Time and time again you will read or hear that you need to have perfect swim technique. If you really think about it, how is a perfect stroke even possible? We all come in different shapes, we have different physical limitations and we are all at a different point in our swimming careers. How many times have you watched youtube videos of olympians, professional athletes and triathletes swimming and then tried to recreate what they are doing with your own stroke? That is clearly an impossible task, hence the saying “Different Strokes For Different Folks!”

You may think all these elite swimmers have perfect strokes that are the same but the reality is that even their strokes are all different. Instead of focusing on the perfect stroke, focus on the swim mechanics that all of those elite athletes have in common. We will cover some of the common elements of an efficient and powerful swim stroke so you can start developing the perfect stroke for YOU!

Elements Of An Efficient Stroke

Body Position High In The Water

One major similarity among proficient swimmers is that they have solid body position. Their bodies sit high in the water. With this body position you will see the head and neck either relaxed or slightly tilted forward. The upper back and butt will be elevated just above the surface and the lower back will be right along the surface or just below it. There is no right way to get this position, so your stroke may look different but this is a clear commonality in fast swimmer. Your goal should be getting your body as high in the water as you can.

Finger Tip Entry

The next similarity that you will see in the majority of these elite swimmers is that they have a finger tip first entry. The recovery portion of the stroke may differ for a variety of reasons from physical limitation to the water conditions but the entry is usually the same. Generally the finger tips enter the water first with the palms facing down. This means that the finger tips will hit the water first followed by the wrist then the elbow last. Just remember thumbs down means bad so if your thumb enters the water first, you have some work to do! The elbow will be higher than the wrist throughout the entry. This entry sets the arm up for the third common element seen in most elite swimmers, the high elbow pull. While you are trying to improve your stroke, don’t worry as much about the recovery and really try to focus on how your hands enter the water.

High Elbow Pull

The third commonality is the high elbow pull. The high elbow pull activates your lats and allows you to have a powerful pull in which the load is on your lat and not your shoulder joint. The lat is a much more powerful muscle compared to the shoulder muscles so this the ideal muscle to drive you through the water. This style helps prevent shoulder injuries and allows for a powerful efficient pull. It sounds easy to do but in reality it takes a lot of hard work and focus. As you learn the motion and improve your feel for the water, you will develop a powerful efficient pull that works for you but might not look like anyone else’s.

Swim strokes are like snow flakes! No two look the same but they are similar enough that you know they are snow flakes! Next time you watch someone with the “perfect” stroke, look for these 3 features and start thinking about how you can make those work in your stroke. In the end it may not look the same but if you are moving fast and are injury free then it is the perfect stroke for YOU!

Successful swims are built with Endurance!