Swimmer in need of Help!?

Question

Hi everyone, I'm a 17 year old swimmer, 5'9, 160 lb, 15% body Fat, who needs help with his breaststroke. right now my times are:

50 yd = 23.59 (free)

100 yd = 51.08 (free)

100 yd = 59.70 (fly)

100 yd = 1:04.98 (breast)

and I need to lower my breast time into subminute around 56-57, I know if i work my turns i'd get around 1:00 but should I Increase stroke rate? Increase strength? Increase streamline ? (it would be sort of hard since my shoulder width is about 20 inches)

Answer 1

Trick to swimming faster is to return to streamline for as long as possible.  Do not increase your rate as you will most likely lose distance and just be doing more work.  Timing is everything in breastroke.  Make sure you breathe as you begin the pull rather than half way through it.  Also make sure you are lifting low and forward.  For the arm pull, make sure your hands rotate and change pitch adequately.  This provides lift and more power.  Be sure to tuck your chin and keep your head down as you kick and glide.  Hips up of course.  Be sure your kick is 3-D not 2-D.  The legs kick out down and around.  Practicing breastroke pull with a dolphin kick helps promote the dolphin action crucial to the stroke.  Also 1 pull, 2 kick drills promote better timing and help practice your streamline.  Most of your power comes from the legs.  Be sure they are up to snuff :)  Good luck!  

Answer 2

i went on a swim camp once and we did this thing called golf

you do 50yds of your stroke

you count how many trokes you do and add it to your time

the aim is to get the lowest score possible

you should try doing the same time with less armstrokes

or a quicker time witht eh same number of armstrokes

you should also increase your reactions as this will give you a good start and a good reaction is crucial for good turns

hope this helps :)