Do most of the in-swimming-shape and experienced swimmers among you go all out for a whole 50 yards or is there some pacing? In other words are you going top speed the whole time? The reason I'm asking is that right now I can do 25 yards from a standstill in 13 seconds, but my best 50 yard time from a standstill is 33 seconds. (I'm a horrible diver at this point, but once I get my stroke in order I'll start working on that). Anyhow, is it reasonable for me to shoot for a 26 second 50 by just improving my endurance and flip turns, or is it like comparing 50's and 100's where a 50 time will always be less than half a hundred. Thanks for your thoughts.
I don't do a lot of sprinting, but once in a while give it a few shots just to see where I am. Unfortunately I'm unable to do a master's class because I work in shifts and would miss half of them, so I'm pretty much on my own trying to get better. :badday:
Do most of the in-swimming-shape and experienced swimmers among you go all out for a whole 50 yards or is there some pacing? In other words are you going top speed the whole time? The reason I'm asking is that right now I can do 25 yards from a standstill in 13 seconds, but my best 50 yard time from a standstill is 33 seconds. (I'm a horrible diver at this point, but once I get my stroke in order I'll start working on that). Anyhow, is it reasonable for me to shoot for a 26 second 50 by just improving my endurance and flip turns, or is it like comparing 50's and 100's where a 50 time will always be less than half a hundred. Thanks for your thoughts.
I don't do a lot of sprinting, but once in a while give it a few shots just to see where I am. Unfortunately I'm unable to do a master's class because I work in shifts and would miss half of them, so I'm pretty much on my own trying to get better. :badday:
My guess (fairly wild) is that your turns are costing you time.
But yah. 50 sprints are all out. I'd be surprised if anyone disagrees with that. But your 25 time should be less than half your 50 time, because the turn will always take time, but your dropoff is fairly significant. Work on your turns!! I bet you can get that 50 down below 30 in no time!
Thanks. I don't know how I missed it, but there is another thread that touches a little on that topic. Sorry for some of the redundancy. Yeah, you're right I do need to work on my turns. That's interesting, though, what you said about turns slowing you down. So I guess a good push off a wall doesn't make up for that? The short course world record is 20.30 (Schoeman), the long course record is 20.91 (Cielo). It may be that mortals like ourselves lose some time with flip turns while the pros cut time?
A 50m should be unpaced hard all out effort. Starting slower would probably end up in an overall slower 50m.
That said, the first 15sec or so of any effort at any sport is kind of magic. It's normal to have more speed during this sweet 15sec than during the remaining of the event.
With dedicated sprint training though, you should improve your 2nd 25.
If you like or know about physiology, the first 10-15sec of an effort is done on ATP/CP (very very rapid muscle fuel) whereas the remaining is done on sugar, which produces lactic acid as a by product which indirectly causes your body to slow down. Sprint training will improve your ability to maintain speed in presence of lactic acid.
If you know nothing about physiology and don't care about it, just don't pay attention of the previous paragraph and just train hard. You will make it to 26s with some time! You may need kick though, so don't neglect training and *testing* your 50kick as well.
You mean doing sprint kicks with a kickboard? I do know and care a little about physiology, but it's a good reminder, thanks.
A 50m should be unpaced hard all out effort. Starting slower would probably end up in an overall slower 50m.
That said, the first 15sec or so of any effort at any sport is kind of magic. It's normal to have more speed during this sweet 15sec than during the remaining of the event.
With dedicated sprint training though, you should improve your 2nd 25.
If you like or know about physiology, the first 10-15sec of an effort is done on ATP/CP (very very rapid muscle fuel) whereas the remaining is done on sugar, which produces lactic acid as a by product which indirectly causes your body to slow down. Sprint training will improve your ability to maintain speed in presence of lactic acid.
If you know nothing about physiology and don't care about it, just don't pay attention of the previous paragraph and just train hard. You will make it to 26s with some time! You may need kick though, so don't neglect training and *testing* your 50kick as well.
100% is not semantics. You (or anybody else for that matter) can't expend 100% for longer than a few or more seconds, much less than 26.
Elite runners save some in the 100. The goal is to maintain speed at the finish, not drop off. To accomplish this they must hold back just a bit. That is why the 100 is an interesting race. It is just a bit longer than a human can hold a 100% effort.
To tell someont to go ALL OUT for a 26 second race isn't good advice. Hence the 13 second first lap coupled with the agonizing 20 second, second lap. That is a pretty tough way to swim a race.
Pace yourself. You'll have a faster time, and it won't be so miserable.
I totally disagree.As was pointed out in swimming you have the start and in a 25 yd or M pool the turn which is almost free speed.Also,yes you can only go at max speed for 9-15 sec on CP,but ATP is still very efficient except for the lactic acid build up.Because of the physiological changes from sprinting you can increase you lactic acid tolerance so that it is not an issue in a 30-40 sec race.Aerobic metabolism(Krebs cycle) doesn't really become primary in trained athletes until 30-40 sec,hence the fact some swimmers swim the 50 without a breath.If you are well trained for sprinting there is no reason to not go all out on a 50.I don't follow the latest thinking in track,but since CP is good for 9-15 sec I'd be stunned if elite sprinters paced the 100.100s in swimming are definitely paced as they take over 40 sec.That was part of the tech suit issue ,as with the fastest suits swimmers were getting close to making the 100 an anaerobic event.
100% is not semantics. You (or anybody else for that matter) can't expend 100% for longer than a few or more seconds, much less than 26.
Elite runners save some in the 100. The goal is to maintain speed at the finish, not drop off. To accomplish this they must hold back just a bit. That is why the 100 is an interesting race. It is just a bit longer than a human can hold a 100% effort.
To tell someont to go ALL OUT for a 26 second race isn't good advice. Hence the 13 second first lap coupled with the agonizing 20 second, second lap. That is a pretty tough way to swim a race.
Pace yourself. You'll have a faster time, and it won't be so miserable.
There may be something to that, however I do not pace my 50 free at all. It is 100%: explode from the start, 7 to 8 hard underwater kicks, breath once before the flags, 3 to 4 hard SDKs, hammer it to the far wall as fast as you can go, breath twice. Keep your head down, maintain streamline, core tight, pull and kick for all you're worth. And it is a tough way to swim it, but I haven't found a faster way to get down and back. Just because it is short doesn't mean it should be easy ;-).
To me, a good turn is exhausting.
I justify my not taking that extra stroke by telling my self that I'll put my reserved energy into the last lap. Lazy pacing if you will.
Mr. Stark, I think I understand what you are saying, yet, anerobic metabolism is much much (two muches) more explosive than aerobic. I also know that there isn't a quick switch from one to the other, and everyone is different. However my contention is that the 50 free isn't an anerobic event. ALL OUT can't be sustained for that long.
Thanks. I don't know how I missed it, but there is another thread that touches a little on that topic. Sorry for some of the redundancy. Yeah, you're right I do need to work on my turns. That's interesting, though, what you said about turns slowing you down. So I guess a good push off a wall doesn't make up for that? The short course world record is 20.30 (Schoeman), the long course record is 20.91 (Cielo). It may be that mortals like ourselves lose some time with flip turns while the pros cut time?
I don't know, I'm not a sprinter! Yah i guess those guys actually push so much off the wall that they gain some speed. Pretty interesting comparison, thanks for bringing that up. I'm sure someone else can explain the difference better than i can.
I know my problem in the second 25 is related to rhythm and kick. Like the above states practicing sprint kicking, i would do it with a board, but also swimming. I had that problem last year in the one 50 free event i did. My second 25 felt all out of rhythm, because i wasn't used to kicking hard while pulling.
