I am a piss poor swimmer. I finally accepted the sage slowtwitch wisdom and got myself a private swim coach (although blaming it on my wetsuit and spending $600 on a new top-of-the-line one seems far more fun). The first thing she told me last week was that I have no rythym (anyone who has ever seen me dance will back her up). Apparently my cadence/stroke rate varies widly from stroke to stroke depending on what particular massive technique flaw i happen to be thinking about at that time. So the second thing I did was go and get a Finis Tempo Trainer. One less thing for me to be thinking about while swimming - that takes the list down to 74. So, while I will obviously get my new coach’s input on stroke cadence, I want to have multiple opinions and reasons. I also want to play with the thing in the pool tomorrow and need a starting point. Any ideas on where to begin?
the fewer strokes per length the better. in all my years of swimming i never had anyone talk to me about my cadence when swimming. I look at something like distance per stroke. It should take the same number of strokes to get accross the pool all the time, but when you speed up you put more power into those strokes and then reach that wall faster but with the same number of strokes. But i dont like the use of cadence unless she is talking about stroke rate but that will change with intensity, so i guess i dont know and i probably didnt help at all.
So, while I will obviously get my new coach’s input on stroke cadence, I want to have multiple opinions and reasons.
I apologize in advance for posting off-topic.
Reading sentences like this is my pet peeve.
Trust me, you don’t want “multiple opinions and reasons” from a bunch of anonymous strangers…they’ll all be right, and they’ll all be wrong. You don’t know how to process them right now…you’re a piss poor swimmer, remember?
Forget about the gadget and listen to your coach…K.I.S.S. Keep doing so until such time they prove incapable of improving your speed in the water. Not doing so is not only an insult to your current coach, but a dis-service to yourself.
Optimal stroke rate varies from person to person just like optimal stroke length does. Just like in cycling, some people are spinners and some people are mashers. And it is going to take some playing around with it to figure out exactly what works best for you.
I’d probably work on correcting the flaws and see what develops as you smooth things out in the water rather than try to force down some cadence number that is probably pretty arbitrary and may not be ideal for you.
No apology needed my friend, that is as valid and valuable a response as any. That is why I like to get other people’s take on things, to get out of my way of thinking about approaching a problem. You do not have to answer my question directly to provide valuable feedback.
For what it is worth, I have always been more of a thinker than a doer. While fiercly competitive, I would rather lose a race and know why I lost than win and not understand why I won. This has always made me a bit of a chore to coach because I have always been the one asking “but why?” and “what about…?”. I have never been content to just be the engine (from running cross country and track in high school, to rowing in college, to triathlon post grad) even if it meant being a really good engine. I suppose in a way I do not actually want a coach, I want to be my own coach and have an even better coach teaching me how to coach myself better. Does that make any sense? Am I overthinking it? Perhaps.
You want to work toward 15-17 strokes in a 25 yard pool WITHOUT LOSING ANY SPEED.
In open water swimming you just do whatever you can with the waves. Proper form isn’t always helpful when you are getting smacked around by waves and other competitors.
If you must play around with stroke rate, a few rounds of swim golf might tell you a little something right off the bat.
Of course, “optimum” stroke rate right now will look vastly different to “optimum” stroke rate when you can actually swim (with purpose)…but you already knew that.
If you are a poor swimmer (over 2mins a 100 average over distance, in the pool), you don’t have enough comfort in the water or the trained muscle mass to worry about stroke rate. An open water swim has the same relationship to the pool as a spin bike has to the road, or a flat treadmill has to running. Play a little water polo, swim in surf, swim every stroke (especially butterfly and backstroke, you can skip breast stroke, it’s too hard to do right) swim when you’re pissed (very shallow pool).
Until you can swim without tipping over, stopping dead when you put your head up, recoiling when you touch someone (or something) or they touch you, and just plain enjoy the feel of the water
Then, and only then, you can try swimming in an endless pool with a mirror under you, a camera above you and a coach telling you what to do. You’re a Tri guy so nobody will think you’re nuts.
Please do not listen to anyone who specifies that a certain number of strokes per length or “the fewer strokes per length the better”. “Fewer strokes” is not necessarily better if you want to be as quick (and efficient) as you can be and optimal strokes per lap will vary from person to person and depending on what distance you’re swimming and how fast you want to go.
I agree with show pony. Listen to your coach. Your natural inclination to ask “why” is excellent. You cannot ask this question too often. As long as your coaches explanations make sense, listen to you coach. If something he or she says does not make sense or he/she cannot explain “why”, then it’s time to ask “why” to other people.
