Speed
Vs
Effort
By Wayne Goldsmith
Swimming
is a
simple
sport.
Jump in at one end and get to the other end before anyone else.
In the most basic analysis, It's a game of speed. Speed is the most crucial element in the sport. It's fundamental. The swimmer who swims fastest, wins the race.
But is it really that simple? We know from biomechanical analysis of champions at major swimming competitions that the fastest swimmer doesn't always win. Sometimes the fastest swimmer (ie the person with the highest swimming speed) loses the race because of inferior skills, turns, starts and finishes. We know sometimes the fastest swimmer doesn't win because they weren't mentally focussed in on the task.
In the end however, skills, fitness, mental attitude, flexibility and all the other elements of the sport come down to one question ...how fast can you swim?
What is swimming speed? Technically it is the velocity that your body moves through the water.
If you ask a little kid to swim as fast as they can, they throw their arms and legs as fast as possible with lots of effort, but without much speed. They grit their teeth, tighten their arms, hold their breath and generally fight the water. They make lots of splash, but not much dash!
There is a difference between effort and speed.
Great
swimmers
often
report
that
when
they
experience
REAL
SPEED,
it
seems
to
come
with
little
EFFORT.
The great South African breaststroke swimmer Penny Heyns recently broke the world records for 100 and 200 metres. She commented:
"When I touched the wall I thought, maybe a 2:30, and this felt too easy for that," Heyns said. "I really don't know what happened."
Australia's own Grant Hackett, interviewed after his amazing world record effort over 200 metres freestyle, said:
"I certainly hadn't prepared to break the world record - I was having pillow fights with Ky Hurst and the rest of the team before the race"
And it goes on...
"The
swim
itself
just
happened,
just
like
Gennadi
(coach)
said
it
would,
without
really
forcing
it".
were Michael Klim's comments after his world record 100 butterfly swim.
When it all comes together, and swimmers feel real speed, it seems to come with little effort.
On other occasions, swimmers have reported feeling heavy, slow and sluggish, busting their guts and giving 100% effort, but have swum slow times.
What is the difference between EFFORT and SPEED?
Speed and relaxation appear to be somehow linked. It seems weird, but in many sports where excellence is measured in terms of how fast an athlete can move, the champions consistently say that their best performances have come when they were at their most relaxed.
When at his peak, multiple Olympic Gold Medallist sprinter Carl Lewis was an unbeatable athlete who understood speed as much as anyone. When asked about Lewis' success, his coach remarked, "the faster you want to go, the more relaxed you have to be".
The question then is can you learn to relax when trying to go fast?
Long,
easy,
even
paced,
even
tempo
swimming
helps
develop
a
sense
of rhythm.
Being
in a
swim
rhythm
is a
comfortable
feeling
that
helps
develop
relaxation.
When
arm
stroke,
kick
and
breathing
are
in a
co-ordinated
rhythm,
real
relaxation
in
the
water
is
possible.
From
there,
it is
possible
over
time
to
learn
to
stay
relaxed
at
faster
speeds.
Learning
to
relax
at
slow
speeds
first
is
the
crucial
step.
Swim
techniques
and
drills
have
been
developed
to
decrease
the
resistance
your
body
experiences
when
swimming.
Developing
technical
excellence
means
you
move
through
the
water
with
less
effort.
Work
on
M.D.S.
or
D.P.S.
(Maximum
Distance
per
Stroke
or
Distance
per
Stroke)
skills
as a
priority.
The
best
swimmers
in
the
world
are
able
to
maintain
long
strokes
at
top
speed,
when
tired
and
under
pressure.
It
all
starts
with
learning
to
swim
with
less
strokes
in
training.
In
warm
up,
try
counting
strokes
on
the
first
lap.
Then
aim
to
take
one
stroke
less
on
the
next
lap
and
so
on.
Try
the
MINI-MAX
workout
(MINIMUM
STROKES,
MAXIMUM
SPEED)
used
to
great
effect
by
Bill
Sweetenham.
Count
your
strokes
on
your
first
50
metres.
Accurately
note
your
time.
Next,
add
the
number
of
strokes
to
your
time.
For
example,
if
you
take
50
strokes
and
swim
45
seconds
for
the
lap,
your
lap
score
is
95.
Aim
to
swim
a lap
score
of 94
on
the
second
lap,
which
means
you
need
to
either
swim
a
little
faster,
or
stroke
a
little
longer.
Continue
the
process
6
times.
Fewer
strokes
is
good.
Faster
speed
is
great.
Fewer
strokes
and
faster
speed
is
best.
Work
on
keeping
strokes
long
and
strong
at
training.
In
every
effort
ask
yourself
"Could
I do
this
with
fewer
strokes?"
When
doing
skills
work
like
drills
aim
for
technical
perfection,
then
technical
perfection
with
the
minimum
number
of
strokes
and
finally
technical
perfection
with
a
minimum
number
of
strokes
at
maximum
speed..
Develop
real
speed
by
thinking
about
swimming
FAST
rather
than
trying
too
hard
and
increasing
effort
during
your
speed.
Train
fast
to
Race
fast..
Every
turn
in
training
is a
race
turn,
every
dive
is a
race
dive.
Every
finish
should
be
completed
on
the
wall
with
power
and
controlled
aggression.
Train
as
you
would
like
to
race.
Drills
should
be
completed
with
precision
and
with
100%
concentration.
Think
technique
first
at
all
times.
Challenge
yourself
to
swim
fast
when
tired.
In
training
challenge
yourself
to
jump
up at
the
end
of
the
session
and
swim
fast.
When
racing,
challenge
yourself
to
swim
fast
when
tired,
to
swim
fast
heats
in
the
morning
then
faster
finals
at
night,
to
swim
as
fast
on
the
last
day
of
the
meet
as
you
did
on
the
first
day
etc.
Learn to enjoy pressure situations. Being nervous is a sign that something great is about to happen. Your body is getting ready to do something brilliant. Learn to enjoy the pressure of competition.
Part of the process of understanding the difference between effort and speed comes during TAPER - that period of time when you are freshening up and resting in preparation for a competition. Swimmers will often say that during a taper they feel "light", that training efforts "felt easy" that they feel like they are swimming "on top of the water".
This
feeling,
where
speed
comes
with
little
effort,
is an
indication
that
you
are
ready
to
race
and
that
your
taper
has
worked
well.
It
also
comes
from
listening
to
your
coach
and
working
with
him
or
her
in
your
fast
work.
If
your
coach
uses
the
expression
"Maximum
Effort"your
swimming
response
should
be "I
will
do
this
at
maximum
speed,
while
staying
relaxed
and
loose,
with
minimum
strokes,
great
skills
and
technical
excellence"
If
it's
speed
you
need,
You
need
speed
indeed,
And
you
need
some
dash,
Without
splash
or
trash,
Just
keep
your
cool,
In
the
swimming
pool,
Stay
relaxed
and
loose,
And
you'll
make
the
news.