Stroke Count

This was a session we did in November with our Swim Squads as part of our swim technique phase.

We have been working on the catch, our feel for the water and generally improving our propulsion in recent weeks.

For this session, our focus was on our stroke count.

Do You Know Your Stroke Count?

Do you know how many strokes you take on each length when you swim?

Prior to this session, I had sent an email out asking if swimmers knew how many strokes they took when they swam at different paces, so I was delighted when I spotted this comment in the athlete feedback …

“Read Bryan’s email regarding counting strokes before the session, so was keen to try out.”

With the session we had in store for him, he wasn’t to be disappointed!

First Set – Knowing Your Numbers

I wanted our swimmers to know how many strokes they take per 25m when they swim at different speeds. We did a simple set.

4 x 25m easy pace

4 x 25m moderate pace

4 x 25m strong pace

For most swimmers, the number of strokes they took for a 25m increased the faster they swam. This suggested that they increased their stroke rate, but shortened their distance per stroke. They didn’t travel as far on each stroke when increasing pace – perhaps because they were reducing force, shortening stroke, rushing.

We then did 4 x 25m where I asked swimmers to swim strong, but try and hold the lowest stroke count they managed in the earlier 25s.

Result: smooth and fast!

Second Set – Reducing Stroke Count

Many swimmers start off an interval, a set or a session strong, but fade as the it wears on. Their pull becomes less effective, shortening or slipping through the water, and they end up taking more strokes per 25m to try and keep pace. This set was about focus, about maintaining – and improving – their distance per stroke as the rep wore on.

8 x 75m – reducing the stroke count on each 25m.

Warning: This is more challenging than it looks.

Despite the challenge, many of our swimmers nailed it.

“Enjoyed that. Thanks Bry. Most lengths were 20 strokes. The 75s were all 22, 21 then 20 strokes per length.”

Perfect!

Third Set – Holding Stroke Count

This was a short set of 100m efforts.

I asked the swimmers to increase their pace over 3 or 4 x 100m.

I also asked them to hold their stroke count throughout each 100m.

However many strokes they took on the first length of each 100m, the challenge was to hold that through all four lengths. Again, harder than it sounds!

Within this set, despite aching arms and general fatigue from the session, some swimmers swam their best ever 100m time at the very end of the session.

I spotted a 1.24, a 1.19 and a 1.11.

“I would usually spin my arms on that last length. I held on to stroke length and power and got a new PB!”

Some Swimmer Feedback

Here are a few comments from swimmers after the session.

Swimmer One

“Probably the most mentally challenging session I’ve done! Trying to focus on counting as well as my form when I was working harder was difficult. I enjoyed it though, it put a different spin on swimming.”

Swimmer Two

“Thank you for such brilliant sessions. Never fails to help lift my mood spirit and energy levels!

Tonight I really felt such benefit from the coaching to use power in the stroke when trying to reduce rate and with coaching skills and encouraging comments from lane buddies honestly felt the difference!

I might even get back to wearing a watch as think my times must be getting pretty good – for me at 50 anyway!

So thank you 😊”

Counting was a problem for some swimmers (!), and not all swimmers managed to reduce or maintain these stroke counts through the 75s & 100s, however I think this comment from one of the swimmers hits the nail on the head on what we were trying to achieve.

Swimmer Three

“However, although I lost count on the 75/100s it certainly got me thinking through all lengths about stroke reach, pull and catch, which can’t be a bad thing.”