When swimming, we have six gears or velocities into which we can shift, depending on the objectives of each set: warm-up, basic endurance or over distance training, anaerobic threshold and overload endurance, VO2 max, lactate anaerobic tolerance and sprint or power training. You could add warm down as a gear, but for practical purposes it is not considered due to the lack of concentration on skill performing needed to recover from a very hard swim.
Each speed has a cadence or rhythm. In other words, a turnover rate at which you stroke. These gears allow you to shift from Warm Up to Over Distance or Aerobic Training to Anaerobic Threshold to VO2max,to Lactate Anaerobic Resistance, Tolerance and Power and to Sprinting.
Warm up is your BBDPS (Best Balance and Distance Per Stroke) or the best technique you can swim with for the fewest strokes you can do in one length or the longest you can glide to take the least strokes possible in one length, perfectly balanced. Sprinting, at the other end of the spectrum, is the fastest rhythm at which you can turn your arms. It is your "worst" DPS. You only last 10" to 15" seconds, 20" at the most at this top end gear before lactate levels (acidosis) are such that you need to slow down.
Understand, reader, you must count that first lap and, as accurately as you can, swim "xerox copies" the rest of the way. Be careful when you increase strokes. Make sure it is because you are going faster, not because you are loosing length and depth in your technique or "swimming longer in the same place." You only need more strokes per length in descending sets or negative split swims.
I propose swimming warm-up so perfect or carefully, much like martial artists preparing for the "big fight, that is, "tai-chi swimming". The warm-up speed at which you perform is the best you can swim. After all, if you cannot do it perfectly when you are going slowly, you certainly cannot be perfect when you are breathing deep and fast, hurting inside. When warming up, during distance training and part of threshold training, swim with hummm breathing or gradual nose blowing to keep your stroke rhythm. That is aaaaaa-111111, aaaaaa-222222, aaaaaa-333333, etc. free- and back- one-arm stroke is driving during the letter count. The other arm is driving during the number count. Thus, both arms swimming one cycle make one stroke. Notice in Chart I, the fly and breast are different. Count the letter during the breath and the number during the extension in the front end. Both arms complete a stroke when they reach the front end each time. To race, you will probably do it in the higher gears. Then, you will be more inclined to do burst breathing, releasing your air explosively through nose and mouth.
Most swimmers ten and older, if they pay attention (if they count), will develop a lot of "feel for the water" when learning to swim the 25 yd. pool in 5 strokes or less, in any stroke. Their improvement on streamlining off the walls is truly amazing. In the 50-meter pool, learning to swim with 10 strokes or less produces the same effect. Long course = (short course) x 2 + 2 +/-
The object of counting strokes is to limit the number of strokes over your best (OB), (BBDPS)." Recommended number of strokes to swim in the gear that you want to train at and be able to last the whole set as fast as you can, but easy enough so you last, ALL OUT!!
GEAR/SPEED
FEELING/ HEART RATE
RANGE OF STROKES OVER BEST
WARM-UP
Your ultimate BBDPS. The slowest/best you can swim. You can sing when stopping. HR<100
"PASSION FOR PERFECTION". The besttechnique you've learnes to pay attention to.
OVERDISTANCE
Can converse when stopping. HR 100-120/130
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 strokes OB
ANAEROBIC THRESHOLD
More intense breathing, 3 to 5 deep breaths, can speak when restarting. HR 130-160+/-
3 to 4 strokes OB
VO2 max
During the first 2 or 3 breaths, it seems like you cannot breath as deep as you need it. Muscles tingle a bit. HR 160-180 +/-
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 OB ( caution, elite swimmers may be at VO2 on 4 1/2 - 5 and lactate at 5 1/2 )
LACTATE ANAEROBIC TOLERANCE, RESISTANCE, or POWER (LAT, LAR, LAP)
Breathing burns like when you race, muscles get tight. HR 180 & up.
6 to 7 OB ( caution, some elite swimmers may not be able to turn over as high )
SPRINTING
Great feeling of power, fast breathing at end HR not important,
Neuromuscular exercises, turn over as fast as you can, little attention to technique
The number of strokes we take in a length is what tires us, depending on how fast we turn them over. We know that at warm-up speeds, we rest while we swim. When our arms turn faster, we swim faster up to a point of diminishing return when too many strokes wear us out too quickly to last whole set going all out. If a set is too easy after you complete it, then next time add a half stroke to the parameters of intensity until you reach the desired intensity. Likewise, if the swimmer cannot last the set at the desired speed, next time drop a half stroke or more to be in correct gear to last the duration and intensity of the set without dying. The recommended allowance best over long course swimming is double plus 2, for obvious reasons including the lack of jump from the wall.
