What do YOU need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?"

I understand what you meant, but you should try and drop that down to 1:15. 1:20 seems a bit slow if you are going :53 in meets - really you should be able to hold between 1:05 and 1:10, especially if you are a distance swimmer. Maybe, I'm off on that, but I'm basing this off of my times, and base 100 time and that of my teammates. Keep the sets at the length you have them. I was just giving you an idea for some shorter sets - pacing is key in a 500 and a 1000, but endurance is important, too. You need to work on both. I'd focus on E2 and E3 sets .... Also work on turns, and streamlining off of them, the less you actually have to swim the better and less tired you'll be.

When I said I'm doing sets on 1:20 base interval I meant the interval is 1:20 per 100 but I'm swimming around 1:10-1:13 pace. Sorry I wasn't too clear about that. Thanks for the input by the way. So should I be shortening my main sets from 2500 yds to somewhere around 1000-1500 and just swimming faster with less rest?

When swimming by myself I can do 1:15 intervals for about 1500 before I start missing the interval. I will start trying to gradually lower my intervals though during main sets and see what I can do. Again, thanks for the advice. Ever since I started swimming about 3 years ago my turns have sucked and are definitely the weakest part of my swimming. I've been trying to work on them lately and have improved them a little bit, my streamlines are pretty good though.

hi jesse, very nice to hear from you you gave me lots of details you said My goal for the next year is to break 5:00 in the 500 fr. then you asked Could it be possible to break 5:00 in the 500 on 4,000 yds/day with weightlifting and quality yardage? you've already gone 5:16 so yes it is possible for you to break 5:00 in the 500 free here's my suggestions 1) find someone to train with or find a coach to train under you'll train harder if you're part of a group 2) the best way to break 5:00 is to break it by a lot, train to break 4:55 3) to prepare for the 500 you need to work on racing, speed, endurance, technique and correct splitting Racing: swim at one fast 500 for time each week preferably with someone timing you and getting your splits Speed: work on your 25, 50, 75 and 100 speed do fast swims with plenty of rest Endurance: you need to step up your practice pace for these types of sets you should be flirting with 1:05 and easily make swims on 1:10 Technique spend time in your practices concentrating on fast turns and great streamlines off each turn correct splitting to swim the fastest possible time, it's important for you to correctly split your races if you look at your 500 by 50's, by 100's and by 250's: by 50 your first 50 should be easy, the next 4 should feel relaxed the next 4 should be strong the last one should be a sprint with all you have left ie: 27.9 29.9 29.9 29.9 29.9 29.9 29.9 29.9 29.9 28.9 by 100 your first 100 should feel relaxed your next 100 should be strong but far from all out next should be consistent next should be consistent last should be a sprint with all that's left 57.9 59.9 59.9 59.9 58.9 by 250 you want to keep your first and 2nd 250 with in -1 to 4 ie out in 2:27.9 back in 2:28.9 you need to swim fast in practice keep us posted on your progress you can make your breakthrough happen Ande new to masters. 20 years old male, Jesse. joined masters a couple weeks ago swam my first ever masters meet last weekend. started swimming a little over 3 years ago during my senior year of high school. used to be a runner st didn't know anything about technique. After about 6 months on a club team went 5:13 500 fr, 1:57 200fr, and 52.8 100fr. times at a meet where I was shaved and tapered. I was 6'0" and weighed about 155lbs, swimming with my team about 30,000 yds. a week. 3 years later and in college I am still 6'0" but 175 lbs. I didn't gain much fat though, mostly muscle because I started lifting weights. The meet I swam last weekend I went 5:16 500 fr, 11:02 1000 fr (first time I swam the 1000 and now it's my new favorite race), and 53.8 100fr. wasn't shaved or tapered for it. After high school I kept swimming but it was mainly just to stay in shape, I was only doing 2000-3000 easy yards 4 or 5 times a week. I started back serious training again about 4 months ago. My goal for the next year is to break 5:00 in the 500 fr. My training now is I'm swimming tue, thu, and sat about 4,500 yds each practice, and on mon, wed, fri, I lift first then swim between 2,500 and 3,000, all my yardage is scy. I swim alone with no coach or teammates so it can get kinda boring. I also make up all my practice and most of my main sets are between 1500 and 2500 yds free on a 1:20 base interval with other random stuff thrown in there to get the yardage up. I know there is no magic set that makes anyone faster but I'm looking for workouts tailored to improving 500y free and 1000 y free. I know there are ways out there for me to improve I just haven't gotten my hands on them yet. I want to keep my yardage where it's at for now but maybe even it out from day to day. Could it be possible to break 5:00 in the 500 on 4,000 yds./day with weightlifting and quality yardage? Any advice will be greatly appreciated, especially from ande, you really know your stuff. I feel like I am going in circles as far as training goes. I want to have that breakthrough that this thread is all about.

see how many you can make you can also change it up 50's on 35 100's on 1:10 150's on 1:45 you get the idea Ande, thanks a lot for the reply, it was a lot of help. So how long of a set should I aim for doing while using the 1:10/100 interval?

I prefer before ande Another quick question, do you think it's better to lift weights right before swimming or right after it if you are doing them on the same day?

Ande, thanks a lot for the reply, it was a lot of help. So how long of a set should I aim for doing while using the 1:10/100 interval?

Another quick question, do you think it's better to lift weights right before swimming or right after it if you are doing them on the same day?

Why is it my technique falls to pieces out of practice? I've never had a race that ever felt great like some sets in practice have. I've begun to think it's my dive because it's such a change from the wall start you get used to in practice.

I've been told you swim in meets how you swim when you are tired. You might trying to increase your stroke rate too much, you might now be used to racing ... how much race pace work are you doing in practice? The difference of the dive shouldn't matter for more than a few seconds, anything after the first 15 it should feel the same ...