Simple Swim Stroke Modifications That Increase Speed

For me swimming is usually a slow and easy thing.
I love the feeling of pulling myself through the water and getting a great work out.
Now, if the leisurely pace is not for you and you want to go faster than slow pokes like me, let me share some simple swim stroke modifications that will help you increase your speed.
 

Learn to breathE

So, the first thing to learn when
trying to increase speed is make sure that you are counting your strokes. That way, you can time your breathing with the motion of the stroke.
If you don’t time your breaths then you can drop your body out of good position and increase your drag.
Increasing drag will slow you way down so anything you can do to avoid it is going to help you.
 

Extend and follow through

A bad habit that I see in a lot of swimmers is the tendency to not fully extend their arms.
No matter the stroke, you really should do the stroke fully to get the most power.
Also, as a power bonus, make sure that you are following through with your strokes.
Don’t let your arms off the hook when they hit the water. Pull all the way through and give your self that extra push.
 

 Watch the hands

The last stroke modification I will share with you is to make sure that your hands are in the best position to push as much of the water as you can.
Think of your hands like built in paddles.
If the angle to the water is wrong, you could paddle all day and never really get anywhere.
By just changing how your hands push the water, you will greatly increase your speed.
 

One last thought

So, here is one more bonus. If you want to increase speed, then you need to step-up the pace.
The easiest way to do that is to use music.
The beats of the music will help keep a good pace for the race.
I recommend buying a waterproof iPod shuffle from Underwater Audio.
They are the best out there and that little player can go anywhere you want. If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the space below. Swim fast!