Would you like to learn how to swim faster freestyle and get from one end of the pool to the other in the quickest time possible? Do you feel sluggish and slow as your body moves through the water at the moment? Then you just need to read this article and use some of the advice to improve your approach to the method. Don’t worry if you’re not exactly a swimming expert because the guidance below is straightforward and to the point. With any luck, you will see the results as soon as you next dive into the water. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even beat some of your friends the next time you race?
Use Specialist Training Aids
Many different training aids could help you to swim faster. Firstly, buoys could take all the hard work out of staying afloat. That should mean you’re free to focus on your upper body technique as you move through the water. Paddles will also benefit you when it comes to improving upper-body strength, and that’s a vital element to success with fast swimming. You might even think about investing in a snorkel, so you don’t have to stress too much about your breathing. All of those ideas will make your life easier and ensure nothing stands in the way of smooth movement through the water.
For working on your lower body strength and technique, we suggest teaming a kickboard with some training fins for the ultimate lower body session, the kickboard will allow you to forget about your arms while the fins will give you more resistance and improve your technique.
Other training tools include resistance training aids, such as drag chutes and resistance cords, all of which are designed to hold you back, forcing you to work harder and in turn increasing your power. We would not suggest using these kinds of resistance aids until you are a confident swimmer as the effects can be very tiring and you wouldn't want to give up in the middle of the pool.
Swim Smarter!
Improving your position in the water will decrease the amount of drag your body creates. Ensuring you’re always flat should mean you don’t have to exert as much energy to reach average speeds. It should also result in improved speeds when you make an effort. You’ll have to think about increasing your propulsion in the pool too. You can do that by keeping your legs close together as you kick, and making sure your arms and legs move in sync with each other. Swimming smarter isn't just about your position, recording your times can be a great way to track progress, a swimming watch can do this and more for you. Using a tempo trainer will really help you time your strokes for the most efficient swimming possible.
Maintain A Neutral Head Position
If you want to make your strokes as efficient as possible; relaxing your head and neck to ensure they remain in a neutral position will reduce drag and help you to move through the water quickly. Ideally, you should always face downwards and just move your head to the side with each stroke so you can breathe. If you are having difficulties keeping your head in the correct position, a posture trainer like the one from FINIS is a great little tool that will help you maintain the correct head position. With the freestyle technique, you’ll want to keep your body horizontal and avoid lifting your head out of the water to look forwards. Obviously, you’ll have to use some common sense if you’re in the pool with other people and there is a chance of collision.
People who learn from this advice should manage to increase their speed and improve their approach to freestyle swimming. So, be sure to test out those new ideas the next time you visit the pool. If you still struggle, there are plenty of videos on our YouTube that offer a visual representation of the tips from this article. Check them out! Some people find it easier to grasp new concepts when they have a visual stimulus. Good luck!
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