Measuring Success

By Coach Doug Garcia

Whether you’re a competitive Master swimmer or not, all swimmers have opportunities to measure their success. The most common of these measurements is the clock—swim the 50 Freestyle in :25. However there are a number other ways you can measure success.

Pool Markings

MVAC, like most pools, has flags, lane lines and bottom markings to help navigate. These devices can also aid in measuring your success. Watch the elite swimmers carefully and you will see picture-perfect turns and breakouts on every single turn. These athletes breakout way beyond the flags before they take their first breath or stroke. They push the limits of the 15-meter mark on the underwater portion of backstroke, and in the other strokes. When you go to the pool for workouts, focus on getting beyond the flags before you take your first breath. Effective breakouts lead to swimming efficiency.

Also monitor your streamline position. With age comes a certain amount of inflexibility. The streamline position is a difficult stretch to maintain by even the most flexible of people. By working on a consistently good streamline position on every turn, you start to become more flexible in your shoulders. Remember the streamline position: hand over hand, wrist over wrist, thumb wrapped around the pinky, with the head and spine in alignment. Anything wider than this position compromises your swimming effectiveness.

Stroke Count

Whether a sprinter or a distance swimmer, stroke count is always a good measure of how well you’re swimming. For the sprinter, knowing how many strokes it takes to complete an event can help you focus on efficiency during workouts. Distance swimmers can use stroke count in the same way. Though not necessary or advisable to do a stroke count every length of the pool, an occasional sample gives you a basis on which to judge technique. Use stroke count and the flags to help you measure your success—when does that first stroke occur, before or after the flags?

Breathing Patterns

Another way to measure effectiveness is to examine breathing patterns. Breathing too frequently can slow you down and not breathing enough could mean stalling and gasping when you do breathe. For anyone to obtain a high fitness level, a variety of breathing patterns and speeds is critical. If you desire to race short events, plan your breathing. More than two breaths per 25 on a 50-yard freestyle race is generally not necessary. However, this must be practiced. If you never do two breaths per 25 in workouts, you cannot expect to do so in a race situation. If you’re a distance swimmer, work on a consistent breathing pattern while maintaining a consistent pace with the clock.

Implement these concepts into your workout routine and your swimming successes and technique will improve—even if you choose not to compete.