Breast stroke???

[anakiwa]

Thanks for everyone's advice.

My problem is not really getting through the swim workout- it's getting to the pool in the first place.

I wasn't really planning on doing the breaststroke for the entire race- more like alternating- I'd need to freestyle at the mass start- but I was thinking in the middle when it gets lonely and I can't see the next buoy well- maybe it would be time to switch things up. (And keep in mind, most of you would not be in any danger- I tend to finish the swim well behind almost everyone- the only advantage is that I get to spend the rest of the race passing people.)

So I did an experiment at the pool tonight and the end of the workout- all times are for 25 yard distance.

Breaststroke: 29-30 seconds
I did this 4 times, felt very consistent- was 30 seconds on the first 3 then tried to go just a little faster on the last one and hit 29 seconds.

Fast crawl: 27-31 seconds
Going all out twice. I did the first one at 27- but it was totally not sustainable, I got a massive foot cramp, and the following time could only manage 31 seconds.

Moderate crawl: 33-35 seconds
This was a pace I felt I could sustain for a longer period.

So what's wrong with me that my breaststroke is so much better than my crawl? Are there any implications of doing the breastroke for a more sustained distance? I suppose I need to repeat the experiment in open water over a longer distance.

[Zen]

Even though your time for crawl is faster than breaststroke in your experiment, you might not be able to sustain it at race time. Your breast stroke time is very close to your crawl.
I think your plan is on the money.
There's nothing wrong with you that's not wrong with me, I prefer breaststroke too.

[Grog]

I've swam breaststroke all my life, just taught myself crawl about two years ago. My crawl and breaststroke times are now similar, but I feel a lot more "in control" breaststroking.

If you're like me, maybe think technique might be the big difference. Maybe working with a private coach for a session or two would help you improve your crawl technique, and make you faster...

[Kimmyt]

I'm wondering if since the breastroke kick requires more power from the legs, this could adversely effect your legs on the bike and run later in the race?

I don't know, a friend of mine just did an Oly swim all breast-stroke and she didn't do too horribly in the event. Me, if I did breast-stroke I would probably end up going backwards. I am most definitely a fc-er.

K.

[Torrilin]

So what's wrong with me that my breaststroke is so much better than my crawl? Are there any implications of doing the breastroke for a more sustained distance? I suppose I need to repeat the experiment in open water over a longer distance.

Nothing's wrong with you. Like I said, for the average swimmer, breaststroke is their strongest stroke. It's pretty much the top choice for "ok, I need to haul in a 300 lb man who was drowning" even if you're a 120 lb female lifeguard. Lots of power, and easy to sustain with one hand behind your back.

It sounds like you aren't putting in the lap time to develop fast twitch muscle fibers for crawl. Crawl is a lot like cycling in terms of needing to sustain a fast repetitive motion for long durations. So you'd need to do the same kinds of training. Work on cadence. Do intervals (not just speed ones, vary your strokes since each one uses different muscles). Make sure your form is *right*. Go slowly to build strength. That training will also buff your breast stroke, but breast stroke will get less net speed out of it than crawl will.

Honestly, if doing speed comparisons between the two strokes will get you in the water so that you stay there, keep doing them! If working on form in private lessons will help, do that. Weight work might also help, either as a motivator to get into the pool, or as a way to build muscle.

[Wahine]

I would like to bring up what Kimmyt said about affecting the legs. Breast stroke stresses the inner knee and thigh. Fatiguing this area will predipose you to problems on the run, potentially.

Your slower front crawl times are likely related to body position in the water. I would guess that you're legs are hanging down in the water and creating drag and that you may be swimming "flat" (with very little roll side to side). Working with a coach even one or two times can make a huge difference and you may notice an increase in your speed very quickly.

So I am not in favor of swimming the whole event with breast stroke, but switching it up would be OK.

[Jolt]

Nothing's wrong with you. Like I said, for the average swimmer, breaststroke is their strongest stroke. It's pretty much the top choice for "ok, I need to haul in a 300 lb man who was drowning" even if you're a 120 lb female lifeguard. Lots of power, and easy to sustain with one hand behind your back.

Yeah, freestyle isn't so good for hauling somebody in--that flutter kick just doesn't cut it, and when you're bringing somebody in your legs are doing most of the work seeing as your arms are sort of busy holding onto said person! Actually, I think elementary backstroke is probably the closest to what one does when bringing in a victim, at least if using a rescue tube like the Red Cross teaches.

The point about the breaststroke kick possibly tiring out your legs is a good one--in freestyle your arms are doing most of the work and the kick is mainly to keep your legs at the surface (at least that's basically all that my freestyle kick does--you should see how slow I am when using a kickboard and doing flutter kick). I wouldn't do breaststroke the whole time--switching it up sounds like a better plan considering that the other two events use your legs and not your arms (so tired arms wouldn't be a big issue).