Conf: Breaststroke
From: Linda Hopson

When doing a 200-yard Breaststroke race, should I use 1-count timing? How about a 100-yard race?

From: Richard Skerrett

I think the answer is probably "it depends on how fit you are".

I intend to swim a 200-meter Breast soon, but since my time for the 100-meter is pretty slow and the second 50 appreciably slower than the first, perhaps I need some work on endurance. For me, the answer is probably to glide for as long as possible for the first 150, try to get full value from turns and pushoffs, then accelerate my cadence a bit over the last 50 if lactic acid levels permit. It will be an interesting experience. A lighter arm pull in the early stages might be a good plan as well, to conserve some energy.

I would be interested to hear what more experienced breaststrokers have to say.

From: Terry Laughlin

Richard’s response contains several points worth considering. He mentions fitness level and lactic acid, but lactic acid will slow down even the fittest swimmers if they over swim the first lap or two. And over swimming at the beginning of a race is surprisingly widespread. Those who become adept at even pacing, and particularly at finishing races strongly, can often out swim rivals who have more speed, strength or fitness.

We can learn the optimal way to pace a 200 Breast race by studying the splits of the American and World records in 200-meter Breast:

Men’s American and World Record Brendan Hansen 2:08.50
50 Splits: 29.1 – 33.1 – 32.9 – 33.4
Women’s American Record Amanda Beard 2:22.44
50 Splits: 33.2 – 36.3 – 36.6 – 36.2
Women’s World Record Leisel Jones, Australia 2:20.54
50 Splits: 32.2 – 36.3 – 36.5 – 35.5

These swims show a pattern of steady pace over the final three-quarters of the race. Both Leisel Jones and Amanda Beard swam faster on the final 50, which is common in record-setting swims. All three swimmers held their 50 splits within three to four seconds of their first 50. Minimizing the difference between the first and second quarter of a race is one of the best ways to ensure that you’ll be able to hold pace the whole way. A large drop-off from first to second 50 presages a bad – and painful – race.

The best way to discover what pattern feels most comfortable and produces the best outcome is to experiment in practice and in races. When you swim a race, always get your splits afterward. (In meets run with electronic timing, they often post splits with event results, or you can often find them on-line a day or two later.) Compare your splits with your strategy and how you felt while swimming – did you feel strong on the final 50, or were you running on fumes?

I've kept a record of splits for all races since I began swimming Masters in 1989. It's been invaluable to me to review the splits and compare them with my experiences during it. In fact, I can compare my splits for the first 200 Breast race as a Masters swimmer, at 38 years old in 1989, with my time and splits for my most recent 200 Breast, this month. Though the two races were nearly two decades apart, my splits were remarkably similar.

In 1989 I swam a time of 3:03.0 with splits of 42.9 - 47.5 - 46.8 - 45.8

In 2007 I swam a time of 3:02.1 with splits of 43.0 - 46.7 - 46.8 - 45.5

Not many people can swim faster at age 56 than at age 38. I did because: (1) My technique has improved, and (2) My knack for smart pacing allows me to get the most out of my fitness. I draw just as much satisfaction – sometimes more – from constructing a race well, as I do from the final time.

So, before your next 100 or 200 Breaststroke race consider (a) how you are likely to FEEL if you swim splits such as I described, (b) how you will likely manage your effort and pace or (c) what stroke-timing or SPL pattern might promote the splits you're aiming for. Then rehearse those patterns in practice. When I first began racing the 200 Breast, I used a 2-count streamline for the first 75, increased my cadence to a 1-count streamline for the next 75 and increased it again to a “touch-n-go” stroke (separating my hands as you completed the kick) on the final 50. As you can see from my splits, this produced a race in which I gained speed slightly on the last two 50s. With more experience and better technique I’ve been able to increase cadence earlier without tiring. In my last race, I used a 2-count streamline for only the first 25, held a 1-count streamline for the next 100, and swam the final 75 with touch-n-go timing. I’ve practiced many variations on that pattern in training and in the 16 races I’ve swum at that distance over the years.

Learn how Terry improved his Breaststroke technique in his latest book Extraordinary Swimming for Every Body and see the technique drills, and all the timing forms described above in the DVD Breaststroke for Every Body.

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