I posted a thread a few days back about about different types of workouts and since then I've put together a hodge-podge of workouts to do over the course of a few weeks. One question that keeps dogging me has to do with stroke count. What counts as a stroke? Is right arm left arm one stroke or two? Or do different people count a stroke differently? Additionally, what should I be striving for in the terms of a freestyle stroke count? What is considered good and what is considered not so good?
Thanks, John
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Former Member
Well here's something I found interesting about stroke count.
I usually swim in a 25 yd pool. My stroke count for a general aerobic pace would come in at about 14-15 (hand strikes) per 25 yards. So I would expect somewhere on the order of 15-17 strokes for 25 meters.
Last week, for the first time in my life, I had an opportunity to swim in a 50-meter pool. (The Aquatic Center in Orlando, Fla.) My stroke count was a consistent 38-40 per 50 meters. I was surprised to realize that the amount of distance I cover on a turn (distance while I flip, plus push/glide off the wall) covers about 6 strokes! (Maybe more.)
It also seems that the wall is a benefit to me. Swimming through those strokes instead of having the benefit of those extra turns made for a much tougher workout. I left far more of myself in that pool doing 3500 meters than I do on a normal 4000 yard workout in a 25 yard pool.
Well here's something I found interesting about stroke count.
I usually swim in a 25 yd pool. My stroke count for a general aerobic pace would come in at about 14-15 (hand strikes) per 25 yards. So I would expect somewhere on the order of 15-17 strokes for 25 meters.
Last week, for the first time in my life, I had an opportunity to swim in a 50-meter pool. (The Aquatic Center in Orlando, Fla.) My stroke count was a consistent 38-40 per 50 meters. I was surprised to realize that the amount of distance I cover on a turn (distance while I flip, plus push/glide off the wall) covers about 6 strokes! (Maybe more.)
It also seems that the wall is a benefit to me. Swimming through those strokes instead of having the benefit of those extra turns made for a much tougher workout. I left far more of myself in that pool doing 3500 meters than I do on a normal 4000 yard workout in a 25 yard pool.
