I had a big swim meet today (long course meters) and unfortunately added 10 seconds and just missed out on finals My coach said my last 15 meters were really bad and honestly I agree I just can’t seem to find the strength to finish strong My arms feel too heavy to lift and I don’t understand what’s going wrong I’m not going out too fast and everyone keeps saying the adrenaline will carry you to the end but it doesn’t seem to work for me I really really want to make it to state but I haven’t improved since August Any tips or comments would be greatly appreciated
Hi! I swam competitively most of my life, from high school through college The butterfly was my stroke, especially the 200 fly
This happened to me all the time in high school, especially in the last 25 to 50 meters My coach wasn’t very helpful and said basically the same thing
It wasn’t until college with a better coach that I realized I was going into oxygen debt I used to breathe every other stroke because it felt faster and more efficient When I switched to breathing every stroke, I dropped time instantly because I had gas left to give at the end of the race
From what you’ve said, it sounds similar to what I went through Oxygen debt feels like you’re dying Everything hurts You can hardly lift your arms and it’s all about survival at that point It’s even more intense in butterfly because it’s physically demanding
A lot of the 100 fly is about pushing through that pain since it’s a sprint, but it can be mentally hard knowing what’s coming
So although my advice is really more for the 200 fly, I recommend switching it up See if breathing every stroke for the first 50 changes anything If you’re already doing that, you might be psyching yourself out and making your breath more shallow and less effective
Edit: I see this is long course meters It’s tougher to muscle through and let adrenaline take you to the end It’s really important to work on your turns since there are fewer in long course I always had a long, gliding stroke suited for distance fly, so maybe some drills to improve efficiency could help too Don’t be too hard on yourself Long course fly is tough
@Clarke
Hi! I actually haven’t tried breathing every stroke because my coach yells at me for it saying it’s bad form Whenever I do try, my hips sink, so I usually avoid it
Edit: I usually breathe every 2 strokes
@Whitney
Okay, that sounds similar to my experience in high school Breathing every stroke isn’t bad form (Phelps did it) You just need to ensure your breaths are quick and efficient Try to put your head down faster and tuck your chin to let your hips glide up Your focus should be on pushing forward, not up when you breathe Skulling might help with that
It’s frustrating your coach told you it’s bad form rather than helping you correct your breathing Your hips shouldn’t sink when you breathe
You know what else is bad form? Falling apart at the end of a race because you’re in oxygen debt
In training, do you swim your butterfly the same way you would in a race?
Cal said:
In training, do you swim your butterfly the same way you would in a race?
In training, I don’t really sprint I mostly just try to complete it at an easy pace because that last 15 meters is so disastrous if I try to swim it like I would in a race
Edit: spelling
@Whitney
You have to push through the last 15 meters in training to improve in the race Try to finish strong and have your last 3 or 4 strokes without breathing Just keep your head down, take one last big breath, and don’t lift your head until you touch the wall
@Whitney
If you don’t sprint in practice, you won’t be able to sprint in a race Simple as that
@Whitney
Hi I’m not a competitive athlete, just a new swimmer But in running, they often say for a 10k race to run 11-12 km in training at the same pace That way you have enough energy left for unexpected situations and a final push And you won’t feel dead at the end of the 10k
Maybe you could try training with 110-120 meters sprints for your 100 meter events?
Have you had blood work done recently? It might be a good idea to get a full panel - CBC, CMP, iron and ferritin, vitamin D, vitamin B, and anything else your doctor recommends
B12 too
How do you normally do in the 100 fly during training? Is fading in the last 15 meters something that happens regularly?
What’s your normal split when you sprint during training and how did that compare today? How does it compare to your last race?
Were you fueled and hydrated enough?
Were there any factors to consider, like recent illness?
How was your mental state?
You don’t have to answer these questions if you don’t want to, but they’re good to reflect on to find possible causes
Identifying issues is a great step towards fixing them
@Cairo
Hmm I used to be strong over the entire 100 meters but lately I’ve been struggling in the last 15 meters I mean struggling like I could be 15 meters ahead but then others overtake me because my legs burn, my arms feel heavy, and my lungs are on fire
I haven’t swum the 100 fly long course in training yet, but my short course time is about 15 seconds better even though I still struggle in the last 15 meters
I’m usually fueled and hydrated enough but I may have had a negative mindset because I was really nervous
My splits are typically around 34/48 so that second 50 is something else I swim 75 meters easily, but it’s just that last 15 meters that’s tough
@Whitney
It looks like you’re swimming the 100 fly as if it were a 50
Since you’re having the same issue with the short course 100 fly, it might be helpful to find a more sustainable pace Also, if possible, practice 100 meters in a 50 meter pool from time to time
A few things
One: If you don’t push yourself in training, you can’t expect to push yourself in a race That’s what training is for, to prepare your body for an all-out performance
Two: A 14-second fade in a 100 fly can mean a couple of things or a combination of both One, it could indicate that you’re just not training enough or hard enough to be ready for races Or maybe it’s a mental block and you might need to talk to a sports psychologist to identify any mental barriers Or maybe it’s a mix of both, but only you can determine that
Three: For long course, you need to rely on easy speed during that first 50 If you’re going all out on the first 50, you could end up regretting it at the end A 100 LCM is about maintaining controlled speed that first 50, then pushing hard off the wall and building up to finish strong If you push too hard that first 50, you won’t have anything left for the end It’s key to stay relaxed and in control during that first 50, using the speed from the start to make that first 25 fast but effortless
@Bin
I’ve been trying to focus on pushing myself in training but my coach has been taking it easier on us, like making us do mostly 50s I don’t think I went out too fast in my first 50 because it felt easy, but in those last 15 meters, I could barely swim My arms wouldn’t move, they felt like they were pushing against the water, and my hips sank while everyone caught up to me How can I stop this from happening next time?
@Whitney
You said you went 34/48 for your splits That isn’t just fading in a race, that’s one of the worst fades I’ve ever seen If you honestly believe it’s not because you went too hard at the start, then something is going on mentally preventing you from finishing the race
@Bin
Well, those weren’t my best splits (I usually go 34/40 on a good day) Should I go out at 38 or even 40?
I suggest increasing your distance if you want to build endurance I had the same struggle You have to push through that oxygen debt in practice to finish strong
How are your turns? Are you extending and streamlining after pushing off? Are your shoulders squeezing your head and looking down?
@Francis
I admit my turns during this race weren’t the best I pushed off without a lot of air and only made it about 7 meters
Maybe it’s a form issue Try to breathe earlier and quickly so your head goes down sooner and keep your arms low while really reaching long and relaxing that recovery See if that makes a difference
I always struggled at the end of my fly until I started breathing earlier and keeping my body lower in the water when I breathed I also began breathing every other stroke, but some people might not benefit from that approach (like Phelps)