How to increase my stroke rate

[okoban]

I wish I could. My times are OK for Perth, but unfortunately I will not. I am working in a new venture which I can not leave for a week.I wil keep training for local meets and OW events.
Here is my 100 free race.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd39vaCLIoE

[haffathot]

Congratulations, Oguz! Your freestyle has really come a long way! 1:03 is a very respectable time! Great job taking the gold in the 50 Fly!

When you say high elbow through the pull phase, what exactly do you mean, though? Is your hand pushing under you or to the side of you?

--Sean

[okoban]

My hand pulls under my body, but not passing to the other side (each hand stays at their side)

[haffathot]

Oh, alright! You had me worried for a moment, there.

With regard to pull technique, I think we mainly discussed completing your pulls; in other words, the follow-through.

However, how you pull underwater is also very important. There are currently two main styles of freestyle pull: the S-Pull and the I-Pull.

The S-Pull is when you start your pull from about the 1 'o' clock position (assuming the right arm) and continue your pull toward the outermost point of your streamline at about the 2:30 clock position, your hand then sweeps inside toward your belly-button, but before you reach your belly-button, you then sweep your hands out to the finish point of your arm stroke (thumb next to the thigh). It is called the S-Pull because the shape of the pull path when using your left arm makes a letter 'S.' (a backwards letter 'S" for the right arm.)

The I-Pull is when your arm pulls underneath you in a straight line before finishing in a sweep to the thigh. The flat of your thumb nail should approximately pass under the center of your forehead, between your eyes, in line with your nose, between your two front teeth, past your chin, between your pectorals, to your belly-button, and then sweep out to the thigh. If the flat of your thumb nail were a razor, it would split your body in halves. However, the flat of the thumb nail should be about a hand's length away from your body at all times until finishing to the side of your thigh.

In any case, both pulls benefit from you using your hand and forearm as a single unit, an oar of sorts. Your hand cannot pull as much as your hand and forearm in unison, so try to keep your wrist from breaking form. Fingers should be together. Yes, you can get more pull from having your fingers spaced slightly apart from each other, but maintaining that form requires a great deal more self-discipline than just keeping your fingers together. Master pulling with your fingers together before attempting a slight spacing between fingers for a web-effect.

As far as which pull is better, they both have their benefits and drawbacks. It is my understanding that the S-Pull is much better at conserving your energy while providing the power you need to move forward. The I-Pull is more wasteful of energy, but it provides more power than the S-Pull and gets you to recovery position much faster. My recommendation is the I-Pull for most events. If it works for Ian Thorpe, it works for me. The only time I would consider recommending the S-Pull would be in long events where exhaustion is a major factor, events like the 500 and above. If you just don't have the power to perform the I-Pull with consistent power throughout the long events, then an S-Pull might be right for you in those events.

Learn both, but I would stress perfecting the I-Pull if I were you.

--Sean

[okoban]

Coach, thanks a lot for this comprehensive explanations. I will translate it into Turkish and post in my blog page. http://blog.milliyet.com.tr/Blogger.aspx?UyeNo=737850

I am trying to do 'I pull' as much as I can. This increased my stroke count by nearly 1 stroke per 25meters but I am faster now. My plan is to work heavily on my flexibility and stroke technique at the beginning of next season.
When I train hard with hand paddles, I have no pain on my shoulders which indicates that my stroke technique is far better than it was 2 years ago.
I will focus on the points you mentioned in my warm-ups and cool downs. I think I focused too much on freestyle. My new favorite event is 200 IM. I am doing 20-25% of my workouts as nf. I enjoy a lot.
Thank you

[haffathot]

Well, that your number of strokes per length increased is to be expected. Your hands are traveling in a straight line underwater, so of course it is faster than the underwater path that waves in and out.

I.M.s? Very nice! I am a big fan of butterfly and breaststroke (the cyclic strokes). They've always just struck me as much more exciting than the perpetual motion strokes (freestyle and back).

--Sean

[okoban]

Dear Sean, I have translated your recommendations about freestyle stroke technique into Turkish in my Blog page
http://blog.milliyet.com.tr/Blog.aspx?BlogNo=106902
an in my Internet site.
www.yuzuyoruz.com
From now on, you are a famous coach in Turkey too !!!
Thanks a lot

[haffathot]

Oguz,

You are a funny guy.

Thanks.

--Sean

[okoban]

I'd like to make a summary here. One and a half year ago I've started this thread with this (bold):

I am a 38 year old man swimming 3-4 times a week. I will attend a contest in early June this year. It is 200 meters free in a 50 meter pool. Last year I swam this race in 3 minutes and 3 seconds. This year my goal to be around 2 minutes and 45 seconds. I take 30 strokes and 40 seconds for 50 meters (in a 25meter pool) and I take 35 strokes and 40 seconds in a 50 meter pool (these are my sprint scores). I think my main problem is my stroke rate which is very slow. How can I increase it? Whenever I try to increase my stroke rate, my strokes becomes shorter and I lift my head up. My normal workout is 400-500 meters warm-up, 1600-1800 main set and 400-500 meters cool-down. My questions are:
1. Is there a ready to use workout program that you can recommend me?
2. How can I increase my stroke rate without deteriorating my style?
Thanks a lot in advance

Now I am nearly 40 and I can swim 50 meters free within 28.8 seconds, 100 free in 1:05, 200 free in 2:34. I can even swim 100 meters butterfly (1:14), 200 IM (2:50).
How did I achieve this?
1. I've joined this wonderful forum, had a lot of valuable advice
2. I had a great coach (Haffathot) giving me technical details, training programs and anything I asked for
3. Increased my weekly yardage to approx. 14K on average
4. Worked on each 4 swimming styles
5. Had 10 technical correction sessions from a great Turkish coach
6. Read and applied most of Ande's 'swim faster faster tips'
7. Changed my pool to a superior one
8. Enjoyed all my workouts

I think I can further improve. Thanks to everyone for generous advices.

[geochuck]

I have heard all the Turkish Swimmers are heading to Worcester, MA to be coached by Sean. Is that a rumour or is it true.

Be sure that there are some belly dancers included in the group.

[okoban]

George, first of all, you know belly dancers rotate their hips too, but a bit different than swimmers.
Secondly, we would love to have some swimming lessons from Sean. Maybe someday, he might come here for a visit.
I will attend an OW swim event 7.1kilometers. From a small Greek island Meis to Turkish land (Kas, Antalya). Approx. 100 swimmers will attend the meet. I have 7 days to go. What shall I do for the remaining time?

[haffathot]

Secondly, we would love to have some swimming lessons from Sean. Maybe someday, he might come here for a visit.
I will attend an OW swim event 7.1kilometers. From a small Greek island Meis to Turkish land (Kas, Antalya). Approx. 100 swimmers will attend the meet. I have 7 days to go. What shall I do for the remaining time?

7 days left? Well, you can still fit a few workouts in at least until the end of the week. Around the fifth day, you should take an easy practice day. The day before (the sixth day), no practice, and eat some pasta that night. Eating well throughout the week will also help significantly. Make sure you get to the race well rested. Else, with just one week to go, there really isn't too much you can do.

--Sean

[geochuck]

Good luck in your swim.

Good advice from Sean.

We have to roll those shoulders but true not like a belly dancer rolls the hips although pretty close to that. I miss watching the belly dancers, the Turks influenced the world with great belly dancers. There would never have been belly dancers in Egypt if it had not been for the Turks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFY-HDXZM4E

[okoban]

In that 7.1K swimming marathon, I did 2 hours and 6 minutes and 1st rank in my age group. Water temperature was exactly the ideal pool temparature but there was waves coming from the left side (around 2 feet high). It was not easy to breath from the left side but I did my best to keep up bilateral breathing. Other difficulty was, there were no signs on the way and we all needed to find our ways by looking at the mountains behind the sea side. It was tough but I am happy that I attended it. Tomorrow there will be famous Bosphorus marathon which I will attend and it will be my last race this season. I have dozens of things to do in my new job that I will not be able to continue training regularly. But it was a very good season anyway. http://www.turkishnoc.org/tr/Faaliye...08/Bgz2008.htm

[haffathot]

Congratulations on a very good season, Oguz! Good luck at the new job!

--Sean

[remas2010.2010]

Thanks a lot, I became 2nd in the race in 36-40 years category. The race was 6.5 kilometers and there were some strong positive (from start to finish) currents and my time was 59 minutes something.