Want to have the race of your life in the "Decathlon of Swimming?" Obey these four fundamental laws of the 400 I.M.
1. Negative split the backstroke, breaststroke,and freestyle legs. Ideally, the difference is less than 1 second. Because of the time spent executing the back-to-breast and breast-to-free turns, this actually represents near even-pace swimming.
2. Finish each stroke before you begin the next one. It sounds so simple but requires a focused effort to make it happen. Finish each stroke with a bit of extra "oomph" and you will catapult yourself into the next stroke. Limp into the transition and you are already off to a bad start on the next 100 yards.
3. Exploit your strengths. This is your opportunity for an advantage over your opponent. Failing to do this is like keeping your pistol in its holster during a swordfight.
4. Cover your weaknesses. Swim the worst stroke well, with an extra eye for efficiency. Does it seem like this means you have to do EVERYTHING well? Welcome to the 400 I.M.
Is the 400 IM harder than the 200 fly? Why or why not?
ReplyDelete"Harder" is a relative term. I think the 400 IM requires a blend of diverse talents, overall physical and mental toughness, and technical proficiency that no other event can match. For some people, the 200 fly is seen as a harder event. My question for these people would be: "Which is harder, that second 100 fly, or a fast 100 back, followed by a 100 breast and 100 free? The 400 IM has to be seen as a tough event, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteWell said. Thank you. I have one other question: Why do elite swimmers have long, thin muscles, but elite runners (sprinters) have huge, bulky muscles? They both lift weights, so why don't they both look the same?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, that's a complicated question that I could write a thesis on. Here's a short answer/response. I would first challenge your assertion that elite track sprinters have huge, bulky muscles and elite swimmers have long, thin muscles. This may be true generally, but there are exceptions in both cases (think Jeremy Wariner in track). I would argue that the main basis for this difference lies in competitive selection. Endomorphic or endo-mesomorphic body types rarely make elite swimmers, as the drag forces are too great based on their body shape. There is more room in the track sprint events for variability in body type because the primary force the athlete must overcome is gravity. If you look at most elite sprinters (take Usain Bolt, for example) you will see that they are most heavily muscled at the hip/thigh area and in the shoulders, tapering to very thin ankles and wrists. I could go on and on about this, but I hope you'll catch my thinking here.
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