Developing Swimming Speed

Last Updated on March 16, 2024 by admin

**Developing swimming speed is a key component to becoming a successful competitive swimmer**

In this article, we will provide advice, drills, hacks and tips on developing swimming speed.

The importance of developing swimming speed

Swimming speed is one of the three key components to becoming a successful competitive swimmer, along with stroke technique and endurance.

Speed: without sufficient speed, the swimmer’s chances of finishing ahead of other swimmers can be drastically reduced.

Stroke technique: without an effective stroke technique the swimmer will increase drag* and reduce their propulsion** whilst swimming.

*Drag: The resistance caused by the swimmer’s head, body or limbs, as they move through the water

**Propulsion: The force that moves swimmers through the water.

Endurance: without sufficient endurance, the swimmer’s technique and speed are unlikely to be maintained and they are both likely to deteriorate rapidly.

Balancing the key swimming components

Not only do all competitive strokes require great technique, but each event also requires the correct balance of the remaining key components of speed and endurance.

For example, a 50m sprinter will be required to focus on speed over endurance. Whereas a 1500m swimmer will be required to focus on endurance over speed.

Methods of developing swimming speed

Key to developing swimming speed is to maintain and focus on a great stroke technique — **The key to developing swimming speed is to maintain and focus on a great stroke technique**

Listed below are some recommended methods of effectively developing a swimmer’s speed

Technique focus

The key to developing swimming speed is to maintain and focus on a great stroke technique.

Learn to relax

Many swimmers when swimming at speed tend to tense their muscles, causing their stroke to shorten and lose their optimum technique.

For swimmers to swim fast they should practice swimming fast with great technique while remaining relaxed.

Maintain speed throughout the swim

Swimmers should learn to maintain their swimming speed throughout their swim.

Remember, start-fast, swim-fast, turn-fast, finish-fast.

Train faster to race faster

Swimmers should regularly train at the speeds that they wish to race.

Speed development sets should be a regular part of any swimming training programme.

Quality over quantity

When conducting speed development training sessions, it’s important to focus on the quality of the set, rather than its volume.

Increasing the volume of speed development sets risks reducing its speed quality.
It could also result in the swimmer failing to achieve their optimum training speed.

Improve leg kick speed

**Improving a swimmer’s leg kick speed can naturally increase their arm stroke speed**

Kicking is an important and sometimes undervalued key swimming skill, and as such should be constantly and consistently practised.

The leg kick provides propulsion to the stroke.
As the leg muscles are amongst the largest in the body, having a trained, effective leg kick minimises energy and oxygen consumption, whilst maximising propulsion.
Improving a swimmer’s leg kick speed can naturally increase their arm stroke speed.
The swimmer should ensure when freestyle and backstroke kicking the swimmer kicks from the hips and reduces the amount of knee bend, to ensure they engage their large buttock and thigh muscles.

Sufficient recovery

Speed training requires short bursts of speed at or near the swimmer’s maximum.

This usually requires long rest intervals during and between sprint sets/reps, to allow the swimmer time to recover.
For tougher more intense sets swimmers may require 1-part work to 2-part rest: for example, 15 seconds of sprint work and 30 seconds rest/recovery, or even longer.

Visualising swimming fast

Many of the world’s top swimmers regularly use visualisation techniques to help them get mentally prepared to swim fast.

They mentally rehearse themselves swimming fast while using words associated with swimming speed like drive, explosive, fast and powerful.

Dryland Swimming Training

Many competitive swimmers regularly undertake dryland/land training.

This is to help gain additional benefits beyond those that can be achieved by training in the water alone.
These include increased power, strength, endurance, speed, and coordination.
Dryland/land training can also help increase a swimmer’s range of movement and make them more flexible.
It can help correct muscle imbalance caused by poor stroke technique or overuse.
The combination of increased flexibility and balanced muscle groups can lower the risk of injury.

Swimming speed development drills

Listed below are three of our favourite drills for developing swimming speed.

Sprinting with fins

Purpose: This drill helps to increase the swimmer’s stroke rate.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill, at one end of the pool, in a streamlined prone position (on their front) whilst wearing fins.

The swimmer should proceed to sprint over a given distance.
They should focus on performing a strong and quick leg kick.
This should be initiated from the thighs, hamstrings and buttocks, using the largest muscles in the body to drive leg propulsion.
Their feet should be in a pointed (plantar flexion) position.
The tempo generated by wearing fins should naturally increase the swimmer’s stroke rate.
Sprinting with fins can be practiced during an intense drill, that should be performed over short distances of no more than 25m, ideally 10m to 15m.

Swim builds

Purpose: This drill is an excellent introduction to swimming freestyle at varying speeds.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a streamlined push and glide from the end of the pool.

They should proceed by performing a steady full-stroke freestyle.
The swimmer should start swimming at approximately 50% of their maximum swimming speed and they should gradually increase the speed of their swim over one length.
The swimmer should be swimming at approximately 75% of their maximum swimming speed at halfway.
Without deterioration of technique, the swimmer should be close to reaching their maximum swimming speed as they approach the finish of the length/lap.
The swimmer should ensure that they gradually increase both their arm and leg speed to increase the speed of their swim.
Increasing their leg speed should naturally increase their arm speed.
Younger and inexperienced swimmers may find it useful to use fins when first learning this drill.

Stroke count – min-max drill

Purpose: The objective of the min-max drill is to swim a given distance with the minimum amount of arm strokes with the maximum amount of speed.

How to perform this drill: For example, over 4 x 50m: A swimmer completes the first repetition in a time of 30 seconds with a stroke count of 36.

By adding the number of seconds, it took to complete the set, to the number of strokes it took to complete the set, this gives the swimmer a total ‘stroke efficiency score’ of 66.
The swimmer’s objective for the next repetition is to reduce their stroke efficiency score by either swimming faster, taking fewer strokes or a combination of both. (see table above)
When they have finished this drill, it’s important to ensure that they allow the swimmers swimming behind them enough room to allow them to complete the drill.

Medical advice

Before starting any exercise programme, we advise that you consult with your healthcare professional if you’re concerned about an existing or potential medical condition.