Michael Andrew's 100 Fly

 When we met Michael Andrew in November, he told me he was changing his breathing pattern in his 100 fly to breathing every other stroke.

 He is a 16 year old. Watch his forward motion, breathing close to the water, hips high, low sweep of his arms, underwater kick.  Count his strokes.

USRPT and Michael Andrew

 Michael Andrew is 16 years old, holds more than 80 age group records, went professional at age 14 with Addidas. His father is his coach, his mom is his agent, his sister is his chef.

 We met Michael and watched him swim in the Lander pool this past Thanksgiving, with Josh Davis and the Mutual of Omaha Breakout Clinic. He's training for the Olympic Trials this year and uses Dr. Brent Rushall's USRPT (Ultra Short Race Pace Training) method. It's not a new method, but using it exclusively is "controversial" and it's causing renewed interest in the training. Short yardage is tempting, but it takes intense focus, conscious intention, and discipline.

 A sample workout, done 2-3 times a day:
Warmup and drills
Set#1: 30x25 on :30, holding a goal time (i.e. 12.5 sec for 50-100 free training). Principle: You must hold goal time or faster. If you miss it, you sit out the next one. If you miss 3, the set is finished. Recovery set
Set #2: 30x25 on :30, perhaps another stroke, a different goal time, same principles. Recovery/warmdown.

Freestyle with Dolphin Kick into the finish

 Watch Michael Klim in 2000 finishing with a head down, no breathing, dolphin kick freestyle in the final 15 meters.

Michael Phelps talks below about using this finish for the Olympic Trials this year.