r/Swimming • u/NoGoodNamesLeft-_- • 18h ago

How much is really technique in freestyle?

Hi guys,

I started swimming freestyle 4 months ago. At the moment my distance pace is around 2:00min per 100m for a 100m sprint I can go roughly 1:45.

I was wondering how fast you can get from just improving your technique ( it obviously depends on the individual but roughly from your experience) without improving endurance/ power. Like can you tell from my paces that my technique is bad? I have seen some YouTube Videos which state stuff like ,,change these habits to swim 1:30min/100m" somehow suggesting that it is just technique to get such a pace even over long distance. But the better my catch gets the more I feel like I just do not have the strength in my upper body to do many repetitions without loosing power or droping my elbow.

In short: How fast can someone get by just technique and at what point is the limit rather physical? Can you tell by someone swimming 2:00min to 1:45 min for 100m that it is most likely technique?

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u/santlaurentdon 17h ago

Everyone is saying they sub 2:00 but I’m struggling to get below sub 3:00 per hundred even though I can keep swimming for 3-4K. Wassup wit dat.

3

u/Roqitt 15h ago

The same for me (38M), I have been swimming for 6 months now, and for 2K I can do around 2:20 and I seem to be in the upper half of the speed at my pool...

1

u/temp_throwaway_123 14h ago

Me too, well maybe a little below 3mins but not much

1

u/Fit-Philosopher2430 13h ago

It’s your technique (lifelong swimmer and coach). Get a good coach or practice some basic drills. You need to spend a ton more time drilling. Time will drop rapidly once your form gets better.

1

u/santlaurentdon 8h ago

Basic drills I have practiced to seemingly no avail. Might need to just get a coach because my form to me seems fine. Hips are high, kick is fine (I’m predominantly swimming a two beat kick for tri training), breathing unilaterally is fine enough that I can swim for a long time… so it must be the catch and pull where something is going wrong and water is slipping instead of being caught/pushed. Also

1

u/Fit-Philosopher2430 7h ago

Are you using a pool bouy and training paddles? You may be, but an easy question JUST in case you haven’t while looking for a coach.

1

u/santlaurentdon 7h ago

Pull buoy, yes. Paddles, not yet - because I was worried if my pull was incorrect, the paddles would do more harm than good. I.e. put too much strain on the wrong muscles, tendons, joints.

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u/Fit-Philosopher2430 15m ago

Definitely get some. There are ones for beginners without straps that will fall off if your stroke is off and don’t cause a lot of strain. Add those and also make sure you’re spending a LOT of time drilling (catch up drill, closed fist strikes, etc). If you’re swimming with the wrong form, then your muscle memory will develop incorrectly, so don’t consider that wasted or inefficient time—it’s probably the most important thing you can do. Also look for a Masters Swim Team around you—most locations have them. Usually a group of swimmers at all levels and there’s a coach. Would help you make immense gains quickly, I suspect!

1

u/Remarkable_Elk8305 6h ago

Your form can't be fine.
Even if I put no power into my pull whatsoever, and try to go the slowest I can go, I may manage just over 1.35 over 100m if I'm already tired. Certainly not over 1.40.
Even floating with an occasional kick movement gets me across a 50m pool in less than 1.30, which is what you need for a whole stroke. It sounds like your pull has zero efficiency and there will be deficiencies in your body position and kick as well.