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Need some help

teamspiritteamspirit Posts: 148
in General Chat
Over the last week i've been trying to get my 400m swim time done 1 session i did didn't put much effort in and done a PB next session i really went for it and felt like i was flying but was just over 1min slower. So i then done another swim more relaxed and was close to my PB and then again really went for it and was miles off. I don't understand it as soon as i put in any effort it slows down. I've had someone watch my teachnique and it looks ok. How can i swim faster everything is telling me to get my arms moving faster and put more power through the water.

Comments

  • Ron99Ron99 Posts: 237
    Because you're moving your arms faster, you might be shortening your stroke length, which will slow you down. Coach recently told me that the best way to go faster is to get more streamlined and keep the stroke long.
  • BmanBman Posts: 442
    I agree with Ron on going long. The longer you can can push forward on the reach, the more water you can pull through and the faster you will go. Also slows it all down a bit which should give you more time to breathe. We have been told to to the whole reach forward as slow and long as possible, and as you pull back, you speed the stroke up and go into recovery. once you get into a rythm of that, it gets very relaxed and easy. Strange feeling, going faster but being more relaxed and calm.
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Well, I am not a good example in regards to swimming (or cycling or running), but when I see the rowing boats go past on the Thames, it looks like the ones that go slow and long are much faster than the ones that are trying so hard, they end up going zick-zack, splashing lots of water and being out of breath ... just like me in the pool! My best laps are the warm-up ones where I really focus on long strokes with good technique, as I get tired and/or try to go faster, I have the same experience as you do. So I usually take a short rest and start again with warm up pace and focus on technique.



    The worst is that the peeps in the fast lane seem to go on forever without really trying ... and it looks so easy ... just brilliant! One day ...
  • shadowone1shadowone1 Posts: 1,408
    I agree, you should look to lengthen the stroke and maximise the push pull part of the stroke rather than flapping the arms all over the place.



    I done something similar to that in the last tri and went a good bit faster, now rather than giving it everything I focus on getting more out of the stroke (excuse me!!)



    The point being that for less effort you will get more out of it. Glide through the water rather than try and force yourself.
  • ConspiracyTheoryConspiracyTheory Posts: 215
    Pretty much what the others have said,



    When swimmers get tired they tend to shorten the stroke and therefore lose power through the water. Its also the same when you are really pushing hard and that the arms are trying to get through the stroke so much quicker. The stroke shortens and you dont pull as much water. It was always a coaching point that came up when I was training as a swimmer in my younger days.
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