After recognizing that my stroke is much longer than most OWS, I decided to poke around and see if stroke was different for OW as opposed to swimming in a pool. I found this (There is a part 2 if you click on the channel and scroll down the right side):
YouTube - Swim Smooth: What Is An Efficient Freestyle Stroke? Part 1
I would love to get reactions. I know that when I quicken my stroke rate and shorten my stroke I seem to fatigue much more quickly. However, this could be due to not pursuing this long enough to re-establish breathing patterns. (When I concentrate on my stroke, I tend to hold my breath without realizing it).
I do know that while my per 100 pace is slowly improving with more speed work in my work outs, it has dropped now where near what it used to be 20 years ago.
This is a fascinating discussion that I have 3 decades of statistics and observations on this topic. My interest was first sparked by Coach Siga Rose (nee Albrecht) when she was coaching open water swimmers in the 1970s and with Penny Dean who broke the world record in the English Channel with a high stroke turnover in 1978. Simply put, there are significant dynamic forces on the human body in open bodies of water - both positive (drafting effects) and negative (cross currents and surface chop). This means that the resultant propulsion is generally less than in the pool. If we look at underwater videos of amateur and pro open water swimmers, you can see their hands beginning their pull later (deeper) in their stroke and finishing their pull earlier in their stroke. Also, look at their kick and you will see their heels come out of the water higher and more often in the open water due to the surface chop, waves and swells. And in general their torsos generate more lateral motion in the open water than in a pool. This is due to the effects of sighting, slight navigational chances throughout the race, avoidance or initiation of physical contact with other competitors, and the rise and fall of the water in rough conditions. The videos, the photos and the data are all very fascinating and enlightening to consider and analyze. However, it is most telling when an athlete significantly changes their normal spm tempo. This can happen over time with a seriously committed athlete and coach or within an actual race. While people note Maarten van der Weijden's slower spm tempo, it is telling to see Maarten make his tactical moves DURING a race. At these critical points in a race, his turnover and kick really pick up. These subtle tactical moves are rarely captured on film, but they happen all the time at amateur and professional races. At the most recent Fran Crippen SafeSwim 10K race where dozens of pro marathon swimmers competed, Andrew Gemmell, the eventual winner, essentially won the race because of one critical 20-second portion of the nearly 2-hour race. Within a 20-second span, he went from 84 spm to 96 spm and surged into the lead, catching his world-class competitors by surprise. He went from 1.5 body lengths behind the winner to a 2-body lead that he held to the finish. This happens all the time. Gerry Rodrigues of Tower 26 made these moves at the masters and amateur level. Thomas Lurz of Germany makes these moves all the time at the pro level. And, Greta Andersen, a true heroine of the 1950s and 1960s, made similar moves when she defeated the top male marathon swimmers of her eras. You can see several videos of Greta's pro swims online where she is churning over quickly and kicking hard throughout her races. As a former 100-meter sprinter, Greta proved that motivated athletes can shift from being a pool sprinter to a marathon great. Keep up the great conversation.
This is a fascinating discussion that I have 3 decades of statistics and observations on this topic. My interest was first sparked by Coach Siga Rose (nee Albrecht) when she was coaching open water swimmers in the 1970s and with Penny Dean who broke the world record in the English Channel with a high stroke turnover in 1978. Simply put, there are significant dynamic forces on the human body in open bodies of water - both positive (drafting effects) and negative (cross currents and surface chop). This means that the resultant propulsion is generally less than in the pool. If we look at underwater videos of amateur and pro open water swimmers, you can see their hands beginning their pull later (deeper) in their stroke and finishing their pull earlier in their stroke. Also, look at their kick and you will see their heels come out of the water higher and more often in the open water due to the surface chop, waves and swells. And in general their torsos generate more lateral motion in the open water than in a pool. This is due to the effects of sighting, slight navigational chances throughout the race, avoidance or initiation of physical contact with other competitors, and the rise and fall of the water in rough conditions. The videos, the photos and the data are all very fascinating and enlightening to consider and analyze. However, it is most telling when an athlete significantly changes their normal spm tempo. This can happen over time with a seriously committed athlete and coach or within an actual race. While people note Maarten van der Weijden's slower spm tempo, it is telling to see Maarten make his tactical moves DURING a race. At these critical points in a race, his turnover and kick really pick up. These subtle tactical moves are rarely captured on film, but they happen all the time at amateur and professional races. At the most recent Fran Crippen SafeSwim 10K race where dozens of pro marathon swimmers competed, Andrew Gemmell, the eventual winner, essentially won the race because of one critical 20-second portion of the nearly 2-hour race. Within a 20-second span, he went from 84 spm to 96 spm and surged into the lead, catching his world-class competitors by surprise. He went from 1.5 body lengths behind the winner to a 2-body lead that he held to the finish. This happens all the time. Gerry Rodrigues of Tower 26 made these moves at the masters and amateur level. Thomas Lurz of Germany makes these moves all the time at the pro level. And, Greta Andersen, a true heroine of the 1950s and 1960s, made similar moves when she defeated the top male marathon swimmers of her eras. You can see several videos of Greta's pro swims online where she is churning over quickly and kicking hard throughout her races. As a former 100-meter sprinter, Greta proved that motivated athletes can shift from being a pool sprinter to a marathon great. Keep up the great conversation.
