Meet today! First time 200 IM?

Question

I am freaking out! I have a meet today and I have never done the 200 IM without taking breaks. I am not very fast, and I haven't got into swimming shape yet! I need help! PLEASE!! anyone?

Answer 1

do a lot of stretching before.  do not jog.  i would focus on keeping the butterfly long and smooth,  backstroke should be pretty fast build the 50, same with breast and sprint the free as much as you can.  you should also put the most effort in your best stroke whatever that is, but not so much that you are full on sprinting that 50

Answer 2

Oh boy, the 2 IM.

I'll try and give you some tips for it. For one, don't worry about your speed! You should try hard and do your best. That's all that matters. :)

Secondly, think of it like this:

The 50 fly needs to be a nice, even pace. Don't try and rush it. Just get into a rhythm; be it breathing every stroke or breathing every four, just try to find that rocking rhythm. Once you get into it, if you think you can go faster, go for it! Make sure your turn off the wall is fast. Don't spend too much time on it, no matter how tired you are. Just hit and go and really play them. Do lots of fly kicks off the wall in a tight, tight streamline. As soon as you break, find that rhythm again. Remember to touch with two hands!

On backstroke, don't lie flat. Really work on keeping your shoulders a little elevated because that frees them up and allows you to stroke faster and have longer strokes, therefore making you faster. Make sure you know how many strokes it takes for you to go from the flags to where you flip over for your turn! (For instance, it takes me about four in a 50/100 yard sprint)_ Do a fast flipturn and once again, PLAY YOUR WALLS. As soon as you're pushed off the wall, start doing those butterfly kicks, aka zoomers, in a super tight streamline.

For breaststroke, make sure you do an underwater pull. This helps get you farther across the pool. Be sure to get into a rhythm with this stroke, too. Hit the wall with both hands and, like butterfly, do not stay on the wall. Hit and go. Push off the wall, do your underwater pull and get back into your rhythm. By now, you're probably tired, but you really need to push yourself.

Do a fast breaststroke/fly turn and push off the wall in a tight streamline doing zoomers. Break the water for freestyle and really try to keep your elbows up in your stroke. KICK HARD. Try to get into a breathing pattern. I'm a bad freestyler because I tend to breathe every stroke, but if you can get into a rhythm, you're ok. Do a FASTFAST turn and then, as soon as you get off that wall, give it everything! Stroke hard, stroke fast and KICK.

You're going to do just fine! The key factors in doing well in the 2-IM, or any event, is really playing your walls, having good turns and having a tight streamline. Good luck!

Answer 3

hi,

is it long course??? well if it is its really ok. i did it last week for the first time its ok!!!!!! dont freak out. please. just dont eat too much before u go and if u r not the first heat i reccomend u watch the heats b4 for tips and stuff.

have a good strong breast stroke pull down. push hard of the walls. take long strokes and good strong kicks. go pretty easy dont tire urself out just push it really hard on the free and the breast and if u can the back. go kinda easy on the fly. u'll do good...

Answer 4

i have a meet today too, but i dont have to swim the 200 im..but i have. just take it 50s at a time..it will go faster. what team do you swim for ?

Answer 5

don't worry. just make sure you eat healthy and go on a light jog. you can also do some other exercises. most importantly don't think so negtively about it think nothing but positive thoughts.

Answer 6

Always breathe every 3 strokes on the fly.  Keep the fly long and strong.  If it is LC and you find your stroke breaking up throw in a 3rd dolphin kick this is legal, you will not be DQ'd.  Never ever breathe back to back strokes on fly in any distance.  For the back roll the shoulders, head back, keep the kick up, breast glide, free it is ok to breathe every stroke.  What you want to do is build every stroke by 50.  So the beginning will be slower, medium paced through the middle of the 50 and fastest at the end of the 50.  This conserves energy

Do not go for a jog.  You do want to stretch and warm up.  Working the walls is ridiculous at this level.  Yes turns are important but this is a distance event for you.  You have never done it before and you aren't in shape.  The goal is to finish without dying like a pig.  This is just to get a baseline of where you are at.  In a distance event or middle distance for a beginner swimmer turns barely come in to play.  You really just want to touch and go.  If you know to do a pullout for breast then do it.  IF not no worries.  For your crossover turn in back if you don't know it just stay on your back and touch and turn.  Unless you are proficient at the bucket turn (bk/br) don't try and learn it now for today