Quality Over Quantity

As the distances increase it is easy to slip into ‘comfortable’ swimming. Try and keep the quality of the stroke good at all times. Try stroke counting on some of the longer distances to help keep you switched on. Count the number of times your hands enter the water (separately for front crawl and backstroke, simultaneously for butterfly and for breaststroke every time they extend) for 25m (or one length) and then by stretching further in your stroke try to do less strokes on the way back etc.

By doing this you can also work out your stroke length, which is the distance you have travelled in each propulsive movement. For example, you calculate the number of strokes you have counted over the distance and divide them; 16 strokes over 25m ="16/25" ="1.5625m" per propulsion.

Then, once you are comfortable in doing the stroke count and stroke length, you can work out how efficient your stroke is.

If your stroke count is low but your stroke length is high then you are swimming with a high degree of propulsion and force, which means that you are taking fewer strokes to move a good distance forward.

If your stroke count is high but your stroke length is low then you are swimming with a low degree of propulsion and force, meaning that you are taking more strokes to move a shorter distance.

You will find that your strokes will differentiate between the above two scenarios depending on the stroke, speed and distance that you are swimming but have fun playing around with it and getting to know what works for you.

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