I'm a masters swimmer who primarily swims distances. I have a strong six beat kick and a relatively weak pull. My kick certainly overpowers my pull as I try to increase my speed.
My coach says my pull looks technically correct -- no dropped elbow! I have a long stroke with decent distance per stroke (generally I average 14-15 strokes per 25 meters, up to 16 at faster speeds).
Any suggestions on what to try to increase the propulsion of my pull? I bought a pair of the techpaddles and have been using them for about a week, but while I feel stronger, it is too early to tell there will be any resulting increase in speed.
I know there has been a lengthy discussion about kicking (and I don't want to re-start anything) but, probably the biggest mistake I see recreational swimmers make is trying to kick too hard while swimming longer distances. They kick so hard that they end up getting winded sooner and can't understand why they have to rest so often. I think lots of kick is great for racing and short distances but you don't want your kick to be the main propulsion for your distance swims in practice. The suggestions above seem like good ones.
I know there has been a lengthy discussion about kicking (and I don't want to re-start anything) but, probably the biggest mistake I see recreational swimmers make is trying to kick too hard while swimming longer distances. They kick so hard that they end up getting winded sooner and can't understand why they have to rest so often. I think lots of kick is great for racing and short distances but you don't want your kick to be the main propulsion for your distance swims in practice. The suggestions above seem like good ones.
