I have a pretty efficient stroke, i have great stamina, but when it comes to sprints, i am always the slowest in my club?? I don’t get what I’m doing wrong, because I’ve been told i have great technique. But is there something i need to do different when sprinting than normal stroke??? I’ve always felt like drills have never heped because ik I’m not gonna swim like that when i sprint - which is what I’m tryna improve on.
What am i actually meant to change when switching from leisurely swimming into a sprint???
Watching the slow-motion 1500- and 50-meter freestyle events from the recent Olympics is highly recommended. There are several YouTube videos that discuss it. A 50 free sprinter’s characteristic is their straight arms windmilling through the water as their legs pump frantically.
No elbow-led recovery, no early vertical form. Not a breath.
Afterwards, you may need to over your shoulders and elbows.
I think you mean that you can swim longer lengths at a reasonable speed when you state that you are efficient.
It’s different with sprint because in a 50-meter freestyle, your primary goal is to reach the finish line as quickly as possible.
It goes something like this: you can swim efficiently and outpace someone who would be swimming inefficiently across long distances thanks to your efficient strokes, which are the energy you use to propel yourself forward. The 50-meter runner may not be efficient at all, yet he or she may still be quick because of strength, a strong start, excellent underwater performance, etc.
Technique becomes crucial at some point, but if all other factors in your body are equal—such as the strength and number of fast-twitch muscles—then strength and speed will win out.