Have you hit a pace plateau?
Is getting faster just not happening? Or you’ve gotten a tiny bit faster by using a ton more energy?
Discovery Aquatics age group triathletes can help you out. Here they demonstrate 3 focal points, related to the underwater phase of freestyle (aka catch and pull, power phase, stroke phase…) that has them blazing through the pace plateau.
These are stills taken within the first 4 hours of instruction at the Discovery Aquatics studio. The 3 focal points translated to a pace improvement of 30sec/100yd for one swimmer, and a pace improvement of 5sec/100yd with an increase in distance per stroke of 15% for the other. Happy swimmers! Happy Coach!
First take a look at your body shape. The goal here is to create a stable, hydrodynamic platform. Start from the core- roll the armpit over and forward, keeping the arm weightless but long, hands relaxed and fingertips hanging down. When the core is guiding this shape, the lead arm feels like it is draped forward over a large exercise ball.
It is important to note that during this time, the recovery arm (the arm in the air – in the picture above it’s the right arm) is moving out and forward. No patchy pauses please!
Then find a better direction to take the water backwards. Straight backwards. Take that imaginary exercise ball and using your palm and your lats, gently indent the ball an inch. Your palm should now be facing back, and your elbow high as a side effect. The indent should happen slowly, no need to rush here.
Anything other than straight back will have a consequence – in the picture above on the left, a downward direction is pulling the body out of the hydrodynamic shape.
It is important to note that during this time the recovery arm (the arm in the air – in the picture above it’s the left arm) is just sliding through the entry. No premature pulling please!
Now you can work on the precise pressure needed to move the body forward and the lead arm backwards. Match the pressure to the momentum moving forward, keep it headed backwards and keep it even. No purposeless power please!
This is challenging and requires control through the core, the ability to predict and feel the speed of the body moving forward and the ability to match the backwards applied pressure to this.
It is important to note that during this time the recovery arm (the arm that was in the air – in the picture above it’s the left arm) is sliding forward ready to begin again at #1. Improve Shape.
Coach Dinah
Swimming, Total Immersion | Dinah | 
November 22, 2014 7:38 am
By JP Riou, November 22, 2014 @ 9:08 am
One on one instruction with Dinah is a must for any level triathlete. Unlike group clinics, the individual analysis of swim technique, with systematic hands on coaching of proper hydrodynamics at each phase of the stroke cycle will result in improved form, less energy expenditure and increased pace. A series of sessions with Dinah should be an integral part of any triathletes training schedule, as early as possible in the process. There is no benefit in investing long hours in swim training unless basic proper form is ingrained in the routine. After a couple of months with Dinah in the pool and open water my pace improved by 30 sec/ 100 yards but more importantly my perceived exertion and energy reserves at the end of Ironman distance swims (and even ultra distance- 6 miles) was significantly improved .