You expend more energy moving through water than you do on dry land, so minimizing drag plays a major role in going faster and farther. Swimming faster actually creates more resistance than going slowly, and balancing a need for speed with efficiency has provided a fertile field of study for coaches and researchers alike.
Aquatic Environment
Almost 800 times denser than air, water provides steady and even resistance to every move you make. You create turbulence when moving in water, which interferes with your forward motion -- and in pools waves bounce off walls or lane-mates and further add resistance. Water is also "sticky," being about 50 times more viscous than air, meaning you experience drag when water has difficulty getting around your body as you move through it. Your swimsuit also adds to friction and drag, but one of the most important factors in drag is the movement of your own body and its position in the water.
Going Faster
You might think that moving your arms and legs faster and harder is the way to get from one end of the pool to the other quicker, but your own efforts could slow you down and tire you out. Thrashing your arms and legs in the water causes more turbulence and throws your body out of alignment. You fight to overcome the drag you create and become exhausted in the process. Speed does not automatically align itself with frenetic movements in swimming -- learning to relax and elongate your stroke makes you a more efficient swimmer.
Distance Per Stroke
Slipping through the water rather than trying to shove it aside helps you overcome drag force in swimming. Focus on extending your stroke, also known as your distance per stroke when you swim. You achieve an extended glide if you extend your stroke arm straight out in front of you, which keeps your speed up longer as you wait for your recovery arm to start its return above the water. Keep your kick steady and your leg relaxed, generating power from the hip and flexing your ankle to maximize the water displaced with every movement you make.
Body Position
A high and neutral body position is the most efficient one in swimming. To prevent your hips from sinking in the water as you swim, you must keep your head low in the water, horizontally aligned with your spine. You slip through the water easier performing most of your stroke on your side during freestyle and backstroke, as otherwise you meet the water straight on and create more resistance, turbulence and drag. Glide on your side as you stroke and then rotate to the other side, taking a breath as your cheek and mouth emerge over the surface of the water.
References
- USA Swimming: Understanding and Overcoming Resistance
- "Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster and Easier"; Terry Laughlin; 2004
- Journal of Sports Science and Medicine; Hydrodynamic Glide Efficiency in Swimming; R. Naemi, et al.; July 2010
- Reefquest Centre for Shark Research; Hydrodynamics: Fluid Motion; R. Martin
Member Comments