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Simple Strategies for Implementing Stroke Counts Part V

Andrew Sheaff

Counting your strokes is one of the most under-appreciated aspects of tracking your improvement and speed.


I’ve already discussed how to pay attention to and develop your speed, which is a critical aspect of improving your swimming.


If you know how fast you’re swimming, you’re going to be motivated to make adjustments if you believe you can be better, or continue to do what you’ve been doing if you’re happy with where you’re at.


However, there’s more to performance than speed alone.


Measuring your stroke counts provides you with information about HOW you’re swimming.


It’s a simple and effective measurement of how efficient you’re swimming.


Less strokes = more efficient and more strokes = less efficient.


Are you swimming more or less efficiently than before?


Is your efficiency changing within a repetition or within a workout? Is that good or bad?


How does your efficiency relate to your speed?


These are all questions you can answer when you know your stroke counts.


How should you start using stroke counts?


Find out here.


#5 Negative Split


You may be familiar with negative split efforts for speed.


Negative split efforts for stroke count are similar in concept, yet different in that the focus is on stroke count, not speed.


Here’s a sample set-


6x100 Freestyle; take fewer strokes during the 2nd 50 of each 100


The challenge here is not only sustain but IMPROVE your efficiency during the 2nd half of each effort.


As you’ll be a little more tired, it forces you to lock in, focus, and get the most out of each stroke.


It’s a fantastic challenge for improving your efficiency.


When you’re looking to improve your ability to sustain efficiency, this strategy is key!


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