arms or hands as you exit the water and reach forward. Your arms and hands need this point of relaxation before the next pull.
You back needs to be flexible. (Yoga is a great way to stretch your back) You don't want to hump over as your stroke forward. Your back should arch backward slightly as you enter the water so that you are moving forward in a pattern that mimics a fish. (Watch Phelps and you will see what I mean) Keep those hips high as well and you will find that you will jot be pulling yourself out of such a deep trough each time.
Do some skulling and focus on keeping your hips near the surface. Skulling gives you a good feel for how best to catch the water and good hip position is a must for butterfly, as in any stroke.
When you do dolphin kick, do it without a board. Chuck the board. This is a more natural body position and allows you to concentrate on correct full body involvement and body position.
Stop thinking of yourself as "sucking" or as a "slow" swimmer. Learn to love the way you swim and the 100 fly. Once I made that decision, I had huge time drops. In one meet I went from a 1:10 to a 1:02. A few months later, I did a 56:00. This happened when I was a Junior. When I finally ditched the negative thoughts, I allowed my body to go faster. This is not up to your parents, your coach, your girlfriend, or your teamates.
It is up to you. And, you CAN do it.
Go for it.
Rob
Ray,
I am 5"7" and weighed about 145 in high school. I swam about a 1:30 100 fly as a freshman, then about a 1:15 fly as a soph.
Then I figured out how to swim the race when I was a junior.
This is for 100 yards. For me, the first 50 is not a sprint. It is long and strong. You should be at about 80 percent. Ramp up up for the next 25 and bring it home for the last 25.
For me, it never worked going all out. My stroke tightens and I fight the water. I have always swum fastest when I am relaxed and pulling hard. That allows me to take really deep breaths and keep my strokes long and fluid.
So, how to mechanically improve?
Weights. Be careful here. No more than three times per week. 30-40 minutes a session. 10 -15 reps of light weights that replicate the long pulls i.e. lat machine with arms extended in front and pulling down. Do lunges and squats without weights. Use a medicine ball to get that core steady. Don't try to get bigger muscles. That does not work in swimming.
Underwater body dolphin. YOu can make huge improvements off of your time here. Keep that streamline really really tight (hand over hand and tight against the ears) and practice your body dolphin every time you bust a wall. watch how the best in the world do it (Phelps, Lochte and especially Natalie Coughlin) It is NOT A KICK. It is full body involvement. Think of it as cracking a whip that starts at your toes and ends up on the tips of your fingers. In practice, Coughlin does 7 after every wall.
Make sure you do two STRONG dolphin kicks for every stroke. Most swimmers crank the kick as their arms are leaving the water but do a half kick for the next dolphin.
I alternate up down breathing. I do not breath to the side. You should be able to keep your head low enough going straight ahead. Imagine skimming your chin over the water. Imagine yourself swimming downhill. This image will keep you head moving out and over.
Soft hands. Keep that entry nice and soft. Don't hold any tension in your arms or hands as you exit the water and reach forward. Your arms and hands need this point of relaxation before the next pull.
You back needs to be flexible. (Yoga is a great way to stretch your back) You don't want to hump over as your stroke forward. Your back should arch backward slightly as you enter the water so that you are moving forward in a pattern that mimics a fish. (Watch Phelps and you will see what I mean) Keep those hips high as well and you will find that you will jot be pulling yourself out of such a deep trough each time.
Do some skulling and focus on keeping your hips near the surface. Skulling gives you a good feel for how best to catch the water and good hip position is a must for butterfly, as in any stroke.
When you do dolphin kick, do it without a board. Chuck the board. This is a more natural body position and allows you to concentrate on correct full body involvement and body position.
Stop thinking of yourself as "sucking" or as a "slow" swimmer. Learn to love the way you swim and the 100 fly. Once I made that decision, I had huge time drops. In one meet I went from a 1:10 to a 1:02. A few months later, I did a 56:00. This happened when I was a Junior. When I finally ditched the negative thoughts, I allowed my body to go faster. This is not up to your parents, your coach, your girlfriend, or your teamates.
It is up to you. And, you CAN do it.
Go for it.
Rob
