I practice a lot of drills to improve my technique and I always try to feel if I am catching and holding water. But if I try to swim fast everything falls apart and I don't grab any water. I'm extremely inefficient and fatigue easily.
what is the best way for me to train to get past this problem? I woukd like to be able to compete and see progress in my times. Would more work in the weight room help me control my form? More pace 50s trying to descend? I'd like to do more interval work but if I make the interval challenging I end up not making it after a few reps due to all the energy I waste spinning. I don't have a coach or a practice group. How do elite swimmers manage to grab water and pull themselves past their anchor at high turnover rates?
Are you using a Tempo Trainer? The best way to make changes in stroke rate without your form falling apart is to do it in tiny steps. That's hard to do using your "internal stroke rate meter." Increasing your stroke rate by mentally trying to speed it up is likely to result in pretty coarse steps. The Tempo Trainer lets you do it in much more granular increments.
Are you using a Tempo Trainer? The best way to make changes in stroke rate without your form falling apart is to do it in tiny steps. That's hard to do using your "internal stroke rate meter." Increasing your stroke rate by mentally trying to speed it up is likely to result in pretty coarse steps. The Tempo Trainer lets you do it in much more granular increments.
