Absent technique improvement, I am wondering if each swimmer has a ceiling that can never really be broken once a minimal amount of training has occurred. This is my theory based on my own swimming experience over the last year.
No matter how fast I flail my arms the result in the 50 free always seems to be the same - 28.5, 29.2, 28.7. Seems like a random result +- 0.5 seconds. :frustrated:
Can someone with those kinds of results ever eventually go 26 something just by training harder, doing more and more sprints, etc.. I would hope to hear that is a possibility even though I know I have some fundamental flaws.
I had a similar experience with a clinic I went to. I had a couple of coaches who really knew something point out some flaws in what I was doing with my freestyle, and I wound up taking about 1.7 seconds off my 50 after I did my best to incorporate their suggestions. I am still working on freestyle and I wind up going back to some bad habits when I get tired, but at least I start to realize what is going on. It is still a work in progress, but what was said above is correct: perfect practice makes perfect.
So if you're really stuck, go to a clinic and have someone take a hard look at your stroke. Then really try to incorporate those changes. It is not easy, but it is very interesting. Ande's tips are also really good -- there is a lot of very solid information there.
Best of luck!
I had a similar experience with a clinic I went to. I had a couple of coaches who really knew something point out some flaws in what I was doing with my freestyle, and I wound up taking about 1.7 seconds off my 50 after I did my best to incorporate their suggestions. I am still working on freestyle and I wind up going back to some bad habits when I get tired, but at least I start to realize what is going on. It is still a work in progress, but what was said above is correct: perfect practice makes perfect.
So if you're really stuck, go to a clinic and have someone take a hard look at your stroke. Then really try to incorporate those changes. It is not easy, but it is very interesting. Ande's tips are also really good -- there is a lot of very solid information there.
Best of luck!
