Swim III, Spring 2013, Class 2

Swim III

Spring 2013

Class 2

This week we went to work on exploring stroke rate.

Since Velocity (yards/sec)= Stroke Rate (strokes/sec) * Stroke Length (yards/stroke),

you can see that increasing stroke rate while holding stroke length (how far you propel your body with each stroke) will increase speed. Or even if rate increases faster than length decreases, speed will increase. And if you’re velocity isn’t increasing, there’s no point in working harder to turn your arms over faster.

For the same distance push-off, a constant number of strokes per length of the pool means you’ve traveled the same distance with every stroke. So we don’t have to know exactly how far we’re traveling with each stroke as long as we know strokes per length of the pool. This is the metric we’ll use in class: strokes per length of the pool.

Also check out the separate post on the kick and catch, aptly titled:
Freestyle Stroke: Kick & Catch
Here you can see a breakdown of each, frame by frame.

Focus - Stroke Rate

Warm-up:

5x50 descending, 15sec rest, each 50 is 1-2sec faster than the last

3x50 done as 25 dolphin kick / 25 swim

100 easy

Main Set:

4-7x through the following:

Set your Tempo Trainer to 1.20, swim 100yd VERY EASY counting strokes per length.

Reset it to 1.00, swim 50yd MODERATELY but maintain the same stroke count or fewer.

Reset it to 0.9, swim 25yd FAST but maintain the same stroke count or fewer.

Swim back easily to the start for a total of 200yd.

If you don’t have a Tempo Trainer, you’ll use perceived exertion.

Swim 100yd VERY EASY counting strokes per length.

Swim 50yd MODERATELY but maintain the same stroke count or fewer.

Swim 25yd FAST but maintain the same stroke count or fewer.

Swim back easily to the start for a total of 200yd.

Note: As you swim faster and harder, body position at extension is one of the first things to break down. Make sure you rotate fully with each pull and are over on your side, fully extended, in time for the beep.

Cool Down:

250-350 easy

Total: ~1800yds