Found out my swim pace was way off after 6 months of training

I've been doing the Couch to Iron War thing for about 8 months now, and last week I finally got a proper swim lesson at the local YMCA. The instructor had me do a 100-meter time trial, and I was shocked. My average pace was 2:45 per 100 meters, but based on my Garmin watch I thought I was around 2:15. Turns out my stroke was so inefficient I was basically fighting the water the whole time (all that splashing and no forward motion). She filmed me on her phone and I could see my hips were sinking like a rock. I spent the next two sessions just doing drills with a pull buoy and kickboard, and my pace dropped to 2:20 within a week. Has anyone else had a reality check like this when they finally got some real feedback on their form?

2 comments

2 Comments

alice_wilson731h ago

Oh man, that is brutal but also super relatable. I had basically the same thing happen with my running form last year. Thought I was cruising along at a solid pace, then a coach watched me for five minutes and pointed out I was overstriding like crazy. It's humbling when you realize you've been working hard but working wrong the whole time. The good news is that you found out now instead of after another six months of bad habits. Those drills with the pull buoy are magic for fixing the sinking hips thing. My buddy is a swim coach and he says most adults have that problem because they panic slightly and lift their heads too much. It stings to see the real numbers, but honestly that video was a gift even if it hurt. At least now you can actually get faster instead of just getting more tired. Keep at it with the drills, the improvement should keep coming pretty quick once you know what to fix.

mila_reed39m ago

Man, that video reality check hits hard.