I'm chronically ill with a back impairment and started swimming two times a week recently. Taught myself the freestyle stroke with your videos. A swimming pool instructor asked to see my technique last week, and told me it looked great! Now doing 1k, and about to integrate your beginner workout structures. Swimming 100% helps my mental and physical health. Thank you so much!!
I swim in a 25 yard pool. If I push off hard and do several dolphin kicks, I can make a length in 8 or so stroke cycles. With a weak push off, just enough to get up to swim speed, it is usually 10 stroke cycles. I do a lot of catch up drills. I can feel that my kick amplitude is much higher for that than when I am swimming 'regular' speed. Especially with your slow stroke, you have an arch in your back and tummy. An exercise I suggest to figure out how much ab tension you need, and I told this one to Taylor, stand with your heels, butt and shoulders against the wall. If your body is in a perfect straight line, then you should barely be able to slip your fingers behind your lower spine. If you can slip your hand through, then suck in your gut as much as possible till your lower back is on your finger tips. I learned this in gymnastics. If you are trying spinning moves, and don't have a straight body line, no telling what will happen when you try to spin. Straight line body = least drag. Looks like you are doing a little gallop style too.
I've recently been doing 10x100s of 1:45 swimming at a 1:20-1:30 pace so for me my next goal would be to try and comfortably swim 10x100s at a 1:10 pace. My PB from when I was 15 is 1:06 so ideally I'd like to be closer to or under a minute for it at a competetion.
I have. Been swimming for about a year now and thanks to your instructions and drills from watching your videos I have noticed great improvement in my swimming
I swim in a 25 yd pool and am averaging 9 strokes per 25 yds, after spending months working on my push off and dolphin kick. With fins on and not trying too hard, I can do 5-6 strokes per 25 yds. Love your videos. Great tips!
Great breakdown. I’ve dropped ~5 strokes @ endurance pace since you pointed out my crazy high stroke count. My hips do the smiley-face dip, as well, at my slower pace 😮
Thanks for the breakdown! Do you have any advice for dropping in fly? My PR is a 1:11.98 and I need a 1:11.49 for championships, and I need to get it next meet, I have about 2 weeks to train for this. Do you have any tips? I think it’s simple things like my reaction time, turns, breathing etc. I just don’t know what. Update for anyone who is wondering… i qualified!!
Now my best Swolf is 28. On endurance 1km 37. On 2 km 40. I am swimming 2 months after 12 years pause as a pro finswimmer :) slowly getting back to it!
My hand entry is on a slight angle, with no splash w just a small straight stream of lil bubbles off of my pinky here n there. Its like the same pull and dig, but the water entry and angle differ( pointer and middle first, fingers webbed tight along w thumb) helps propel better imo....and i agree when i slow down my hips sink as well....unless i cross over into the deep end and get that buoyancy push! Lol (I love the buoyancy lift i fell as i cross into deeper water, helps me go even faster. Love ur vids! 💗
Thought about this during my swim today. For sure, swimming at slow speed, your weaknesses amplify. Many will almost do a scissor kick instead of the low amplitude kick necessary for speed, and that is kind of what you are doing. I am curious about the arm bubbles in your 50 meter sprint style, which is straight arm pull, and straight arm recover. For sure, max speed requires highest stroke rate, and you get that with the 'windmill' arm method, and even the Olympians have trouble maintaining it for 50 meters. None can do it for 100 meters. So, the bubbles, why are they bad? If you think of the tail stabilizer airfoil on an airplane, not the wing airfoil, it has a symmetrical air foil shape, and high spot is about 1/3 of the way from the leading edge. If you look at the bubbles, they are fitting, pretty much, into the back half of that air foil, which to me would make for less drag as you pull through the water. I would think that perhaps the pressure differential between front and back of your arm, would make for less drag overall. The bubbles are a consequence for that high stroke rate. One other thing, and I notice this a lot, especially with swimmers with super flexible ankles, even though yours are not, there is a follow through at the end of the down part of your kick, where your ankle flexes to 30 or so degrees in the wrong direction, which can actually create more drag and less propulsion. I would check this out with hands on the wall and see where the bubbles go. For sure, if your ankles are bent at 30 degrees, you will get negative thrust. I have poor ankle flexibility. Biggest help for me was going 30 to 40 degrees pigeon toed, which is easy for me, and part of the reason I could never swim breast stroke because my feet will not turn out far enough to be able to get any kick thrust with the old frog kick, or newer whip kick. Going pigeon toed gives me an extra 20 or so degrees of ankle flex (dorsi flexion), and I can use the whole side of my foot rather than just my toes. I have cut my time in half for a length of the pool since I learned this. You can just sit on a mat with your feet out in front and do as much of a toe point as you can, then turn your toes in and see what happens.
I can see, I have a similar problem. On a steady rythm (2000 m pace for example, 2'00" for me), my technique is worst than a 200m pace @1'40". Knees bent and hard to have good EVF and rotation.
I clock around 11 to 14 strokes per length but I feel, those additional strokes can be brought down if push off the wall and perform dolphin kicks for at least a meter or two. Struggling with the dolphin kick for now and am trying to focus on it to correct it by the help of dry water exercise and picking up technique from you. My avg. pace for daily 2 KM swim is around 1.40 min / 100 mt - something that i would like to improve as well. Keep rolling! Any specific videos you can recommend for me?
In a 25-yard pool with fins and very long arms, I counted 8, then nine strokes, before touching the wall. Without the fins, my sc lies between 11 and 12. Pushing off the wall has my streamline traveling far!
I’m trying to work out what’s happening with the timing of the arms. When you’re swimming slower you almost have one arm windmill then the other takes off. But when you go quickly your arms are almost rotating so when one is at 12oclock the other is at 6 o’clock. What’s correct. As I know in your backstroke video one arm is at 12 when the other is at 6? Thanks
I’v been trying to break 23 in the 50 free and i can’t seem to keep a constant 6 beat kick the whole race and feel as tho I’m doing a 4 beat kick. Do you have any tips on how to keep a constant kick
I hear you! This used to be me. You need to gradually build your kick endurance during workouts. Just kicking more freestyle (streamline) will help. When you swim at different speeds, don't let your kick get lazy and hold strong to the wall!
Out of the question, I just wanted to ask how I could improve my speed in Breaststroke, I did everything perfectly and it took me around 35-40 seconds for 25m lol!
15/16 on the first 25, dropping to 17 on the remaining 3. Should you be aiming to hold this stroke count when sprinting. If I'm sprinting its usually 16,18,18,20 for about 1.10
I average about 16 strokes per 25 yds, 14 if I do a really good push-off and underwater dolphin. I am five feet tall, so I am not sure if those counts are good or bad.
This was extremely helpful , thanks. You definitely breathe way less than me, almost 3 seconds underwater and start to swim before you take a breath after pushing off from reaching one end and starting another length. I guess the human lungs are stronger than i thought
Find a breathing pattern that works for you. I prefer breathing every 2 strokes. The only time I don't do this is a high effort sprint where I breath less.
Now I need to count my strokes! It has never occurred to me to do so but now I am interested to know how many I do. It will be way more than 11, I am sure of that!
Last time I counted 15 per length and was very happy with myself, but then I learned I should count each arm stroke, not each cycle. So not good then 😄
I'm chronically ill with a back impairment and started swimming two times a week recently. Taught myself the freestyle stroke with your videos. A swimming pool instructor asked to see my technique last week, and told me it looked great! Now doing 1k, and about to integrate your beginner workout structures. Swimming 100% helps my mental and physical health. Thank you so much!!
Wow! That’s awesome to hear! Keep it up! 👏
You know, this is the coolest comment I’ve ever read on social media. Keep at it, that’s great.
I swim in a 25 yard pool. If I push off hard and do several dolphin kicks, I can make a length in 8 or so stroke cycles. With a weak push off, just enough to get up to swim speed, it is usually 10 stroke cycles. I do a lot of catch up drills. I can feel that my kick amplitude is much higher for that than when I am swimming 'regular' speed. Especially with your slow stroke, you have an arch in your back and tummy. An exercise I suggest to figure out how much ab tension you need, and I told this one to Taylor, stand with your heels, butt and shoulders against the wall. If your body is in a perfect straight line, then you should barely be able to slip your fingers behind your lower spine. If you can slip your hand through, then suck in your gut as much as possible till your lower back is on your finger tips. I learned this in gymnastics. If you are trying spinning moves, and don't have a straight body line, no telling what will happen when you try to spin. Straight line body = least drag. Looks like you are doing a little gallop style too.
Just found your channel. Tried keeping my hands shoulder width apart yesterday and saw immediate improvement. Can't wait to try out all of your tips.
Awesome! Keep me posted!
I've recently been doing 10x100s of 1:45 swimming at a 1:20-1:30 pace so for me my next goal would be to try and comfortably swim 10x100s at a 1:10 pace. My PB from when I was 15 is 1:06 so ideally I'd like to be closer to or under a minute for it at a competetion.
I have. Been swimming for about a year now and thanks to your instructions and drills from watching your videos I have noticed great improvement in my swimming
I swim in a 25 yd pool and am averaging 9 strokes per 25 yds, after spending months working on my push off and dolphin kick. With fins on and not trying too hard, I can do 5-6 strokes per 25 yds. Love your videos. Great tips!
Thats insane how long does it take you to get to the other side?
Great breakdown. I’ve dropped ~5 strokes @ endurance pace since you pointed out my crazy high stroke count. My hips do the smiley-face dip, as well, at my slower pace 😮
There we go!! That’s epic progress! Translates in the pool and open water! 🙌
18-20 strokes. Have been trying to get below 16 at least. Hoping this analysis will help some.
Awesome! Think power per stroke!
Thanks for the breakdown! Do you have any advice for dropping in fly? My PR is a 1:11.98 and I need a 1:11.49 for championships, and I need to get it next meet, I have about 2 weeks to train for this. Do you have any tips? I think it’s simple things like my reaction time, turns, breathing etc. I just don’t know what.
Update for anyone who is wondering… i qualified!!
Focus on the details from warmup to cool down! Don't forget to have fun! Good luck and happy swimming :)
@@FaresKsebati thanks for the reply! I’ll edit this once the meet is done! :)
congrats on qualifying!
@@juliandcny3893 thanks so much, sorry for just seeing this!!
Now my best Swolf is 28. On endurance 1km 37. On 2 km 40. I am swimming 2 months after 12 years pause as a pro finswimmer :) slowly getting back to it!
My hand entry is on a slight angle, with no splash w just a small straight stream of lil bubbles off of my pinky here n there. Its like the same pull and dig, but the water entry and angle differ( pointer and middle first, fingers webbed tight along w thumb) helps propel better imo....and i agree when i slow down my hips sink as well....unless i cross over into the deep end and get that buoyancy push! Lol
(I love the buoyancy lift i fell as i cross into deeper water, helps me go even faster.
Love ur vids! 💗
Thought about this during my swim today. For sure, swimming at slow speed, your weaknesses amplify. Many will almost do a scissor kick instead of the low amplitude kick necessary for speed, and that is kind of what you are doing. I am curious about the arm bubbles in your 50 meter sprint style, which is straight arm pull, and straight arm recover. For sure, max speed requires highest stroke rate, and you get that with the 'windmill' arm method, and even the Olympians have trouble maintaining it for 50 meters. None can do it for 100 meters. So, the bubbles, why are they bad? If you think of the tail stabilizer airfoil on an airplane, not the wing airfoil, it has a symmetrical air foil shape, and high spot is about 1/3 of the way from the leading edge. If you look at the bubbles, they are fitting, pretty much, into the back half of that air foil, which to me would make for less drag as you pull through the water. I would think that perhaps the pressure differential between front and back of your arm, would make for less drag overall. The bubbles are a consequence for that high stroke rate.
One other thing, and I notice this a lot, especially with swimmers with super flexible ankles, even though yours are not, there is a follow through at the end of the down part of your kick, where your ankle flexes to 30 or so degrees in the wrong direction, which can actually create more drag and less propulsion. I would check this out with hands on the wall and see where the bubbles go. For sure, if your ankles are bent at 30 degrees, you will get negative thrust. I have poor ankle flexibility. Biggest help for me was going 30 to 40 degrees pigeon toed, which is easy for me, and part of the reason I could never swim breast stroke because my feet will not turn out far enough to be able to get any kick thrust with the old frog kick, or newer whip kick. Going pigeon toed gives me an extra 20 or so degrees of ankle flex (dorsi flexion), and I can use the whole side of my foot rather than just my toes. I have cut my time in half for a length of the pool since I learned this. You can just sit on a mat with your feet out in front and do as much of a toe point as you can, then turn your toes in and see what happens.
I can see, I have a similar problem. On a steady rythm (2000 m pace for example, 2'00" for me), my technique is worst than a 200m pace @1'40". Knees bent and hard to have good EVF and rotation.
Change up your distances and intensities. Happy swimming!
I clock around 11 to 14 strokes per length but I feel, those additional strokes can be brought down if push off the wall and perform dolphin kicks for at least a meter or two. Struggling with the dolphin kick for now and am trying to focus on it to correct it by the help of dry water exercise and picking up technique from you. My avg. pace for daily 2 KM swim is around 1.40 min / 100 mt - something that i would like to improve as well. Keep rolling! Any specific videos you can recommend for me?
In a 25-yard pool with fins and very long arms, I counted 8, then nine strokes, before touching the wall. Without the fins, my sc lies between 11 and 12. Pushing off the wall has my streamline traveling far!
I’m trying to work out what’s happening with the timing of the arms. When you’re swimming slower you almost have one arm windmill then the other takes off. But when you go quickly your arms are almost rotating so when one is at 12oclock the other is at 6 o’clock. What’s correct. As I know in your backstroke video one arm is at 12 when the other is at 6? Thanks
Need to count, but does it depend on number of breathes too?
Average 11 strokes per length at a 1:30 pace. Very dependent on those underwaters though!
Epic! Keep it up!
I’v been trying to break 23 in the 50 free and i can’t seem to keep a constant 6 beat kick the whole race and feel as tho I’m doing a 4 beat kick. Do you have any tips on how to keep a constant kick
I hear you! This used to be me. You need to gradually build your kick endurance during workouts. Just kicking more freestyle (streamline) will help. When you swim at different speeds, don't let your kick get lazy and hold strong to the wall!
@@FaresKsebati thank you
Out of the question, I just wanted to ask how I could improve my speed in Breaststroke, I did everything perfectly and it took me around 35-40 seconds for 25m lol!
That's a good start! I have another analysis video like this for breaststroke coming out soon :)
15/16 on the first 25, dropping to 17 on the remaining 3. Should you be aiming to hold this stroke count when sprinting. If I'm sprinting its usually 16,18,18,20 for about 1.10
When you increase speed. The stroke count will increase. This is fine. Your goal should be to keep it in control and consistent!
Stroke Rate Avg or stroke length
They are both related! Counting strokes is a great way to measure efficiency!
I average about 16 strokes per 25 yds, 14 if I do a really good push-off and underwater dolphin. I am five feet tall, so I am not sure if those counts are good or bad.
This was extremely helpful , thanks. You definitely breathe way less than me, almost 3 seconds underwater and start to swim before you take a breath after pushing off from reaching one end and starting another length. I guess the human lungs are stronger than i thought
Find a breathing pattern that works for you. I prefer breathing every 2 strokes. The only time I don't do this is a high effort sprint where I breath less.
It’s beautiful knowing your strength and weakness
Happy swimming!
Taking 15 -16 strokes !! I want to get as low as you !!
Keep it up!
Hi. When you say you swim at 55, did you mean you swam a whole 100m or is it an extrapolation of your pace on a 25m or lesser distance?
Just an extrapolation! I haven't done a 100 meter freestyle race in a while, but I think I could get pretty close.
@@FaresKsebati thanks a lot. You’re definitely inspirational.
Now I need to count my strokes! It has never occurred to me to do so but now I am interested to know how many I do. It will be way more than 11, I am sure of that!
It’s a great check-in! 🙌
on 25mt 11 strokes, but they increase with the distance. 13 strokes on 50mt, 14 on 100mt. I gust because I lose speed.
Between 15 and 16 strokes
Very solid!
18-21 per 25. Would love to get that down! Does height matter? I’m 5’4”
Yes and no - you don't have to be tall to have a lower stroke rate, but it helps. I know people that are shorter than can take 10 strokes or less!
This is how I try to swim (thanks to Coach Fares), but find after about 200m the shoulder/arm starts to drop - probably due to fatigue / old age 🙄
Thanks for tuning in! Gradual distance progression is key!
"BTW, I chave fins on...but i m pretty casual."🤣
After watching how smooth your 25m is, my stroke count is about 10 too many :)
That's ok! Everyone has something they need to work on :)
Hi
I think mine is 13 strokes when I'm at 80% power
That’s awesome! 💪
Im doing 14ish in 30 meters length
That’s really efficient! I swim in a 30m pool in the summer!
13-14.5 strokes
That’s super! 👏
Last time I counted 15 per length and was very happy with myself, but then I learned I should count each arm stroke, not each cycle. So not good then 😄
i'm at about 11-13 depending on the speed in a 25yrd pool
Great! Speed has a huge variance!
More than you on a good day 20 strokes 🤣 i am work in progress
It's all about progress, not perfection! Keep it up!
Pfffff. 55 second 100s? If I get in the 1:40s I'm happy lol.. when are you doing a camp near the NY Area? I need so much help!!
Email me at fares@myswimpro.com to get on the list to be one of the first ones to know when the next camp is!
Why did you only breathe on one side?
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Happy swimming!
I flip at 24
12 in 25 m
bro you dont swim at 55 per 100m
Aw boy you really crucified your technique!
Always room to improve! 🙌