Nowhere to hide

A few weeks ago, our triathlon club had the tremendous opportunity to take a Swim Power Test from Dr. Genadijus Sokolovas of Global Sport Technology. Dr Sokolovas is the Sport Science Director of USA Swimming Inc. as well as coach to some of the best of the best. (Heard of a guy called Michael Phelps? Yah. That guy!)

The premise is strikingly simple. A cord tied to a belt attached to a swimmer’s waist is metered out measuring velocity/force (our’s was just velocity) coordinated with an underwater camera. Not only do you get to see your underwater stroke but a graph below shows where and when your velocity changes. You can swim but you cannot hide!

Swim Power Test with Velocity/Force graphs

Of course, the money was having the good Doc review the footage with each of us. Gotta love his Eastern European attitude as he started the reviews. “I’m not going to tell you what you are doing right. I only care about what you are doing wrong. It is this that is going to make you a better swimmer.”

He started with footage from his coaching videos of Michael Phelps showing us what HE does wrong. “You see, everyone needs to improve. No one swims perfect.” Good to know! It was an eye opening and humbling experience. But oh so worth the price of admission!

I learned that I enter my hands too close to my head and they make a sort of dishy-pointy movement forward, essentially applying the brakes. Further, as my arms are too wide, I lose speed until my hands are almost back by my waist, so I’m missing over half my potential power. Also, I’m not accelerating on the latter half of the catch so my right and left hands are in the water at the same time. Again, losing momentum and power. And finally, my kick isn’t powered by my core/hips rather from my knees – which I already knew – but it was good to have it cemented one more time.

Two take aways for anyone interested in improving their swim stroke:

1. Get used to swimming without your arms. Dr. S said he wished he could teach everyone to swim with their arms tied to their sides. “Fish don’t have arms. And they swim very well.” (understatement of the year!) Try it. It is HARD! But it’ll teach you to rotate from the core and not rely on your hands/arms for balance.
2. Do vertical kick drills whereby you keep your arms crossed and kick enough to keep your head above water. Graduate to hands above your head and finally holding weights. Phelps apparently can hold 10kg while doing this. Again. Teaches you to kick from your core/hips rather than from the knee.

If you ever get a chance to take this test, swallow your pride and do it!