Recently got the new Epix (which I really like) but still it always detects my freestyle as breast style. I had the same issues with the F6x. I should mention that going back to the 910xt and the F3, maybe even F5 I didnt have this issue. It started with F6 and remains with the Epix. I think at some point they imported the SWIM2 algorithm over to the Fenix line and thats when I started having trouble. Anyone else? So lets assume the watch is correct and there is something off with my freestyle stroke, what do you guys think is the difference or what feature can help distinguish between freestyle and breast style? I think in freestyle the hand goes out of the water much higher than breast but other than that is there something you guys can suggest I could try to modify. Not that it is super critical for me that the watch accurately detect my style but giving the watch the benefit of the doubt, perhaps there is something I can modify. Thoughts?
Seems like this is a time to upload a video of your stroke. I have never had any of Garmin watches get a stroke wrong. They can only train it to detect things within a certain range of motions. Sounds like you managed to fool it. I’d probably just disable stroke detection if the wrong data bothers you.
Ditto above. The only people I know that Garmin misses length counts or stroke detection have major stroke issues. This could be a speed opportunity for you.
So I will try to get a video but until I do would anyone be able to venture a guess as to a possible contributor from breast to free style?
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My wife and I each have 945LTEs and it typically says breaststroke when we’re actually swimming freestyle. I can hold 1:30’s per 100 yards (SCY) for 1K yards and she can hold 1:20’s per 100 yards, so seems like an error on the watch side. We just ignore it.
My wife’s watch will say breast stroke instead of freestyle when her cross-over gets bad and her back-half push gets short. Mine is pretty much right all of the time no matter how I flail about in the water, so go figure.
Hard to guess… but think about your arm path for a breast stroke vs. free style and stroke variants that might fool a watch…Your wrist does a lot of rotation in breast stroke compared to freestyle. So, if you are twisting your hand a lot on recovery or into the grab, that could throw it off. Or if you have a crossover or your pull-through goes out to the side more than straight back.
Do you wear the watch on the outside or inside of your wrist?
Not sure if it would make a difference but I’m curious.
Do you wear the watch on the outside or inside of your wrist?
Not sure if it would make a difference but I’m curious.
Not answering the OP, but I can certainly confirm that some watches can’t cope with the unit being on the inside of the wrist (my 910 and 920 were both fine on both inside and outside of the wrist - I preferred inside as I can read it more easily and it’s less in the firing line in a tri mass start) but the Polar I now use is clueless to what is happening at all when on the inside of my wrist, swimming.
I just gave up.
None of my garmins gave me the right distance on butterfly (it would give me way too much distance…on the other hand, i kind of deserve it doing fly), and it gave me zeros dolphin kicking or flutter kicking the length of the pool (as you image it would). After a while I figured it was pointless ANYWAY to try to track raw distance when doing a multi stroke workout. Some days I just do 500m of free and spend the rest of the workout doing fly-dolphin, or back-breast, fly-back or 30 min of drills in the other strokes that are not free. I usually just look at my workout and how long I was in the pool and give myself anywhere from 2000m to 3000m for the hour I was there (just depends on what is going on).
Today I did 500m of free, did 5x100IM, 10x25 dolphin kick, 1x200IM, 8x50 free, 1x400IM. I was in the pool 50 min, and now that I add it up, it was 2250m, but I have “eyeballed” my workout as having been around 2100m - 2200m. Looks like my guestimate was a bit under, but close enough that it would not matter what my garmin recorded had I bothered.
My real question is “does it matter recording it perfectly”. Our bodies just feel load and recovery and if you estimate close enough it won’t make a difference in your annual fitness regime.
I wear it on the outside as you normally wear a watch. Attempting to add a video. don’t make fun of me but advice is welcome. iam 59 years old started swimming and Triing in my late 40s. Have several half ims and one full under my belt.
Watch “Avi Swim” on YouTube
https://youtube.com/shorts/ri9e86Nwcy4?feature=share
I just gave up.
None of my garmins gave me the right distance on butterfly (it would give me way too much distance…on the other hand, i kind of deserve it doing fly), and** it gave me zeros dolphin kicking or flutter kicking the length of the pool** (as you image it would). After a while I figured it was pointless ANYWAY to try to track raw distance when doing a multi stroke workout. Some days I just do 500m of free and spend the rest of the workout doing fly-dolphin, or back-breast, fly-back or 30 min of drills in the other strokes that are not free. I usually just look at my workout and how long I was in the pool and give myself anywhere from 2000m to 3000m for the hour I was there (just depends on what is going on).
Today I did 500m of free, did 5x100IM, 10x25 dolphin kick, 1x200IM, 8x50 free, 1x400IM. I was in the pool 50 min, and now that I add it up, it was 2250m, but I have “eyeballed” my workout as having been around 2100m - 2200m. Looks like my guestimate was a bit under, but close enough that it would not matter what my garmin recorded had I bothered.
My real question is “does it matter recording it perfectly”. Our bodies just feel load and recovery and if you estimate close enough it won’t make a difference in your annual fitness regime.
This is what drill mode is for.
Actually, if my 935 started having issues with distance, I would just use drill mode for all sets.
It’s difficult to tell without a side shot but it looks like you’re chopping the end of your stroke and maybe that’s why the watch thinks you’re doing breaststroke.
With breaststroke, you never pull past your hips (except on the pull out)
Maybe try to push a little further at the end of your stroke and see what it says?
My real question is “does it matter recording it perfectly”.In the big picture, I don’t think it matters. However, the watches are designed to recognize stroke patterns as modeled after good swimmers. So, when a watch starts missing, it could be an indicator of a stroke issue. In that case, it might give swimmers insights into potential improvement areas. On the other hand, if your stroke is perfect, and the watch misses, it does not matter.
I’m an old guy too and I’d say your stroke looks a lot like mine (1:45-1:50 200m CSS for me). I have Fenix 5 and I don’t have the issue. Your stroke looks “close enough” (to me) that it should work. Does is always say breast stroke or just sometimes? Did it say breast stroke during this 50m? If so, I’d say there’s more of an issue with the watch then with your stroke. Have you contacted Garmin? Maybe they have an idea or two?
almost 100% off my stroke is detected as breast. The notes I took from suggestions in the replies to try are:
- watch for cross over. I think that means my hand going towards middle instead of straight out. (I think my hand goes straight out)
- Watch for wrist rotations
- Maybe I don’t finish the stroke by pushing far enough. (I think I may be guilty of that one, I think my hand comes out of the water around my waist.)
Out of curiosity, do you have an Apple Watch? I just started experimenting with an app called Swim Smooth that tracks your form and then does an analysis readout on things like recovery path, pull-through path, crossover, hand entry, etc. You get 3 free swims before you have to pay. Maybe that could offer some clues as well.
I could not slew the video to easily focus on frames with good views of your stroke. But it does look like your left arm crosses over a little and your right arm may swing out on the pull through. But, things do not look unusual enough that it seems like it would full the watch. Who knows… maybe the watch just has a janky accelerometer.
The end of your video looks exactly like a breast stroke pull. You enter with a mid line entry and pull out at a 30-45 degree angle just like breast stroke. Your stroke does not extend down your hip to approaching the knee but rather ends sort of half pull and comes up just like breast. Garmin is doing a good job guessing at your stroke.
You need a wider entry and straighter pull with a much longer pull back to your thigh. I like thumb down the thigh drill. I know some will say that is an antiquated drill, but I think it would be of use here.
The end of your video looks exactly like a breast stroke pull. You enter with a mid line entry and pull out at a 30-45 degree angle just like breast stroke. Your stroke does not extend down your hip to approaching the knee but rather ends sort of half pull and comes up just like breast. Garmin is doing a good job guessing at your stroke.
You need a wider entry and straighter pull with a much longer pull back to your thigh. I like thumb down the thigh drill. I know some will say that is an antiquated drill, but I think it would be of use here.
Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it but will need to re read a few times to digest better. I didn’t think I enter mid line, it feels like it’s straight out but I will try to go wider which I think means point slightly away or left of center with left hand. I will also look into the thumb down drill, perhaps that will clarify.
When you say I pull out at 35, 40 deg, I think that means I don’t finish the stroke correctly or cut it short and the thumb drill may help. At any rate thanks for that and I will try to improve and report back.
Thanks
Yes, watch the end of the video. You start near midline and your pull goes diagonally back at an angle then abruptly ends at the waist and then you recover. Your pull should and with a wrist flip way down the thigh toward the knee.