Ande's Swimming Tips: Swimming Faster Faster

[SwiminONandON]

I had to laugh when I read your tip, to swim faster in meets swim faster in practice. A couple of months ago we did a 50 time trial in practice. Then we did a set of 50's (don't remember the interval I think maybe it was on 2:00) we had to be within three seconds of our time trial time. A week or two later we did the same thing and everyone was like well I took that 50 out kind of easy so my goal times would be slower. And all I could think was, doesn't that defeat the purpose of the set? The set was designed to push you.

And as for the pulling on the lane line in back stroke, I thought I was the only one that cheated like that! Actually I almost never do that anymore.

[hooked-on-swimming]

Actually talking about breathing I feel that I move better when I breathe every stroke, I do not know if that is abad thing or not and it isn't because I die for air, but when I breathe every other stroke cycle, it isn't the same ...maybe I am used to the fact that my head pops out a little for a breath very stroke so when breathing every other stroke it feels clumsy, 'cause my head wants to move a bit...

[ande]

the point is, if you consistently swim fast in practice
if you fully extend your mind and body
you will make incremental improvements
at first they won't seem like much
but when you do this for weeks and months
each hard training session will add up

purposely holding back in a training session to really punch one swim is being a SAMMY SAVE UP.

confession time
sometimes I still pull on the lane rope in back stroke

ande

Originally posted by SwiminONandON
I had to laugh when I read your tip, to swim faster in meets swim faster in practice. A couple of months ago we did a 50 time trial in practice. Then we did a set of 50's (don't remember the interval I think maybe it was on 2:00) we had to be within three seconds of our time trial time. A week or two later we did the same thing and everyone was like well I took that 50 out kind of easy so my goal times would be slower. And all I could think was, doesn't that defeat the purpose of the set? The set was designed to push you.

And as for the pulling on the lane line in back stroke, I thought I was the only one that cheated like that! Actually I almost never do that anymore.

[ande]

Swimming Faster Faster: Tip 5

ACTING AS IF

Bruce Lee wrote: "Pretense is often an indispensable step in the attainment of genuineness."

If you want to improve, If you want to swim faster than you've ever swum before, try ACTING AS IF when you are training.

Pretend you already are the masters swimmer you hope to become and act that way every day in training.

Attempt to do the times you need to do,
Attempt to hold the paces you need to hold.

Believe.
Pretend.

Don't tell anyone about it, just make it your secret plan.

If you do this for a few weeks, people will begin to notice.
They'll ask what's gotten into you?
They'll say you're going to have an awesome season.
You're training really fast.

If you ACT AS IF when you train that is what you'll become.

Give this a try for a month and see how it goes.
If you train with a group
you might be moving into a faster training lane.

If you act as if you're the greatest masters swimmer,
you'll handle fatigue better.

Remember to be inwardly fierce and
outwardly humble.

Just trust if you try this technique
there will be a new fire burning.

Can you handle the heat?

Act as if

[laineybug]

how Machevellian. But, yeah I agree.

[ande]

Swimming Faster Faster: Tip 6

Keep Your Head Neutral
(Shaun Jordan taught me this one)

When I'm training, in freestyle sets, I often see my fellow swimmers push off the wall in streamline position
then they lift their up heads while they are underwater,
while they should still be gliding or beginning their kick.

Lifting your head too soon while you're streamlining off the wall
is like using AQUA BRAKES.

It's a terrible habit that will only slow you down.

When you're streamlining,
KEEP YOUR HEAD in a NEUTRAL position
Don't lift it up
Don't push it down.

Don't lift your head up till AFTER you've taken your first stroke
This will help you glide further faster.

[breastroker]

This is a great thread with very good tips.

But Allen, you have been out too long, the ASCA accepted time for a trained sprinter to use muscular glycogen is now 40 to 42 seconds.

This is why I say you do not need to breathe in a 50 breaststroke event, nor in any 50 event if you are a real swimmer.

Great sprinters don't just have great kicks. They all have core body strength to tie the kicks to the upper body.

And every stroke should use the head neutral tip.

[newmastersswimmer]

Remember to be inwardly fierce and outwardly humble originally posted by Ande



l really like all of your tips by the way!!....but do I have to follow the humility guideline too?.....It's kinda hard to be humble when your as cool as I am...(j/k of course)


Newmastersswimmer

[hooked-on-swimming]

Wayne, did you really mean to say NO BREATHING IN A 50 BREASTSTROKE EVENT?There are NO GOOD swimmers swimming like that!

[breastroker]

Yes, there is Zero reason for breathing in ANY 50 event.

Read my article on Sprint Breaststroke published in Swim Technique magazine.

www.breaststroke.info

[Fritz]

Guess none of us are real swimmers.

[gull]

Yeah, Fritz, I'm pretty sure I saw you sneak a breath on your 50 back in Savannah. Some people will stop at nothing to win.

[SWinkleblech]

Originally posted by breastroker


This is why I say you do not need to breathe in a 50 breaststroke event, nor in any 50 event if you are a real swimmer.

I take real offense to this comment. Just because I can't swim the 50 breast in like 20 something seconds and I need to take a breath doesn't make me a real swimmer? You have really narrowed down the amount of real swimmers out there.

[breastroker]

Real swimmers are anyone who can do a 50 in under 40 seconds. I was trying to exclude the LAP swimmers.

[Fritz]

Sorry Wayne, your comment wasn't appropriate. Lots of us consider ourselves "real" swimmers and we either need or want to breath during a 50. Whether you intended to or not, you've now said anyone that can't break 40 for a 50 breast isn't a real swimmer. I'm guessing that means a great many of the swimmers that participate in these discussions aren't real swimmers. I'll give you the benefit of doubt an assume you don't really mean that.

[ande]

Next time I see him, I'll ask Brendan Hansen
if he took breaths in his 50 breast leg on UT's 4x50 medley relay at the 2004 NCAA's.

I skip breaths on sprint butterfly 50's

I'm supposed to have lunch with Eddie Reese on April 13th and I'll ask him what he thinks about not breathing on 50 breast sprints.

I think a real swimmer is anyone puts on her swim suit and improves her personal fitness by swimming.

We all can't be champions, but each of us can improve and maintain our personal fitness.

[kernow]

Originally posted by breastroker
Real swimmers are anyone who can do a 50 in under 40 seconds. I was trying to exclude the LAP swimmers.

Damn! As I can only do a 50 in 42, I guess I'm not a real swimmer. Remind me to tell my coach...

[craiglll@yahoo.com]

I think Wayne used the wrong word. I'm not sure that is enough to crucify him.

[geochuck]

It is nothing new to not breath on 50 breast stroke, Barrington Roper of Jamaica surprised everyone when he swam the 220 yard LC breast stroke in the 1954 British Empire Games, he came up for a breath four times during the race. He did not win but after that everyone stayed under water longer until they changed the breast stroke rules.

George www.swimdownhill.com

[breastroker]

Hey every one in this PC world, I apologize. I was at first trying not to offend the lap swimmers who really don't care about competition. I seem to have offended every swimmer who does or doesn't breathe every stroke.

There have been many many breaststroke champions who have told me they did not breathe for several strokes at Olympics, NCAA's, Worlds, etc. Many never told their coaches because they were afraid of the back lash.

I would say all (there I go again) breaststrokers instinctively know they are faster underwater than on the surface. And when they don't breathe they also find going faster.