200 IM tips, how can I drop my time significantly?

Question

Ok, so I've started swimming the 200 IM more lately and would like to swim it at Regionals. I've met the qualifying time by swimming a 2:19, but I'd like to get down around a 2:10 so I have a better chance of going to states. My splits are usually around 29, 32, 43, 33. What can I do to get my time down closer to a 2:10?

Answer 1

work on turns and breathing

Answer 2

Your breaststroke split is pretty bad compared to your other splits, so  start there. As a whole, the second half of your race doesn't measure up to the first half. Concentrate on over-distance and negative split work. I don't see why 29-32-37-31 would be out of reach.

It's also possible that you need to ease up a tad on the first two legs. Not that you need to go out easy -- just with a little less intensity. Say for example you ease up a bit on the backstroke kick. Your back split might be 0.5 slower, but you then you'll be able to make up multiple seconds in the breast split.

Answer 3

try breathing less so your underwater most of the time for example breath 1 every 4 or 6 strokes for free 1 every 2 strokes for breast and 1 every 2 times for fly

A new racing suit and working on transitions can cut time too

Answer 4

woirk on your breast stroke

43 is pretty slow  even after a 100

Answer 5

It's difficult to tell. Your splits are somewhat helpful but I'd need to know how much energy you're expending to swim a 29 fly split and how much is left for your 43 breast split. This already tells me that breast is your weakest stroke. This could be a starting point or on the other hand:

When you're racing you should take advantage of your strengths so I'd go ahead and take the front end of your race out strong without over-exerting yourself. But since you're trying to drop time then you need to look at where you're making mistakes that can be addressed or corrected.

Take a page from Michael Phelps. He was interviewed after the Olympic trials in Omaha and asked what he could do to 'improve on his performance'. He didn't say 'well I'm the record holder in Fly, Back, and Free so I better work on my Breast' or 'I need to take advantage of the front half of the race since I'm the best in the world in the Fly and Back'. He mentioned the part(s) of his race he could improve on the easiest and quickest. He mentioned his turns...which actually is one of his strengths. I thought that was very interesting.

What can you improve on to cut those nine seconds? As a coach and an ex olympic trials qualifier I know there are many areas in the IM that you need to practice. On the other hand without watching you swim or knowing what you can change the quickest it would be difficult to give you a straight answer. However, a 2:19 and a 2:10 are in two completely different classes.

From my experience I'd say two places you could start with are the walls and your strategy.

1. The walls: your start and turns

Strengthen your streamline and kicks off the walls. Make sure your transitions from one stroke to the next are quick and smooth.

2. Strategy: Is the 200 a sprint for you or is it considered more of mid-distance?

If it's a sprint then you need to have 'the pedal to the medal' from start to finish. If not then you need to swim the front half strong but without over-exerting yourself, attack the breaststroke, and bring the free home with a strong kick (I say it this way because I too am a strong butterflyer and backstroker while breaststroke is my nemesis).

Good luck..I'd like to hear from you when you break 2:10.

PS: Isn't 'Regionals' after/beyond 'State' competitions? I know in the Pacific NW the Region XII meet includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, part of Montana, and Alaska.