I've been swimming now for about 4 months after taking nearly 20 years' hiatus. Needless to say, I'm not really not trying for any speed records but I'm frustrated that I'm not getting any faster. Ironically enough, I'm usually the fastest swimmer in the pool, even compared to other 20 somethings. Then again, there really isn't much competition at my 24hr fitness.
I've been told by others that my form looks pretty good. I can swim 25m in about 15 easy strokes. But I can't seem to get my arms to move any faster in the water. If I try to increase my arm speed, I end up compromising my extension, using more energy and going about the same overall speed.
Since I've been focused on distance, I've been using a 2-beat kick. I'd like to employ a 6-beat kick, but somehow can't get the timing down. When I try for a 6-beat, I usually end up fluttering around like a wounded minnow.
I swim about 5 times a week, mixing up distance, speed drills and kick drills. I'm 33 years old, decent cardio, height 5'7".
So I'm open for opinions. Should I focus on increasing arm speed? Work on a 6-beat kick? Increase strength? All of the above?
Thanks
anything you do and measure improves
so measure your speed and train to improve it.
read and apply ideas from:
Help My Speed is Horrible!
Swim Faster Faster
I've been swimming now for about 4 months after taking nearly 20 years' hiatus.
Give it some more time. With only a 7 year hiatus, it took me more than a year before my swim endurance really came back.
anything you do and measure improves
so measure your speed and train to improve it.
I was in your shoes. These very words of Ande's helped me enormously. It's not that I never ever measured myself at all, but the timeclock at my 24 hr fitness was poorly placed, only visable to me from one lane, and at the "wrong" end of it, too. It was hard to do interval training, let alone clock myself. Anyhow, I got myself a swimming wrist watch, and I started timing all KINDS of things, almost everything. Splits during sets, especially the sets that I come back to regularly. Kicking. I started logging my times in my workout journal. When you watch the clock, your times go DOWN.
Also, do you use a pullbouy? I find that doing a pull set a couple times per week really helps my arms. Not every time--you need to give the arms time to recover.
If you only started 4 months ago, I bet you've come a lot further than you realize.
Very informative video. One thing I noticed as well as with other top swimmers (Popov) is that one arm performs mild catch-up with the other, yet the other arm does the opposite, more rotary. This is done with perfect time to the kick. Does it appear like this or actually happening?
Also, should I time my stroke to my kick?
I knew Ande would come through.
That video of Phelps is great. That video had a very profound effect on my turns. But that is off topic. When I was looking again at that video, I found YouTube - TI Freestyle Before and After from Shinji Takeuchi. It has great underwater shots showing before and after Total Immersion.
Watch the legs in the pre-TI clips versus the legs in the post-TI clips. More beats, but more drag, too.
I suggest a look at the head position in the before and after shots. In the before shots the swimmers head is up and he is looking forward, in the after shots he is looking at the bottom of the pool. With the head up the swimmer is sinking his hips and forcing a harder kick to stay balanced. In the after shots with the head on the spine line, the hips are also in line at the surface, and the kick is propulsive.
In my experience, adjusting the head position can be a very quick fix for the pull buoy addicted. Posture while swimming is too often neglected for a focus on power and speed. Posture, balance, and power should work together to make a fast and efficient swimmer.
Thanks Mike,
I didn't know that, here's the SFF tip that describes what Phelps does, plus why.
Tip 238 The Suit Surge
I bet a slightly deeper further SDK helped you swim faster faster in several events during your 2009 short course season.
It pays to work on your SDK even if you're already really good at it.
UT's Hill Taylor gave us a glimpse at what's possible.
Shame there's a 15 meter rule.
Swim Faster Faster,
Ande
I knew Ande would come through.
That video of Phelps is great. That video had a very profound effect on my turns.
I knew Ande would come through.
That video of Phelps is great. That video had a very profound effect on my turns. But that is off topic. When I was looking again at that video, I found YouTube - TI Freestyle Before and After from Shinji Takeuchi. It has great underwater shots showing before and after Total Immersion.
Watch the legs in the pre-TI clips versus the legs in the post-TI clips. More beats, but more drag, too.
Thanks for all of the feedback.
Ande- I'll attempt your challenge. However, the times that people post will make me think twice about posting my times. When I say I'm slow, that's no exaggeration.
Also, do you use a pullbouy? I find that doing a pull set a couple times per week really helps my arms. Not every time--you need to give the arms time to recover.
spell_me - I used to swim a lot with the pull buoy because it made me swim faster (and felt much easier overall). But when I swam without the buoy, I had to use my legs and core muscles a lot more. So I felt like I was cheating myself and eventually put it away for good. I think it was for the best. Plus, for some reason the buoy also caused a lot of lower back pain. Perhaps it made me arch my back too much or caused me to be in an uncomfortable position.
Should go back to the buoy to increase my pull strength? I'd like to avoid it, but I'll use it again if you guys think it's an indispensable tool.
At what point should we "press the T", or lean forward the chest and head, or should the position be held continuosly throughout? Also, is this position employed during all out sprints?
Thank you
