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Improving Swim Efficiency and Technique

Swimming is a technically complex sport. In order to become more efficient you must break your swim stroke down into pieces and attempt to perfect each one. Here are some concepts to work on�

   Hand / Arm. When you swim your body is moving through the water, but your hand/arm is not. Your hand/arm should hold onto the water like an immovable object. Your body should create as little resistance as possible; however, your hand should feel the most resistance as it holds the water effectively.

   Keep your elbows high. With high elbows above water, your hand entry will be angled downwards into the water and not far ahead of your head. Upon entering the water your hand should go to a depth of about 12 inches immediately. Your elbow should be very slightly bent out front, never locked. As soon as your hand has entered the water and your arm is fully extended (but not to the point of elbow locked) your wrist joint should flex so your hand is at an angle where you can pull. Again, it is your body that moves through the water not your hand! The goal is for your hand/arm to hold the water efficiently as you pull your body. If you can keep your elbow high from the start of the pull, you'll increase the surface area that you're pulling with by using your forearm as well as the palm of your hand.

   Always Pull. Water has an extremely high resistance to movement (friction). You will slow down very quickly when you're not generating force to pull/push your body forward. In fact, it's to your advantage to minimize glide time so you must always be pulling. One common technique flaw is spending too much time focusing on minimizing strokes per length (glide). Perfecting glide is good when it contributes to optimal body position and streamlining, but gliding without a pull is just decelerating at a lesser rate. If you focus on holding the water well through your pull, you'll get across the pool with fewer strokes. Why glide when you could be pulling and maintaining momentum? Most make the mistake of increasing glide with a fully extended arm, elbow locked, hand pointed forward. In this position how can you begin to pull? All you can do from that position is push downward, which generates no force to drive you forward.

   Economize your movement. The most efficient force to drive you forward will be exactly opposite your direction of movement. Changes in the depth of your hand or lateral movements cause slippage, or, energy lost. Hand angle is also crucial, and pulling surface area (hand/forearm) should be optimized. When your hand changes depth or moves laterally that's commonly known as slippage, or, wasted energy. Focusing on an 'S' pattern pull creates slippage. Pull straight back in line with your shoulder/side. Upon hand entry, if your hand goes too deep you gain leverage, but lose power and especially endurance. Consider this; when you're pulling/pushing yourself up out of the pool is it easier with a straight arm out in front of you, or a bent elbow with your hand close to your body? This applies to your stroke; an elbow bent at 90 degrees as your body moves over it is more powerful and efficient than a straighter arm that goes too deep.

   Finish. Your stroke should finish up with your hand right next to your thigh just before your hand/arm pulls out of the water, not away from your body. The finish of the stroke is the best time to think about glide as it promotes pushing all the way back, and a focus on correct hand angle.

   Body Position. Poor body position (head and shoulders high/hips and legs low), or an inefficient kick will increase drag negating a distinct percentage of the pulling force you can generate. Good body position has your head and shoulders low (just a sliver of your head showing above the waterline), with your feet and legs high. The goal is to be as close to perfectly horizontal as you can. Your kick should come mostly from your hips and not be too big (feet should not separate much as big kicks can actually create more drag than propulsion.

By conceptualizing and practicing these things you will become a faster and more efficient swimmer. As always you must recognize your form deficiencies before you can correct them. The best feedback is from a trained professional.

Jen Adley earned her BS in Biology and a Masters degree in Physical Therapy. She is a practicing board certified physical therapist for Body Pros Physical Therapy and is coaches athletes for The Sport Factory. She is licensed by USA swimming with over 10 years coaching experience. Jen has twice received an honorable mention ranking from USA Triathlon.

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