How to swim faster – where should your focus be?
Crowded pools and big squads are common in South Africa and across the world at all levels of swimming participation. Because of this, very little time is generally spent perfecting starting, turning and finishing techniques and very little concentration is given by swimmers when performing these skills. This is a serious oversight and negatively affects race times at all ages and levels.
Technical skills you should be paying attention to.
When race times are broken down into technical skills (starts, turns, and finishes) and free swimming, it becomes evident how important these technical skills are. Free swimming accounts for only 60 to 80% of long course race times and only 20 to 60% of short course race times depending on the race distance swum.
Race Time = [Start + Turn/s + Finish] + Free swimming
So, you want to swim faster? Focus on the skills, not just the swimming! Every skill executed in training counts. Every start. Every turn. Every finish. Every day!
The difference between average swimmers and the elite.
Good execution of technical skills is usually the difference between average swimmers and the elite. Race analysis has revealed that the average swimmer has an elusive 2-5 seconds hiding in the technical skills. Could this be the difference you need to join the elite?
There are no excuses if you want to be fast!