I am a novice swimmer.
It usually takes 19 strokes and 22-23 seconds for me to finish 25 yards and I can hold this pace beyond 500 yards. Since people always say longer stroke lenth always means better, I try to improve my stroke length. The problem is when I try to finish 25 yards with 17 or lower strokes, I become exhausted very easily, also the speed is even a little bit slower.
Now I want to improve my swim conditioning, what kind of stroke should I use? the exhausting, slower, but longer one, or my previous easy, faster but shoter one?
This information might be useful. My hight is 173 cm, weight 134 lbs (Damn!). My kick is pretty weak and I can barely finish 50 yards. When I swim, I use 2 beat crossover kick.
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Former Member
Longer is not always better. More efficient will lead to longer but longer is not necessarily more efficient. It is quite possible that the changes you have made to achieve a longer stroke are not helpful. Some people for example will insert a glide phase during which they slow down, they then need to use a powerful pull to regain the lost speed. The more powerful pull can be exhausting, it is like riding your bike in too low a gear. Another example is to use a rigorous kick to get more distance per stroke, especially if your kick is not efficient you can easily exhaust yourself to travel the same distance at the same speed.
On the other hand, if you concentrate on a better streamline and maintaining constant speed throughout your stroke you will swim more efficiently and your stoke length will increase while expending less energy.
Longer is not always better. More efficient will lead to longer but longer is not necessarily more efficient. It is quite possible that the changes you have made to achieve a longer stroke are not helpful. Some people for example will insert a glide phase during which they slow down, they then need to use a powerful pull to regain the lost speed. The more powerful pull can be exhausting, it is like riding your bike in too low a gear. Another example is to use a rigorous kick to get more distance per stroke, especially if your kick is not efficient you can easily exhaust yourself to travel the same distance at the same speed.
On the other hand, if you concentrate on a better streamline and maintaining constant speed throughout your stroke you will swim more efficiently and your stoke length will increase while expending less energy.
