There is some debate going on in the triathlon world about
whether it is important to have a long stroke in freestyle, and
if so, how can this be developed?
Being long means extending your arm and gliding with each arm
stroke. It also means getting more out of your stroke while
saving energy (ideal for triathletes).
Don't get me wrong, you can achieve a lot with a shorter stroke-
in fact you could go very fast this way. However, for most
people, especially the beginner crowd, this stroke is just not
efficient enough to allow them to swim 1/2-1 mile, and still
have a good amount of energy to tackle 20-40 miles on the bike,
and an additional 5-10 mile run.
The mistake people make is comparing competitive pool swimmers
who swim 50, 100, 200, or 400 meters as either an all out sprint
or a controlled sprint, to triathletes who swim much further and
have to complete a race lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 10
hours!
Here are some ways to achieve a longer, more fluid, more
efficient freestyle:
1. Practice Kicking on Your Side. This will improve your balance
in the water and aid in your ability to extend and glide. By all
means use fins! I recommend getting a pair of Zoomers from
Finis, which will help your swim in so many ways.
2. Count Your Strokes. Start by just keeping track of how many
strokes you take per length when you swim. Then, begin to work
on ways to lower this stroke count. Hint: Do not just kick
harder to achieve a lower count! This defeats the purpose of the
drill.
3. Play Golf. Well not really golf like the game the Scottish
invented. Free golf! Do a set of 6x50's. Count your strokes, and
for each 50, lower your stroke count. Also, keep track of your
time on these. Maintain your pace as you drop the number of
strokes you are taking for each 50.
4. Swim With Your Fists. Alternate a few lengths of swimming
with your hands clenched in fists, with 1 or 2 lengths of
open-handed swimming. This will force you to use your hips more
as you swim, and you will not be able to "muscle" through the
water.
5. Use This Paddle. Ok, I've been hard on paddles in the past.
But the Freestyler (also by Finis) is different- it actually
forces you to do proper hand entry, glide, and pull. Also, they
do not cause shoulder problems. Use these for a long swim and
then take them off for a few lengths. You will be amazed at how
fluid you will feel! More details to come in the next issue on
how you can get a discount on a pair of these stroke-improving
paddles.
While you may not ever become a top-notch freestyle sprinter,
learning how to lengthen your freestyle will pay off as a
faster, more fun overall triathlon.
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