Distance per stroke

Of course, we're talking work-out here, not racing...... Bert

I've been following this thread with interest. Like many others, I too have been experimenting recently with stroke reduction. Here are my own observations. (By the way, I'm 5 feet 10 ins tall, aged 43.) First, for the last few years I've coached myself to routinely use 2 butterfly kicks off every turn during streamling while swimming front crawl. Usually, in (for me) moderately fast swimming, (e.g 73-75secs/100m pace) I use 16 strokes on each 25 metre length. Having experimented with slowing down my stroke, I can get this stroke count down to 12 strokes per 25 metres (plus I then struggle to maintain about 78 secs/100 m pace.) ... and now the problem .... How on earth are you supposed to maintain bilateral breathing off this kind of stroke rate? Off 12 strokes per length, breathing every 3 arm strokes would equate to taking just 4 breaths per length. Is that REALLY supposed to be sufficient for ones oxygen needs? Comments + findings from others would be appreciated.

Hi all..thanks for all your suggestions. I've managed to break through the 18 stroke per 25m barrier! Now I'm shooting for 16!! Most helpful were the tag and drag drill and slowing my stroke down by pausing before pulling. I've tried to simulate sculling by I don't think I'm doing it right. The more I pay attention (per the last post) I notice that my recovery after a turn is terrible. I twist and bend my body as I make my first stroke off a turn...poor streamlining... Thanks again for all the help -David Dunn

Hi Alex - I am 5' 8", 145 lbs, with proportional arms and legs to height. My wife thinks I might have slightly longer arms than normal, so, for what its worth, when I see how high I can reach standing flat footed, it is about 7 1/2'. Today, I swam the hour postal swim. held 12 strokes per length for 20 minutes and 13 strokes per length the rest of the way - pace ranged from 1:10 to 1:13s per 100 yards. Paul Windrath

Thanks to the last few posters for advice/comments. Sounds like I need to start experimenting with exhaling. (Paul) - sounds as though your pace for 1500/1650 is similar to my own - just for interest, how tall are you? Presumably once basic stroke efficiency is fairly competent (I realise difficult to quantify this precisely) and 'all other things relatively equal', you'd expect a 5' tall swimmer to take a few more strokes than a 6' tall swimmer.

Thanks to the last few posters for advice/comments. Sounds like I need to start experimenting with exhaling. (Paul) - sounds as though your pace for 1500/1650 is similar to my own - just for interest, how tall are you? Presumably once basic stroke efficiency is fairly competent (I realise difficult to quantify this precisely) and 'all other things relatively equal', you'd expect a 5' tall swimmer to take a few more strokes than a 6' tall swimmer.