Improving your DPS (distance per stroke)

[gary_sr]

Many coaches are almost obsessed with achieving maximum DPS….and rightfully so. By increasing DPS and holding their stroke rates, swimmers can increase their speed. They are also usually more efficient with a higher DPS. Everyone would love to have the DPS and swimming speed of Michael Phelps. How do we improve our DPS?
As a lumper, rather than a splitter, I consider there are only four general ways to increase DPS:
**1. **Increase the pulling propulsion
**2. **Increase the kicking propulsion
**3. **Increase the coupling energy
**4. **Decrease frontal drag
All four of these factors are important and must be considered in improving DPS. None are necessarily easy to fix. Let’s examine each one.
Pulling Propulsion: The pulling propulsion in all four strokes can now be measured accurately using Smart Paddle technology. In fact, these small paddles not only measure the propulsion from the pulling hands, they also measure the hand forces in all three vectors; lateral, vertical and backward. Not getting enough pulling propulsion can be the result of having too little strength, or from pressing in the wrong direction. Only the downward and backward forces from the hand serve the swimmer well. Forces in other directions are wasted energy. Improving your pulling propulsion can involve getting stronger and/or pulling more correctly.
!(file:////Users/garyhall/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image002.png)
Using Smart Paddle technology, we can now measure the forces generated by the hand vertically (top left curves), laterally (top right curves) and backward propulsion (bottom curves). The white curve represents the right hand and the red curve the left hand. The swimmer is currently applying 47.7 Newtons of propulsive force with her right hand (vertical green lines).
** !(file:////Users/garyhall/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image004.png) **
** Peak propulsion achieved from her left hand (red curve) was greater than her right hand (blue curve) with every pull
** !(file:////Users/garyhall/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image006.png) **
** The average pull propulsion (impulse force) from each hand was also significantly greater with her left hand (red bar)
**Kicking Propulsion: **It is easy to get a handle on your kicking propulsion for any stroke. Grab a kickboard and time yourself for an all-out 50 yard or meter kick. For freestyle kick, most elite swimmers (especially sprinters) will kick 50 meters in 30 seconds or less. A good high school swimmer will kick the same distance in 35 seconds or less. A young age group swimmer or good Masters swimmer will kick the same distance in 40 seconds or less. Those are some yardsticks to compare your kicking propulsion. For most swimmers, improving kicking propulsion is a long-term project requiring more ankle plantar flexibility, leg strength, improved biomechanics and leg fitness. While it may be challenging to increase your kicking propulsion, that is usually where the biggest gain in DPS can occur.
!(file:////Users/garyhall/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image008.png)
The most accurate way of measuring kicking speed is by using velocity meter technology, as we did for Olympian Maggie MacNeil. Timing yourself for a 50 meter kick is also a good and easy option to estimate your kicking propulsion
**Coupling Energy: **Improving coupling motions may be the least appreciated and understood technique to increase your DPS. Each stroke has its own set of coupling motions. For freestyle (and backstroke), the two primary coupling motions are body rotation (shoulders and hips) and arm/hand entry. These two motions are connected to each other. A strong arm/hand entry on your recovery results in a faster shoulder rotation. Both motions can be very powerful when done energetically, adding significantly to your DPS.
!(file:////Users/garyhall/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image010.png)
Using simultaneous Smart Paddle and Velocity Meter technology, synchronized to video, we can assess the power of coupling motions. While the peak and average propulsion generated from the left hand (left photo red curve below) is consistently higher than with the right hand (left photo, white curves below), the speed of the swimmer (right photo, green curve above) is consistently higher during the right pull compared to the left pull.

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!(file:////Users/garyhall/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image012.png)
In addition to showing less propulsive force with her right pulling hand (left photo bottom white curve), she also breathes during her right pull, which would add more frontal drag. Yet she travels .84 meters during her right arm pull and .78 meters during her left arm pull. The difference in DPS is attributed to her strong coupling energy of her left arm entry (above photos) compared to a soft, angled arm entry with her right arm (previous photos)

**Frontal Drag: **In water, frontal drag is your biggest enemy. The list of techniques you can use to reduce frontal drag is long, including streamlining, improving head and body position, breathing technique, kicking and pulling motion, hand and arm entry, wearing a faster suit, shaving your body, and pointing your toes. The challenge is that you can’t feel the drag forces happening while swimming. Unless someone corrects those bad drag techniques, you will likely keep on doing them. Using low drag technique drills in practice should be part of your training strategy.
!(file:////Users/garyhall/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image014.png)
Using our Drag/Propulsion Meter, we have studied nearly every possible mistake a swimmer can make by towing the swimmer across a 50 meter pool at race speed (passive drag force). Most swimmers do not appreciate how badly the drag mistakes are hurting them.
Your swimming velocity is your DPS x SR (stroke rate). While increasing DPS may be more challenging than increasing your SR, increasing either will help you swim faster. For better DPS, focus on all four factors above.
Yours in Swimming,
Gary Sr.

[trail]

What qualifications do you have to be telling people how to swim?

Sorry, couldn’t help myself.

[flight_bird]

Can you give some examples of low drag technique drills please?

[jaretj]

What qualifications do you have to be telling people how to swim?

Sorry, couldn’t help myself.

That was funny when it happened

[gary_sr]

scull with fins on, head underwater, hands in front 25 yards, breathe to side, then swim freestyle 25 with your head in the same position, underwater after the breath.

Do high elbow scull with snorkel, head down…learning to swim freestyle with high elbows.

These are two good drills for reducing drag. You can find videos of those and many more on our website. www.theraceclub.com.

[NAB777]

What qualifications do you have to be telling people how to swim?

Sorry, couldn’t help myself.

That was funny when it happened

The guy that posted it took everyone’s responses in good humour too, if I recall

[Former_User]

Many coaches are almost obsessed with achieving maximum DPS….and rightfully so. By increasing DPS and holding their stroke rates, swimmers can increase their speed. They are also usually more efficient with a higher DPS. Everyone would love to have the DPS and swimming speed of Michael Phelps. How do we improve our DPS?
As a lumper, rather than a splitter, I consider there are only four general ways to increase DPS:
**1. **Increase the pulling propulsion
**2. **Increase the kicking propulsion
**3. **Increase the coupling energy
**4. **Decrease frontal drag
All four of these factors are important and must be considered in improving DPS. None are necessarily easy to fix. Let’s examine each one.
Pulling Propulsion: The pulling propulsion in all four strokes can now be measured accurately using Smart Paddle technology. In fact, these small paddles not only measure the propulsion from the pulling hands, they also measure the hand forces in all three vectors; lateral, vertical and backward. Not getting enough pulling propulsion can be the result of having too little strength, or from pressing in the wrong direction. Only the downward and backward forces from the hand serve the swimmer well. Forces in other directions are wasted energy. Improving your pulling propulsion can involve getting stronger and/or pulling more correctly.

Using Smart Paddle technology, we can now measure the forces generated by the hand vertically (top left curves), laterally (top right curves) and backward propulsion (bottom curves). The white curve represents the right hand and the red curve the left hand. The swimmer is currently applying 47.7 Newtons of propulsive force with her right hand (vertical green lines).
** **
** Peak propulsion achieved from her left hand (red curve) was greater than her right hand (blue curve) with every pull
** **
** The average pull propulsion (impulse force) from each hand was also significantly greater with her left hand (red bar)
**Kicking Propulsion: **It is easy to get a handle on your kicking propulsion for any stroke. Grab a kickboard and time yourself for an all-out 50 yard or meter kick. For freestyle kick, most elite swimmers (especially sprinters) will kick 50 meters in 30 seconds or less. A good high school swimmer will kick the same distance in 35 seconds or less. A young age group swimmer or good Masters swimmer will kick the same distance in 40 seconds or less. Those are some yardsticks to compare your kicking propulsion. For most swimmers, improving kicking propulsion is a long-term project requiring more ankle plantar flexibility, leg strength, improved biomechanics and leg fitness. While it may be challenging to increase your kicking propulsion, that is usually where the biggest gain in DPS can occur.

The most accurate way of measuring kicking speed is by using velocity meter technology, as we did for Olympian Maggie MacNeil. Timing yourself for a 50 meter kick is also a good and easy option to estimate your kicking propulsion
**Coupling Energy: **Improving coupling motions may be the least appreciated and understood technique to increase your DPS. Each stroke has its own set of coupling motions. For freestyle (and backstroke), the two primary coupling motions are body rotation (shoulders and hips) and arm/hand entry. These two motions are connected to each other. A strong arm/hand entry on your recovery results in a faster shoulder rotation. Both motions can be very powerful when done energetically, adding significantly to your DPS.

Using simultaneous Smart Paddle and Velocity Meter technology, synchronized to video, we can assess the power of coupling motions. While the peak and average propulsion generated from the left hand (left photo red curve below) is consistently higher than with the right hand (left photo, white curves below), the speed of the swimmer (right photo, green curve above) is consistently higher during the right pull compared to the left pull.

---

In addition to showing less propulsive force with her right pulling hand (left photo bottom white curve), she also breathes during her right pull, which would add more frontal drag. Yet she travels .84 meters during her right arm pull and .78 meters during her left arm pull. The difference in DPS is attributed to her strong coupling energy of her left arm entry (above photos) compared to a soft, angled arm entry with her right arm (previous photos)

**Frontal Drag: **In water, frontal drag is your biggest enemy. The list of techniques you can use to reduce frontal drag is long, including streamlining, improving head and body position, breathing technique, kicking and pulling motion, hand and arm entry, wearing a faster suit, shaving your body, and pointing your toes. The challenge is that you can’t feel the drag forces happening while swimming. Unless someone corrects those bad drag techniques, you will likely keep on doing them. Using low drag technique drills in practice should be part of your training strategy.

Using our Drag/Propulsion Meter, we have studied nearly every possible mistake a swimmer can make by towing the swimmer across a 50 meter pool at race speed (passive drag force). Most swimmers do not appreciate how badly the drag mistakes are hurting them.
Your swimming velocity is your DPS x SR (stroke rate). While increasing DPS may be more challenging than increasing your SR, increasing either will help you swim faster. For better DPS, focus on all four factors above.
Yours in Swimming,
Gary Sr.

considering we’re mostly triathletes here, what are your thoughts on kick for triathlon swimmers? i think for a long time it’s been an old truism that “triathletes don’t/shouldn’t kick,” or that wetsuits play into the kick equation.

thoughts? i know that often (usually?) when i’m swimming at steady (say, half-ironman) speeds in open water, i have a very lazy kick, if any at all. my body position doesn’t suffer too much because i wear a wetsuit.

[gary_sr]

How much to train and use the kick for added propulsion for triathletes is a great question, one I have wrestled with for years. Here are my thoughts:

1. 99.9% of triathletes cannot kick fast
2. Developing meaningful propulsion from the kick takes years and tremendous dedication (and time), increasing plantar flexion, leg strength for hip flexion, hip extension and knee extension
3. Not even elite swimmers can sustain a strong 6 beat kick for much more than about 200 meters
4. Increasing plantar flexion of the ankle will not help the run and may make it worse

If a triathlete has little kick propulsion, then the primary job of the legs is to stay out of harm’s way. That means using enough down kick to keep the legs straight back and try to keep the toes pointed. (Hanging the feet was the worst body position we tested, adding 41% more drag at 2.3 m/sec). A wetsuit takes care of the leg position (and reduces friction), but you still need to point the toes.

Without a kick, the only meaningful techniques to take your swim to another level are increasing stroke rate, improving the pulling motion (getting more propulsion impulse) and reducing drag (using higher elbow pull). Paltrinieri uses one down kick per stroke cycle and still swims 14:30’s in the 1500 meters (with a 96 SR hybrid freestyle).

With the limited time available, I would probably focus my efforts on developing a better pulling motion for propulsion and reduced drag and work on elevating SR (takes much aerobic fitness)…oh…and learn how to point your toes while swimming, whether your kicking hard or not.

If you want to get tested for your pulling motion (and kick) come to SD and let me do the SP/VM test.

[Former_User]

this is great stuff Gary, thanks.
testing with you would be awesome, but it’s a bit of a hike from Switzerland. some day!

[trytj]

Phelps took 6-8 strokes per lap (25 yards), part of that is due to an incredible flip-turn. When I go slow and easy I’m at 8-9 strokes, at 5’10 I just don’t have the arm length to go lower. Most triathletes I see at the Y put their hands in the water right next to their head and pull out of the water at the beginning of their hips (and cross over their mid section and scissor kick), literally losing 12+ inches of propulsion per stroke. I was always a horrendous kicker, I basically have 1 semi-kick per stroke to keep my body level. When I was a youth swimmer we were taught to make an S curve under water, I still can’t make a straight ladder pull that is taught now.

I swam at the Y this morning next to a 71 year old gentleman, he was taking at least 20 strokes per lap, he mentioned to me that he wished he could have a longer stroke similar to mine. My response to him was nobody cares how fast you are at the Y, he was a ripped 71 year old man getting a great workout thrashing through the water while I am a fat 53 year old (currently 235 lbs, down 12 lbs YTD) slowly cruising.

In summary, agree with the premise DPS is critical if you want to swim fast, especially for amateur triathletes.

[gary_sr]

Yes, reminds me that many swimmers don’t really care about swimming fast. They just want a workout. In triathlons it is nice to get out of the water not being a day behind. Nice post.

Gary

[gary_sr]

Thanks, Mike. LMK if you ever get to San Diego.

Gary

[TulkasTri]

Thanks, Mike. LMK if you ever get to San Diego.

Gary

I’m in San Diego and I’d love to go visit for some testing/analysis. I haven’t had my stroke checked since before covid, and last year I broke my collar bone and had surgery. I’m curious to see how it changed.

[gary_sr]

Set it up with Macon, our office manager, at info@theraceclub.com. You will love the technology we are using. I couldn’t upload the images on my post (my ignorance), but you will see. Nowhere to run or hide when we put you under the microscope.

Gary

[michael_Hatch]

When I started club swimming, shortly after the last ice age, the deep pull (practically straight arm) “S” stroke was cutting edge and nobody rotated anything. And while it’s been relatively easy for me to add rotating and better breathing, getting rid of the dreaded S is almost impossible. I was a breaststroker so the only thing I kick are the “toe touchers”. I spend almost no time in the pool anymore as I need to practice the other two disciplines I’m crap at.

It makes me wonder how many are wasting their time in the pool. As I can measure myself against the entire age group in most races (thanks Sportstats) it’s obvious to me that in age groups that are decades younger I would still place in the top 10 out of the water, to people who are faster than me by 30+ minutes in an Olympic. And yet they are losing by often less than a minute overall to better swimmers. Not to mention the extra energy they would have with less effort from the swim.

It is possible to learn to swim properly at any age, I regularly get out swum by someone who learned to swim literally in his sixties (dammit).

The whole point of this, to me, is if someone’s stroke is crap they are wasting their time swimming sets, their only time in the pool should be on stroke and the conditioning to swim and maintain it properly. It takes the same strength to swim badly as it does to swim properly.

ps Can you fix the photos…:0)

[Former_User]

I’m sure you meant to put ‘Just Kidding!’ after anything to do with kicking in a triathlon forum.

[gary_sr]

It actually takes more strength to swim badly…if you are causing a lot of drag. Just try doing your next tri swim with your head out of the water.
In my opinion, 50% of swimming success is having good technique and 50% is having good training. You need both to swim fast. Most triathletes don’t train enough in swimming and almost 100% use poor technique. With poor swimming technique, you can train 8 hrs a day and you won’t get very fast.

Gary Sr.

[michael_Hatch]

It actually takes more strength to swim badly

I would agree with one caveat, it takes more strength to swim at the same speed as someone with a good stroke. It is always more exhausting to swim with a bad stroke. And as a race is all about the management of a finite supply of energy a bad stroke takes away from energy needed for the other two disciplines.

On the other hand a good (ish) stroke lets me get away with being a lazy swimmer.

[gary_sr]

Agreed!

[mgreer]

When I go slow and easy I’m at 8-9 strokes, at 5’10 I just don’t have the arm length to go lower.

Is that 8-9 stroke cycles/per arm (i.e. 8 right arm strokes AND 8 left strokes) or 8-9 strokes total (4 left arm + 4 right arms). I’m a pretty good for an adult onset AG triathlete (but would be laughed out of a middle school swim meet) and the idea of 8-9 total strokes is crazy to me. 8-9 stroke cycles (16-18 total strokes) is about where I’m at.

To drop half of them I’d really have to focus on underwaters and dolphin kicks off the wall and really slow down my stroke rate to the point where it’s pull glide glide glide glide, pull glide glide glide glide; almost to the point where it’s a 6 kick drill.