Swim a 50 Yard Freestyle

If you are interested in competitive swimming, like the 50 yard (or FINA Meters) freestyle, follow the steps below to improve your stroke technique and stroke strategies. The 50 yard (or meter) swim is the fastest and shortest competitive swimming event. Minute details will majorly affect the overall performance, and competition in this event is quite possibly the most relentless. While this event is swum as 50 yards in many leagues in the United States, internationally, as mandated by FINA, the event is 50 meters.

Steps

Readying yourself for the swim

  1. Step up onto the starting block. When the starter tells you to take your mark, get ready to dive, but stay absolutely still, or you might get a disqualification.
  2. Select your entry point visually and mentally. Before you dive, pick your target in the water where you want to dive. This will help to psych you for the race and ensure correct entry.

Starting off

  1. Leap off the starting block once the starting “beep” goes off. Use your legs to spring off the block and into the water when the starting blare goes off. Be sure to leap outwards toward the flags and be in a streamline position before entering the water. Make sure you are not just dropping into the water 2 feet from the starting block.
    • Practicing and perfecting a racing dive can be critical in lowering times.
    • Be sure to cover the most horizontal distance possible while diving.
  2. Use a powerful dolphin kick off the starting blocks. Continue this for around 5 yards/meters or longer if desired. Do not exceed 15 yards/meters.
    • Make sure your dolphin kick originates in your hips, and you are not relying on your knees to create power for the kick (this mistake is made very often by swimmers).

Performing freestyle

  1. Swim freestyle once you break the surface after about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of underwater dolphin kick. Perform an aggressive breakout.
  2. Roll on to the side (so that this arm is facing down towards the bottom) that is going to pull first. Be sure to be in stream line position through this step. Do not breathe on the first or second stroke from the start.
  3. Take the arm facing the bottom out of streamline position and pull it straight back in a forceful motion. By doing this it will cause the rest of the body to rotate to the other side.
  4. Recover the arm that has just pulled over the water quickly in a bent but relaxed position. At this point, this arm that has not entered the water yet.
  5. Engage the arm that has not pulled in a slightly bent position about 6 – {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} below the surface.
  6. Thrust arm into the water so that it is completely straight and is about 4 – {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} below the surface. At this point, the arm should be slightly outside shoulders width.
  7. Pull the arm straight back forcefully. Be sure to engage hips before pulling in order to maximize the effect.
  8. Repeat (including both parts) until you are about two yards away from the wall.
  9. Remember to keep your head steady and have stamina and momentum in your arms and kick. Also, reach in front of your shoulders (all the way) and pull your hand underwater while bending slightly at the elbows for a powerful pull. This reduces drag caused by the head and shoulders. Another way of reducing drag is by keeping a steady kick and not letting your hips and legs sink. By keeping your legs elevated, you are in a more streamlined position, therefore you go faster.

Doing a flip turn

  1. With the final arm-pull into the wall, reach and start rolling into a flip leading with the arm and following through with the head. Do not dive under the water surface; flip at the surface!
  2. Bring both feet over the water quickly and place them about 10 – {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} under the surface of the water and on the wall. To increase speed of the flip-turn, lead the body with the head and focus on a tight flip, tuck the knees, with the legs moving very quickly when above the surface.
    • The key to flip turns is to finish it quickly and get off the wall faster. You can do that by having your hands at your sides after your last stroke before the wall. So after you take your last stroke, glide to the wall with your hands by your sides, and flip at the exact moment (about a foot and a half away from the wall). Then, plant your feet on the wall, and if you kept your hands in the same position when you glided, they should already be in a streamline position above your head.
  3. Push off from the wall. As you are flipped onto your back, twist to rotate to the correct position while pushing. Use a powerful dolphin kick to quickly speed up for about 5 - 10 yards/meters.

The end part of the race

  1. Treat the last part of the race just like the first part, and the same rules apply. Although you may be tired, do not slow down even the slightest bit. It might cost you the race. So gather up all your last strength, and for the last {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}, sprint like you never sprinted before.
    • When finishing, focus on touching the wall while still going as fast as possible, do not breathe in the final 5 yards/meters so that you can focus on speed not on getting your next breath.
  2. Repeat until you touch the wall on a final stroke at the finish of your swim. Just make sure to hit the touch pad hard enough so your time shows up.
    • Touch with the recovery arm so that the hand is above the surface, so that it moves fastest and is visible.
  3. End in a sportsmanlike way. Make sure to say "good race" or "you did great" to the person you were racing. The coaches might notice you having a good attitude, whether you won or lost.
    • After you climb out, thank the timers for getting your time (which you should probably ask them after you leave the starting area). Most of them are volunteers, so it would make them feel appreciated.

Tips

  • Wear comfortable goggles.
  • Kick constantly throughout the whole race in order to get the fastest time.
  • Swim more on your hips. Their angular shape is more streamlined than stomach (think speedboat shape vs tugboat shape underneath)
  • Make sure you do flip turns, as they are the fastest way to get off a wall.
  • Take long strokes, not short strokes.
  • An adversary may inspire you to race faster, but don't allow the other person to play or break your concentration. There is a time to play: afterwards.
  • Always wear a swim cap in order to reduce resistance.
  • Keep your excitement, motivation and concentration by always trying to improve your time and technique.
  • The 50 yard swim requires a full effort in order to be swum properly. Concentrate on throwing the body forward and expending all your energy, as it is a very short race.
  • Breathe about 1 to 3 times in the race. Do not breathe before a flip turn or when finishing the race. Breathe by synchronizing head with the rest of the body as it rotates to one side. Take each breath quickly and then rotate your head back into the water in a comfortable position. Only one goggle should come out of the water.
  • This is quite hard to do the first few times, but increases your speed if you learn how to do it correctly. Your head is supposed to be down and aligned with your spine during distance swimming.
  • If the pool is long enough, a flip turn will not be required.

Warnings

  • Do not circle swim on the turns. This adds time in a swimmer’s race. Instead, do a flip turn.
  • Don't throw a fit or get all upset if you lost a race. You can't control how the other people swim, but you can control how you swim.
  • Follow all steps as explained in order to reduce injury.

Things You'll Need

  • Racing suit
  • Swim cap
  • Goggles
  • Starting block
  • An assistant to time your effort

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