For the past month or so, I have been doing distance sets, just for my 500. What I'm asking is if this will help out in the 200 IM. My coach is giving me an opportunity to swim the IM this thursday, to see if I can swim it at leagues.
My IM splits are (from 2 weeks ago):
Fly - 31.8 (not going too hard in my opinion, as I swim 27s in relays)
Back - 39.5 (as you can see, not my strongest stroke)
*** - 40.6 (I guess it's okay, I can go 35s all out)
Free - 35.2
Which is 227.1... My time before that was a 231, which is just okay.
During distance sets, whenever I get the chance, I kick fly back or ***, just for additional help, and I try to work on my transition turns after practice (transitions are my BIGGEST problem in the IM).
My goal splits are:
Fly - 31
Back - 35
*** - 40
Free - 33
That adds up to 219, give or take a few tenths of a second. So, was all of that distance training for nothing? Or do you think that my goal splits are reasonable?
Thanks for the help!
Alex, the distance sets for your 500 should be of some benefit to the last 50 of your 200 IM, but the 200 IM is still more of a controlled sprint than a distance race and the stroke transitions matter a lot. I'm not sure how much IM work you're doing, but I'd recommended IM sets that push your endurance and IM sets that cause you to sprint. I really like
transition IM sets like 8 x 150 "Indiana IMs" (one coach called them that and it's stuck with me) where you go fly-back-***, back-***-free, ***-free-fly, free-fly-back & repeat for building some IM endurance.
Ladder IMs like 1 x 300 IM, 2 x 200 IM, 3 x 100 IM then back down
The hardest part about swimming IMs is the transition from short-axis strokes to long-axis strokes, so you've got to practice those transitions in lots of different ways.
I don't think the 500 training will hurt, but I think the 200 IM is more like the 200 of any stroke, that is to say it is in a different energy zone than the 500. The 200 is a controlled sprint and more lactate than the 500. You go out with only marginally less pace than a 100. Can't do that with a 500.
Long axis, free and back...you are rolling on your long axis (longitudinal direction head to toe)
Short axis, fly and ***....you are rotating on your short axis (transverse direction across your body's hips)
transition IM sets like 8 x 150 "Indiana IMs" (one coach called them that and it's stuck with me) where you go fly-back-***, back-***-free, ***-free-fly, free-fly-back & repeat for building some IM endurance.
Those are good, we also do alot of fly-back, back-br, br-fr which is fun too. By doing only 25's of each, you get alot more transition turn work.
as a part of your 200 IM training you might want to see what you can do in the 200's of other events.
have you swam the 200 *** or back or free? when I swim the 200 I like to think that I can open just over my 100fly split, then swim back around the same time as my second 50 in the 100, my *** faster than my 4th 50 in a 200 *** and my free as fast as my 200 free final 50.
my last meters time
30.59 1:09.10 1:51.32 2:26.28
IM approx splits/ 200 approx ref times
30.5 / 31
38 / 37.6
42 / 43
35 / 35.4
until I can swim a faster 200 *** or free I don't think I can swim this much faster. I swam yards 2:04, as a kid, so I only 5-6secs off that time. so i am happy with my Masters Progress.
training for the 500 fr will help your 200 IM
training for the 200 IM will help your 200 IM
go a bit easier on fly & back, breathe a lot, save your legs, stay relaxed
your back split should be much faster than your BR split
your free split should be faster to, but don't blow your wad in FL & BK,
do pull pull outs in BR
here's how I planned my 2009 SCM 200 IM
here's how it went 2 videos of the race
For the past month or so, I have been doing distance sets, just for my 500. What I'm asking is if this will help out in the 200 IM. My coach is giving me an opportunity to swim the IM this thursday, to see if I can swim it at leagues.
My IM splits are (from 2 weeks ago):
Fly - 31.8 (not going too hard in my opinion, as I swim 27s in relays)
Back - 39.5 (as you can see, not my strongest stroke)
*** - 40.6 (I guess it's okay, I can go 35s all out)
Free - 35.2
Which is 227.1... My time before that was a 231, which is just okay.
During distance sets, whenever I get the chance, I kick fly back or ***, just for additional help, and I try to work on my transition turns after practice (transitions are my BIGGEST problem in the IM).
My goal splits are:
Fly - 31
Back - 35
*** - 40
Free - 33
That adds up to 219, give or take a few tenths of a second. So, was all of that distance training for nothing? Or do you think that my goal splits are reasonable?
Thanks for the help!
I went a 2:25, not exactly where I want to be right now, but it's getting there. I'll post my splits when I get them tomorrow
*EDIT*
My splits from the other night are as follows:
Fly - 31
Back - 37
*** - 43
Free - 33
With a few tenths here and there. I just need to sprint the back and *** to get to my goal splits.
