Stroke count vs speed
Flavadave
Posts: 749
in General Chat
Alright everyone... Last night went to the 2nd week of a swimfortri technique course and it was all about rotation drills and going long.
Normally I think I'm about an 18 SPL in a 25m pool, averaging around 8mins for a 400m. Last night after drills and really concentrating at the end of the session I was down to 13 SPL! I thought I must have counted wrong but then repeated it.
I do feel I have quite a lazy stroke though and am finding it difficult to up my arm speed without losing form and therefore don't seem to be gaining any speed.
Anyone know any good drills for arm speed? Or has anyone tried one of these?
http://www.swimsmooth.com/wetronome.htm
Normally I think I'm about an 18 SPL in a 25m pool, averaging around 8mins for a 400m. Last night after drills and really concentrating at the end of the session I was down to 13 SPL! I thought I must have counted wrong but then repeated it.
I do feel I have quite a lazy stroke though and am finding it difficult to up my arm speed without losing form and therefore don't seem to be gaining any speed.
Anyone know any good drills for arm speed? Or has anyone tried one of these?
http://www.swimsmooth.com/wetronome.htm
0
Comments
http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43529&highlight=wetronome
Cheers MG, very useful link!
9 strokes for 25m
However, if he wants to go fast, the timing is different and he does:
12 strokes for 25m
He takes around 30 seconds for 50m front crawl, but only races breaststroke (4 mins for 400m). He's no spring chicken either.
The tears of frustration roll down my cheeks faster than I can swim when watching this.
There's another one of him doing a fantastic "superman glide".
I just dont see how he manages to stay so level in the water. I seem to have sinking legs!!
Last night was my second coaching on swim technique since I'd been stuck at 20min/km for 3 months, trying regularly to concentrate on form and all of the great TI stuff but without someone who knew what it "should" look like, and what I "acutally" looked like.
The pool where I could have lessons was only 20m but I could regularly get to a 12 SPL when I focused on maintaining the right cadence and timing for breathing. For me, this involved looking slightly up/forward and having turned my head for breathing when my arm was only ~40% of the way through a pull. Gave loads more time for superman-like gliding.
Tim
Must stress I'm not averaging 13 over 400m, but 13 over 50. And I'm not going quick either, that's my problem.
Have invested in the 'wetronome' (I know I'm a sucker for a gadget) to try and increase my tempo, and hopefully not sacrifice too much stroke length! Will let you know how it goes, or if it ends up covered in dust at the back of the cupboard.
I made a bit of a breakthrough in my local 25m pool recently, consistently doing 16 SPL without sacrificing pace. I can do 11SPL but giving up about 5 seconds.
My "secret" was making sure my thumb clipped my hip on way back and then in the recovery, having done the "zipper" recovery, making sure my thumb clips the protruding bt of my armpit before reaching ahead for re-entry.
I've no idea what the benefit is other than (a) keeping disciplined and (b) I think - amatuer analysis here - that it encorages me to swim on either side a bit more exaggerateedly than I would normally.
However, over distance I start to lose form. In the 60m Hampstead Lido I start off doing 42 SPL then increasing to 46-47 and when I'm really tired, or more like it, lose concentration, even above 50.
Also, in my entry level wetsuit I find it hard to maintain a high elbow recovery because my shoulders get tired, I think because my wetsuit is not thinner in this area.
"Swim golf" is a good routine in this regard.
Flags are at 5 meters for your info.
and PC67, you dont need a high elbow on the recovery, you need a high elbow on your stroke. what you do with your arm out the water is largely irrelevant. i know lots of people will argue about that!
I tend to swim 25m in 18 strokes; that's about 25 seconds, the lowest I have ever done is 11. Flat out I will be taking 22 strokes + and swimming about 18 seconds for 25m but wasting an enormous amount of energy and thrashing like a blackbird having a bath.
Elbow high is a far 'cleaner' way to swim. Hand high always results in what my 11 year-old daughter refers to as "Splashing like a fool. Uhhh!" in a Mr. T voice.[:D]
PC67 appears to have discovered the 'Chicken Wings' drill: keep your thumb touching your side all the way from your thigh to your underarm. It's a good 'un.
Also, where do you "spear" your hand? Just past your head or further??
I try to but feel that the high elbow recovery tires my shoulders after a few lengths if I wear my wetsuit. Maybe I need a more expensive wetsuit with narrower material around the shoulders. Maybe I just need to stop thinking that more money spent on kit will solve my ills!
2 x 14 SPL and 50 seconds for the 50m = 78.
Quite happy. Something to work on still as there's no way I can maintain that over distance, but chuffed that I can do 2x 25 second lengths while keeping good form and without going flat out.
10 lengths later I was doing 50 SPL in 75+ seconds.
Very downhearted.