Is Over Gliding in Your Triathlon Swim Slowing You Down?
Intro
Recently I watched a video from the brilliant Paul Newsome of the newly revamped Swim Smooth on the pitfalls of common swim anacronyms, one of which being SWOLF, that really resonated with me. In his video, Paul describes how the focus on SWOLF (or Swim Golf) has led to many swimmers focusing on reducing stroke rate and increasing glide time to the detriment of their swim. The problem with over-gliding is that it can reduce your speed and efficiency in the water, resulting in slower lap times and greater fatigue. In this blog post, we’ll explore how over-gliding in swimming could be slowing you down and impacting your overall triathlon performance. Ive also linked to Paul’s video at the end of this post, if you have the time I’d recommend a watch…
So what is SWOLF and why does it lead to over gliding?
There are several misconceptions about gliding that can hinder your performance in the swim leg of a triathlon. One common misconception is that longer glides mean faster swimming. Some athletes believe that by maximizing their time spent gliding, they can cover more distance with each stroke and conserve energy. This is the basis of SWOLF, or Swim Golf, which is a metric that looks at how many strokes a swimmer takes to complete each length. The theory is that, by focusing on reducing the number of strokes per length, the swimmer increases efficiency and is therefore able to swim at the same speed for less effort, or at a faster speed for the same effort.
A recent trend has developed in triathlon swimming in particular, to focus on increasing glide and many triathletes incorporate drills like catch up as part of their regular drill set. For swimmers that focus on metrics like SWOLF, or who over prescribe drills to increase the glide, this can lead to the glide phasing increasing to a point where it becomes detrimental to their triathlon swim.
Like most things in Triathlon (and life) it’s all about finding a balance. Whilst for some swimmers and triathletes focusing on increasing the glide phase will improve efficiency, this is only true up to a point. Continuing to focus on increasing the glide phase past this point can lead to slower times, increased fatigue, and lots of frustration.
So why is over gliding so bad?
The science behind gliding in swimming is all about understanding the forces that are at play in the water. When you're gliding, you're essentially coasting through the water with minimal movement. This might seem like a good strategy to conserve energy, but it can actually hinder your speed and efficiency.
To understand why, we can look at a basic view of the physics of swimming. When you swim, there are two main forces at play: propulsion and drag. Propulsion is the force that propels you forward, while drag is the force that resists your movement through the water. When you over-glide, you're sacrificing propulsion for the sake of reducing drag.
But here's the catch: the overall drag force actually increases the longer you glide. This is because as you slow down, the water has more time to create resistance against your body. Additionally, when you over-glide, your body position in the water tends to becomes less streamlined, increasing drag even further. This is particularly true for those with sinky legs who find as the speed decreases, it becomes harder and harder to maintain the legs in a good position.
This will often lead to swimmers working on a stronger kick to a) keep momentum through the dead spot created by over-gliding and b) to keep the legs higher in the water. This increased leg kick not only raises the heart rate quickly, it also leads to increased fatigue and, importantly for triathletes, tires the legs prior to the bike and run legs.
How to Avoid Over-Gliding and Swim Faster
Now that we understand the science behind gliding and the problems with over-gliding, let's discuss how you can avoid over-gliding and swim faster. The key to swimming faster is finding the right balance between glide and propulsion. It's about maintaining a steady rhythm and stroke technique that allows for continuous forward movement. Find the right balance between glide and propulsion, and you'll be on your way to improving your swim speed. The following tips should help you find this balance:
1) Aim for a smooth and continuous stroke, avoiding any pauses or hesitations during the movement. Remember, the key is to keep the forward momentum going. Focus on maintaining a steady rhythm, stroke technique, and body position in the water
2) Get a coach to watch or video you and get some proper feedback. The difference between a good glide and over-gliding can be subtle, but can lead to significant differences in swim pace and efficiency.
3) Avoid focusing on drills that extend the guide, like catch up, without first checking in with a coach or experienced swimmer that it’s the right thing for you.
4) Lastly, remember to breathe efficiently. Over-gliding can often lead to holding your breath or taking inefficient breaths. Focus on exhaling smoothly and steadily underwater, and inhale quickly and deeply when you turn your head to breathe. This will ensure you're getting enough oxygen without sacrificing your stroke rhythm.
By implementing these tips, hopefully you'll be able to avoid over-gliding and swim faster. Good luck and happy swimming!
Paul’s video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19ANlVogg_Y
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