I was noticing that it took me about 22 pulls to get accross our 25 yard pool. I am a big guy with long arms, so I realized that this is rather high. (was I right?) So I decided to work on getting it lower.
I took some tips from my coach regarding my stroke (my arms were crossing over a bit and I needed to roll more). I also did some 25 yard drills where I simply concentrated on nothing more than getting across the pool in as few strokes as possible.
I'm to the point where if I do a good push off glide after a short rest and really concentrate I can make it in 17 or 18 strokes (is that still really bad?).
But out of a flip turn my SPL is still over 20. Sometimes as high as 23. (Are my flip turns the real problem?)
Now I'm going to pose something that flies in the face of conventional wisdom to the point of swimming blaspemy. In cycling one tries to maintain an optimum cadence for maximum effiency. In general, you shoot for the highest cadence where you are not bouncing in your seat. Mashing in really high gears is discouraged. Sure, you get really good speed initially, but riding the big gears will wear a rider out more quickly than spinning the smaller gears.
Why doesn't this apply to swimming? Especially long distance or open water swimmers? When I get across the pool in 19 strokes or less, my arms feel like my legs do when I've been riding big gears at a lower speed. In other words, I seem to get tapped out faster when I'm working to get my stroke count down.
The bottom line is that I train soley for open water and triathlon events. Should I worry as much about my SPL as a someone who trains for pool events?
relaxing is part of it
but the key is catching water with your arms and hands the whole way through each stroke.
ande
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
I really think that the best way to get your stroke count down & your distance per stroke up is to relax!
Amen, I swim so much faster when I catch the water. I remind myself of this on sprints especially. Right before I get on the blocks I remind myself to feel the water. (basically not to spin, but no negative thoughts pre-race :) )
The lower your dps the more efficient you are, the longer you can swim etc. Right now it might not seem that way because you are changing what you know and that is always difficult. I think if you keep working on getting your count down and you become a more efficent swimmer you will feel better in the water.
Make sure you extend your arm all the way out and get a good reach. Then start your pull. "Pop" your elbow. Feel the water on your forearms. You should feel like your arm is anchored and your body is moving or like you are climbing a ladder.
Good luck!
I think I've got my SPL down a little. Today I had a 16 with a push off glide and more than one 19 out of a flip turn.
I also swam a pb 200 free in 3:06. Previously it had been around 3:15.
congratulations!
what do you feel helped you the most?
keep going you've still got a lot of room to improve,
by the way
how tall are you?
how much do you weigh?
Ande
Originally posted by cjolsen
I think I've got my SPL down a little. Today I had a 16 with a push off glide and more than one 19 out of a flip turn.
I also swam a pb 200 free in 3:06.
Previously it had been around 3:15.
Mr. Jolsen,
Reducing your stroke rate is an excellent idea. However, just willing it lower and working on your turns will only get you half way to your potential. My advice is to find a knowledgable coach or a school of thought, and work on the drills and technical fine points they can teach you.
Me, I prefer Total Immersion (www.totalimmersion.net). I have got my stroke count when I contrate during warm-ups down to a reliable 11 strokes (or 5.5 full cycles or 5 breaths) per 25 yards, and I'm right around 14 for most freestyle sets.
Robert Strauss has a very interesting discussion thread going right now on the subject of stroke length.
However, the key is to find a coach and a style that makes sense to you, and work on the fine points that they emphasize. Just throwing yards at you and expecting conditioning to solve all is a flawed approach. I like to think swimming has a lot more in common with the martial arts, and a lot less in common with running or bicyling, than you first think.
Matt
Originally posted by Matt S
I like to think swimming has a lot more in common with the martial arts, and a lot less in common with running or bicyling, than you first think.
Matt
Hmmm, very interesting comparison.
I like it! :)
Originally posted by sefswim
Great topic. Got a question for everyone concerning dps. I'm not what i consider tall....about 5-9 to 5-10..depending on who measures. When I do just swimming I get about 15 strokes per 25 yard lap. When sprinting about 18-21 spl. Does anyone know if this is good and should be better.
You should aim to move a distance equal to your height with each stroke. I've been told some of the world's best can actually move more at race pace. I can do a bit more than my length but certainly not at race pace.
One yard = 3ft.
twenty-five yards = 75 ft.
Divide 75 ft. by your height and you'll get your targeted number of strokes.
So, 75ft./ 5.75ft. (5' 9") = 13.04 strokes/ 25 yards.
If you want to figure that you'll glide 2-3 yards off of your start/ turn then subtract 6-9 ft. from the length of the pool.
So, 69ft. (after glide) / 5.75 ft.= 12 strokes
