I think it’s fine for the SPL data (it’s always going to be x2 or x2+/-1 depending on which arm the watch is on and which arm you take your first stroke with.
I’m less confident on SPM numbers. My gut instinct is that it’s not stripping out push off time from the calculation. Therefore, each push off is dampening your SPM number due to the numerous push offs per 100. For example, in a 20m pool where the dead time of push offs will be significant, the Garmin reports me at 27spm. In a 100yd lido it reports me as 34spm. I wasn’t swimming deliberately differently in either of those sessions.
The best way would be a tempo trainer, where once you’ve finished your push off, you just resume a stroke rate “in time with the beat”
Yes I was wondering how so low, bit thats some nice thinking from Stenard, and your maths confirms it. Thats SPM for total time including pushoffs, not your actual stroke rate. Your stroke rate will be higher, guess more in line with normal 60-70.
I had a go at this for this first time today and did 61s for a 50 kick (SC). What on earth are you guys doing? I’m nowhere near in your league for normal FC so this is quite interesting.
I think 60s for 50 is still nothing to write home about though.
Good thread this, given me some mojo to resume swimming!
gulp…in fairness, i’ve only just started putting kick drills into my plan, and in just a few weeks, i’ve knocked chunks off my time… mind you, needed to looking at some of the times above!
That does make logical sense but its typically just arm turnover. On my finis stopwatches I have s counter that you run for 3 strokes and it tells you the rate. I use it quite a bit
That does make logical sense but its typically just arm turnover. On my finis stopwatches I have a counter that you run for 3 strokes and it tells you the rate. I use it quite a bit
Yes but your SPM will completely change with length of pool, and then especially open water. Doesn’t matter much if you continue using your own metric so long as push offs stay similar, but given its likely you’re over 60spm then you can’t compare to others and might be chasing the wrong thing.
Just having a scan through my data from yesterday. Is SPM similar to SWOLF?
Within a 400m, I swam 75m in 56 min, and 10 strokes per length, so doubling it I’m around 60 SPM? My average SWOLF for the 400 was 30. I think I have a cruising stoke as I used to race long distances. I know if I swim 100m my stroke rate increases compared to 1500m. However I’m wondering if I have any dead time though for the longer events
Garmin swolf is different as it uses two arm pull per stroke and 1 length only. I wouldnt rely on it but you can use it and if it’s going down then that’s good. Traditionally its 50m and each arm pull is a stroke. Count strokes and use the pace clock.
Tried Jorgans suggestion to Poet last week of a mile pyramid last night with 200 m warm up and warm down either side.
Christ it was hard work, by the end of the 400 and the second 300 I was seriously blowing hard. Really good session for me. Slept like a baby last night
)
