This thread is reminiscent of the recent thread 'Stroke Length versus Rate' by Bill White, if I recall well.
In another recent thread -'Distance per stroke'-, it appeared that slowing down the stroke -which easily increases the distance per stroke-, is a benefit.
It is a benefit to some degree, but it is not an absolute benefit.
To slow down the rate just to increase the length, that's detrimental overall in speed.
An absolute benefit is when an optimum rate to length ratio is found for each swimmer.
For my improvement now, with my current length, I need a higher rate, or cadence.
At the beginning of today's workout, the approximate following discussion took place between me and a teammate, who used to swim in age-group swimming at Mission Viejo, California.
Me: "Look at that swimmer. He is my height, takes one or two strokes per 25 yards more than I take (i.e.: takes 16 or 17 strokes per 25 yards) , yet he is faster than me."
She: "It's not in the Stroke Length that he gets you. Your Stroke Length is fine. It is with a faster cadence that he gets you."
Me: "There are people posting in the Masters Swimming Forum and there is the Total Immersion book, that emphasize to slow down the cadence only, and therefore to increase the stroke length."
(My note: the Total Immersion book does this emphasis only, by dismissing the benefits of cadence, starting in page 31; it wrongly believes that in time it is more worthy to work on stroke length than on the quickly declining stroke cadence).
She: "I never bought into Total Immersion."
Me: "Neither did I. In 1990, when I was in Canada at my peak, and being coached in a club by a coach who is now coach of the Canadian Olympic Team, when swimming the 100 meters freestyle, he was urging me to increase my arm cadence. Since that peak, I lost in cadence, because I lost alertness."
Me: "How do I increase the cadence?
Isn't this higher cadence obtained with VO2Max (i.e.: oxygen fueling the swimming muscles), with fast-twitch swimming muscles and striated tissue that are developed best when a swimmer has a teenager growing body, and obtained also by physical conditioning?"
She: "It's the mental that commands the physical conditioning.
Think of the rhythm: tak_tak_tak... (type 1, like Matt Biondi is),
as opposed to: tak___tak___tak... (type 2),
as opposed to: tak_____tak_____tak... (type 3),
and as opposed to: tak_______tak_______tak... (type 4).
In distance swimming, you are a type 4 in the arms.
(My note: in the 2002 Long Course Nationals, I think that I was prepared by another coach -a neglectful coach-, as a type 4 in the arms).
When swimming distance, force yourself mentally to turn your arms in the rhythm tak_____tak_____tak... (type 3), and when swimming sprints, force yourself mentally to turn your arms in the rhythm tak____tak____tak... (type 2)."
After today's workout, the approximate following comments took place between me and the coach.
Me: "Kelly says that I have a type 4 cadence in the arms.
How do I quicken my cadence?"
Coach: "What we can do is to slow down your aerobic base send-offs, so that with more rest you can increase the quality in each swim, and develop more gears for speeds."
Me: "What I don't understand is how come I have a quick cadence in kicking, and a slow cadence (type 4) in the arms."
(My note: there were days around Christmas 2002, training Long Course, when I was kicking with a kickboard, 50 meters repeats leaving every 55 seconds while coming in 50 seconds. This is a very fast kicking for the Masters Swimming level. Overall, swimming in Masters Swimming in my age group, I am not very fast, but in long endurance swims I rank higher than in sprints).
Coach: "Are you coming tomorrow at UCSD, and watch the dual meet between UCSD and UC Santa Cruz? I have a late starter in swimming like you, who can kick fast and cannot move her arms quickly. Late starters in swimming are like that."
(My note: the coach is also coaching the middle-distance and the distance group of swimmers for the UCSD college team).
Me: "Isn't this because of VO2Max (i.e.: oxygen fueling the swimming muscles), and because of fast-twitch swimming muscles and striated tissue that are developed best when a swimmer has a teenager growing body?"
I think so.
I started to swim in public swim at age 25, and joined my first swimming club at age 28.
Under these conditions, what I did is very good, and now what I hope for, is to restore my own level from mid-90s and go from there...
My 2 cents worth…
No matter at what age you start training, you need to work very hard to reach the top.
Working hard does not mean doing mega yardage.
Working hard means focusing hard on training right.
You need to begin with efficiency in the water, also called proper technique.
Efficient swimmers take less strokes per length.
Efficiency takes a lot of hard work in paying attention to how your hands and arms are pitched underwater. A quarter of an inch the wrong way can be crucial.
There are different cadences for each distance that you race. The 50 is different from the 100, the 100 different from the 200, etc.
You need to work hard at determining and using the different cadences for each distance.
This can be practiced by training at the different cadences. Train at the cadence you want to use in your race.
You need sprint enduance for each race, not workout enduance for mega yardage.
In general, sprinters focus on a quick catch with a steady kick and instant downward press while distance swimmers focus on a catch up stroke and integrated kick.
Power and strength in the water are critical to speed and stroke length, this is not power and strength in the weight room.
Individuals vary in their strength, flexibility and mental focus. One drill that helps one swimmer might ruin another.
A really good coach can discern what a swimmers good stroke assets are and help eliminate the poor ones. Most masters coaches unfortunately are "group trainers" and only by individual instruction can you gain insight into your stroke analysis.
There are enough videos of great swimmers around that anyone can readily study.
A word to the wise is sufficient. If you can determine what you need to do, it is your responsibility to do it. A swimmer can be told in five minutes what to do, but it might take them five years of hard work to do it.
My 2 cents worth…
No matter at what age you start training, you need to work very hard to reach the top.
Working hard does not mean doing mega yardage.
Working hard means focusing hard on training right.
You need to begin with efficiency in the water, also called proper technique.
Efficient swimmers take less strokes per length.
Efficiency takes a lot of hard work in paying attention to how your hands and arms are pitched underwater. A quarter of an inch the wrong way can be crucial.
There are different cadences for each distance that you race. The 50 is different from the 100, the 100 different from the 200, etc.
You need to work hard at determining and using the different cadences for each distance.
This can be practiced by training at the different cadences. Train at the cadence you want to use in your race.
You need sprint enduance for each race, not workout enduance for mega yardage.
In general, sprinters focus on a quick catch with a steady kick and instant downward press while distance swimmers focus on a catch up stroke and integrated kick.
Power and strength in the water are critical to speed and stroke length, this is not power and strength in the weight room.
Individuals vary in their strength, flexibility and mental focus. One drill that helps one swimmer might ruin another.
A really good coach can discern what a swimmers good stroke assets are and help eliminate the poor ones. Most masters coaches unfortunately are "group trainers" and only by individual instruction can you gain insight into your stroke analysis.
There are enough videos of great swimmers around that anyone can readily study.
A word to the wise is sufficient. If you can determine what you need to do, it is your responsibility to do it. A swimmer can be told in five minutes what to do, but it might take them five years of hard work to do it.
