I like the 15m torpedo into full stroke drill, can really feel the difference and seems to help timing.
1 Like
Thank you so much both. In a way it’s quite nice to have found an obvious big technical issue I can work on.
@jeffb - I’ve seen a couple of videos for torpedo drills which seem to all be quite different. Is what you are suggesting the one where you push off and keep your hands joined and straight in front of you? So like extending the underwater start of the length up to the surface for a bit before beginning the stroke?
that’s a push and glide, also a good drill, but think of that position then add the kick to it. To breath you can do a mini breaststroke scull to help bring the head up to breath out front
1 Like
The one I do is as much for body position and balance and some people might give it different names.
I push off but have my arms by my sides, so head first.
But I don’t usually do it with fins.
I think a progression is to try and rotate about 45 degrees while doing it.
Again, there’s better experts than me on here but it’s worked for me. But as above, the more you practice the luckier I get (Greg Norman I think 
)
We had a discussion about this on Friday, it’s been attributed to a few players, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and a relative unknown from the 60s called Jerry Barber, boring nights out aren’t they?!
1 Like
What does Greg Norman and a Holden Commodore have in common?
Both have automatic chokes. (Aussie Dad joke)
2 Likes
I was going to go with Gary Player initially!
Never heard of the guy though.
0 arms drill of No Arm drill . Posted a link to @SolarEnergy doing it somewhere on here, just you tube NAD , 0 arms or no arm drill should come up. My progression is 0 to full so 100 0arms, into 100 left only, 100 right only into 100 full stroke
1 Like
GTN has just uploaded this video about stroke rate. No specific data is mentioned so it’s be useless Freestyle Swimming Stroke Rate: What is Most Effective? - YouTube
I looked at an old video of mine, and my cpm came out at 52 cpm and 2 m/cycle. That’s from over 30 years ago, so difference might be due to age, fitness, size.
Thanks @jeffb and @Hammerer - went to the pool tonight with my new floatie. Did about 500m worth of kicking drills - front, back and side. Front and side were really tough going and can feel it in my legs. It’s going to take a lot of work but each length got a tiny fraction better, and when I finished with a slow 200m full stroke I definitely felt more conscious of what me feet/toes were doing and made a couple of corrections.
Really appreciate the advice. Another year and I’ll be getting somewhere I’m sure!
4 Likes
Good luck, can’t remember if you said you use fins or not but they also help you to kick better but can provide so much propulsion you feel like you aren’t moving afterwards!
1 Like
As I mentioned it before, in Leeds council pools we can’t use hard paddles. Does anyone know if the Speedo fastskin or biofuse paddles have a soft silicone edge? If so I will ask if they will let me use them as I find the ‘paddle’ gloves not as good as proper paddles.
This is well worth a listen this week. The guests really know their stuff 
5 Likes
One of the guests is my coach. 
.
Got me from a non swimmer to a sub 6 400m so definitely knows his stuff.
yes he was good to talk to, generally we all had very similar views (as you’d expect from decent swim coaches) just subtle differences here and there in how to achieve it. I think Simon wanted a bit more controversy but sadly we all agreed on most things (except watches )
2 Likes
Nice swim yesterday. One of the intervals was 400m fast: clearly I went off too fast as I did 200m in 3mins, which is a first for me, the second 200m took 3:45. However, I think I can see a path to a sub 6m 400m
Been practicing a high elbow out of the water, it definately makes my “slow” swimming quicker, but not piecing it all together when I try to swim faster
2 Likes
Good work on the improvement, but yikes if those splits are right - - > 
Enjoyed the listen thanks What’s everyone’s problem with catch-up? I like the idea you all suggested about swimming but thinking about a specific skill. I’ve tried this with your advice about speeding up stroke rate.
I kick on my back most of the time because I don’t take any toys to the pool and I can breath as much as I want!
Also, did you all say that huge hand paddles can cause form issues? They’re not allowed in public sessions round here, but I use them when I do swimrun, they slow my stroke rate down more than normal.
CU drill has some uses but typically it promotes a glide at the front end, glides are bad outside of breaststroke, it can lead to dropped elbows so actually affects the catch and EVF. It can aso affect timing. Obviously some people need to lengthen their strokes so it has limited use.
For most triathletes they can add an injury risk that is just not required, In swimming sprinters may use them but even then its limited and normal smallish ones work just as well. I use paddles to help proprioception and to focus on what the hands/arm are doing underwater. I mentioned the one arm one fin drill and this is excellent if you want to focus on one side. I also sometimes in a session would put in some alactic work, so 5 strokes max pace into easy 50, and then add some easy 100’s with paddles to add a slight strength benefit difference, but also to then after swimming hard, focus on the stroke. so maybe 4 * 50 sprint max effort to 10m, then 100 pull / paddles , go though that a few times or maybe an anaerobic type set, good one I use is 4*50 sprint (100 pace) to 10/15/20/25 then easy 200 pull / paddles
1 Like
Just back from a swim and buzzing. Can’t believe the difference a few weeks regular swimming with the club has made.
I started at 2.10 in Feb and had one pace. This was my fastest ever set of 100s. 1.48 ish pace until a breaststroker got in my lane, started without letting me know and nearly went head first into me.
11 Likes