"I Feel the Need – The Need for Speed!"

Maverick (Tom Cruise) captured the sentiment of millions of people with that line.  In fact, it earned the 94th position in the American Film Institute’s top 100 movie lines.  And for the competitive swimmer or triathlete, speed is one of our top goals.  And it should be a goal for every improvement-minded swimmer. 
Speed is relative.  Obviously, I’m not going to swim as fast as Michael Phelps, but I can learn to swim faster than I used to. And swimming faster is a sign that my technique is improving, as well as my fitness.  Even the fitness swimmer or recreational swimmer should see faster swimming as a desirable outcome.  If I always swim at the same pace and for the same distance, no physiological adaptation occurs, and fitness actually declines. 

If you follow the Total Immersion method, drill faithfully and swim mindfully, you will swim faster. Even without the assistance of a professional coach with a video camera and poolside monitor (that’s me!), you will improve if you swim each and every length with a focal point.

Great technique alone, however, will only take you so far.  It still requires physical effort to swim faster.  The sleekest vessel in the world still needs some energy to move it.  And the more energy applied, the faster the vessel will go. 

What happens when my focus is to "apply more energy", or swim harder?  Quite often, I don’t get nearly enough speed for the additional energy.  Sometimes I even go slower!  Swimming harder nearly always results in less than satisfactory results. Why? When my heart rate becomes elevated, and I become fatigued, my coordination falters, and my technique suffers.  As my technique deteriorates and I feel myself slowing down, I try even harder, and my coordination becomes worse.  Soon, I’m a writhing, flailing, fatigued, slow swimmer.  How can I change that, and use my energy for good, rather than evil?

Understanding the Speed Equation

There are two basic components of the swim stroke that affect speed:  Stroke length, and stroke rate.  If I travel further with each, or take each stroke faster, I will swim faster. And there are combinations that also result in faster swimming. For instance, I can take a longer stroke just a bit slower, or a faster but slightly shorter stroke.  It’s simple math.  Here is an example:

1.0 meters per stroke (m/st) x .83 strokes per second (st/s) = .83 meters per second (m/s)
or
0.95 m/st x 0.9 st/s = .855 m/s

I’ve increased the stroke rate, but I travel just a bit less with each stroke.  The result, however, is a pleasing increase in speed.  I’ve reduced the time required to swim 25 meters by about .88 seconds.  Over a 1500M swim, that’s a savings of nearly a minute, or 3%!

Now, to put this in terms that are a bit easier to comprehend in the pool, we can think in terms of strokes per length (SPL).  If we maintain SPL and our times per length increase, we must be stroking slower.  If times decrease, we must be stroking faster.  If we increase SPL, and times decrease, we must be doing some combination, as in the example. So stroke counting is an invaluable tool for the TI swimmer.  It gives us a measure of stroke length, and combined with a pace clock, an indirect measure of stroke rate.

Gradual Improvement

The TI definition of endurance is "the ability to repeat efficient swimming movements for a distance of your choice".  The TI definition of speed is "the ability to repeat efficient swimming movements with an elevated heart rate and stroke rate".  Note the similarities?  In order to swim fast, there is always an element of endurance.  After all, swimming one stroke fast probably won’t meet anyone’s definition of speed!  We need to be able to "repeat efficient swimming movements at an elevated heart rate and stroke rate for a distance of your choice".

As TI swimmers, we spend a lot of time working on stroke length.  Indeed, the techniques that increase stroke length require much more practice than the techniques that increase stroke rate.  We gradually develop greater stroke length through hours of mindful practice.  Until those techniques become habit, any attempt to increase stroke rate generally results in a less skilled stroke. 

We need to increase stroke rate gradually, perhaps at a rate that is almost imperceptible.  There’s not much difference between 1.20 seconds per stroke, and 1.19 seconds per stroke.  I can’t see the difference watching someone swim, but the clock will tell the difference.  A swimmer taking 20 strokes to swim 25 meters will swim 0.2 seconds faster per 25 meters with that 1/100 second difference in stroke rate.  Increasing my stroke rate in small increments allows me to keep my good habits (stroke length), because my neuron-muscular system doesn’t notice that small change in rate.

But how can I increase my stroke rate in such small increments?  Say hello to my little friend, the Tempo Trainer.
 

Faster Swimming Through Technology

The Tempo Trainer (TT) is a small electronic metronome you place next to your ear, under your swim cap.  It emits a beep at preset intervals, and can be adjusted by .01 seconds.  So I can set it at 1.20 seconds per stroke, and then at 1.19, or whatever. I can gradually increase the stroke rate at which I can maintain my stroke length.  My nervous system will readily adapt to those small changes.

I can also use the TT to increase stroke length.  I first find my "comfortable" tempo, and then slow it down, until I reduce my SPL.  It doesn’t necessarily just happen.  I need to use a focal point, or series of focal points.  The slower stroke rate gives me the time to really focus on some aspect of my stroke, and make it better.
Once you get used to using the TT, and find your range of tempos, you’ll be amazed at how the TT focuses you.  The TT really makes it obvious that adding a stroke adds 1.2 seconds (or whatever tempo you are using) to each length, demanding that you get as much distance per stroke as possible.  And when you find that you’re swimming faster, it’s not because you’re trying harder.  It’s because you’re swimming better.

Total Immersion Speed Shop

Starting on June 5, I’ll be offering a series of four coached workouts at FORZA. These workouts will teach the use of the Tempo Trainer, helping you optimize and improve your stroke rate and stroke length.  The Tempo Trainers will be provided.  Just bring your swim cap, goggles and swim suit!  Click here for more information, and to register.