Swimming speed (and efficiency) = stroke length x stroke rate. But which element should you focus on? The answer is both, but you need to balance the two elements based on your physique/stature, style of swimming and swim conditions.
Tall, muscular swimmers and technically experienced swimmers will tend to naturally generate greater stroke length, whereas smaller statured and novice swimmers tend to have higher stroke rates.
What is a good swim cadence and how can I increase mine?
How can I increase the length of my swim stroke?
Is there a difference between front crawl and freestyle?
As in this session, experiment stroke counting over a set distance and time. Then increase your stroke rate while trying to hold your stroke count and removing any propulsive dead spots. To improve, aim to key into the sweet spot where your stroke movements and rhythm click in harmony.
Increasing your stroke length by overextending results in reduced propulsion and breaking at the front of the stroke, whereas increasing stroke rate too much will shorten your stroke and reduce propulsion/efficiency.
3 SWIM TIPS
1. SLOW DOWN
Use technique drills like the ‘broken arrow’ wearing fins to slow down, lengthen and improve your stroke length, followed by stroke-counting/reducing-swim intervals.
2. MONITOR PROGRESS
Using stroke counting per length, measuring stroke-rate changes, ‘Swim Golf’, and completing a stroke
rate ramp test are all effective ways to monitor progress.
3. INCREASE STROKE RATE
Use drills such as ‘head-up swimming’, using ankle bands and fast arms to increase stroke rate. Tempo trainers can then be used to increase/monitor stroke rate in swim intervals.
THE SESSION
WARM-UP
200m build, stroke counting
4 x 25m slow arms, fast legs
4 x 25m fast arms, slow legs
15secs rest after each rep
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Stroke length drills
3 x 50m as: 25m 6-1-6 drill (6 leg kicks on one side; 1 full stroke; 6 leg kicks on other side)/25m swim
3 x 50m as: 25m broken arrow drill (see below left)/25m swim
15secs rest after each rep
•
Stroke rate drills
3 x 50m as: 25m head-up fast/25m easy
3 x 50m as 25m overspeed arms/25m easy
2 x 50m as pull with ankle band
15secs rest after each rep
MAIN SET
3 x 100m stroke counting @target race pace
3 x 100m stroke reducing @target race pace
3 x 100m stroke counting @target race pace
3 x 100m stroke counting, increasing stroke rate
30secs rest after each rep
COOL-DOWN
200m Alternate front crawl/backstroke
ADAPT FOR BEGINNERS
Reduce the swim drill distances to 15m drill/10m swim. The majority of novices need to slow their stroke rate down and work on stroke length and efficiency.
ADAPT FOR IRONMAN
Practise changing your stroke rate while holding your stroke length as an efficient means of accelerating/de-accelerating and adjusting your stroke to open-water conditions.