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.
OK,
Let's debunk this high stroke rate mumbo jumbo for OW racing.
Took out my stop watch and DVD video collection from Beijing (I recorded all the races to study).
Here is Davies' stroke rate in the 1500m where I could accurately measure:
1st 50 (1.26)
2nd 50 (1.32)
550m (1.32)
700m (1.29)
800m (1.32)
1000m (1.24)
1250m (1.27)
Stroke rate in the 10K
57 min (1.42)
1:05 hr (1.43)
1:14 hr (1.42)
1:25 hr (1.38)
1:36 hr (1.37)
1:45 hr (1.24)
1:46 hr (1.26)
1:47 hr (1.29)
He made his move at 1:45 and managed to go under his pool tempo briefly for 200 yds or so to try and move away from the pack maybe around 500 to go. He was able to just go under his pool stroke rate for a minute or so and then slowly fell off. Even in the last 100 he was at his pool cadence of 1.29.
I have analyzed an elite swimmer and clearly demonstrated that stroke rate is reduced in OW swimming, not increased. Davies was out front in all my measurements. His strategy was to leed and push the pace and he still used a slower turnover. If higher turnover is better, why didn't he use it?
OK,
Let's debunk this high stroke rate mumbo jumbo for OW racing.
Took out my stop watch and DVD video collection from Beijing (I recorded all the races to study).
Here is Davies' stroke rate in the 1500m where I could accurately measure:
1st 50 (1.26)
2nd 50 (1.32)
550m (1.32)
700m (1.29)
800m (1.32)
1000m (1.24)
1250m (1.27)
Stroke rate in the 10K
57 min (1.42)
1:05 hr (1.43)
1:14 hr (1.42)
1:25 hr (1.38)
1:36 hr (1.37)
1:45 hr (1.24)
1:46 hr (1.26)
1:47 hr (1.29)
He made his move at 1:45 and managed to go under his pool tempo briefly for 200 yds or so to try and move away from the pack maybe around 500 to go. He was able to just go under his pool stroke rate for a minute or so and then slowly fell off. Even in the last 100 he was at his pool cadence of 1.29.
I have analyzed an elite swimmer and clearly demonstrated that stroke rate is reduced in OW swimming, not increased. Davies was out front in all my measurements. His strategy was to leed and push the pace and he still used a slower turnover. If higher turnover is better, why didn't he use it?
