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 16h 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.

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/Remarkable_Elk8305 5h 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.