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.
#7 Descending Within Repetitions
Previously, we discussed changing your stroke from repetition to repetition.
Now, you’re going to do the same thing WITHIN a repetition.
Here’s a sample set-
6x100 Freestyle; take one less stroke per 25 during each 100 (i.e. 20-19-18-17 each 100)
The ability to do so demonstrates control over how you’re swimming, and the ability to change how you’re swimming, quickly and expertly.
It means you have the ability to shift your skills when you want to, and you can FEEL what needs to change to make it happen.
When it comes to performing, it’s a powerful skill to have at your disposal.
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