Any competitive parents out there?

[Anteater]

Need to improve dd1 swimming ALOT in the next 6 weeks, ie from 65 secs down to 40 secs for 50m front crawl.
Is this possible?
Any ideas where to start..

Why?

cause its there!
actually its the schools biathlon regionals in Nov and her running would put her in top 10% but we have never bovered with the wet stuff.
Went to the pool today and was a little alarmed at how much there is to make up.
Have discovered that the dive and glide = 30% of a 50 m race tho.. which is top news!

Any swim instructors out there with top tips?

Does she want to do it? That'll count for a lot. How old is she?

is it too late to buy a small outboard motor to go under her cossie?

I've got a friend who's DD is a competitive swimmer and the hours they have to train...up in the dark ...

Unless your DD is really keen, stick to the running!

she is very competitive, so doing the time is OK, just wondered if we have left it too late..
off to the pool tommorow armed with pages of internet swim tips! ( will tape my swim tips into copy of times to fox other full on parents..)

If your dd is fit and generally sporty, but has never done any serious swimming training, she could quite possibly knock that much off her time in a short period.

Your info on the dive & glide is correct, if she's going to get really fast, she needs to have her technique right. Has she been taught proper stroke technique, breathing etc? Maybe you could join local swimming club?

I think, if she is keen, she'll make fast progress in the beginning.

You could ask at the swimming pool reception if they have instructors/coaches available.

First lesson with 14yo county champ this evening went well.
Anybody else have children doing the schools biathlon?

Ok, we are through to the finals!
She won the track, 11th in the swim 5th overall. (first 6 qualify)

To have any chance in the finals her swim is going to have to approach shark like speeds. Around 35 secs for a straight 50m is whats needed. We are at 50 secs.

Anyone have any top tips. She is very keen, and I just want to point her in the right direction.

A swimming teacher sitting opposite me says:

Practice turns, push off the wall, use the underwater phase - kicking feet. 50 metre swims are won and lost on the turns. You can gain 2 metres on a turn.

(her daughter's time is 30.36)

OMG that is really fishlike!

Have just looked up the pool (in Bath) and its 50m so no turns, just a dive and one crazy length..

Any other tips?

Work on starts - same issue. Driving off the block, using her feet.

She is very lucky - there are not many 50m pools in the UK!

Is she timing herself in a 25 m pool at the moment? If so she should gain a few seconds through that anyway if she doesn't have to turn. The fewer times she has to breathe the faster she'll be.

thank you!