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Golf and Fishing what have they in common?
Golf and fishing could not be more different but they both have something in common and that being is, how they give enjoyment and pleasure to all who participate in the sport. For most people they are hobbies and for others it is how they make...
Golf Workouts Can Transform Your Game
I’m sure by now you’ve heard most of the professional players; both men and women actively participate in golf workouts. It’s no secret. But why then do most amateur golfers ignore this? Is it because it seems like work? Or, does the thought of...
Improve Strength For Golf To Reach Your True Potential
Strength for golf is a term you've all heard by now. It's all over the television during professional tournaments, and golf instructors are now throwing the term around.
What makes strength for golf so important and why should you listen?
Let me...
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4INFO Launches Event-triggered Text Alerts Mobile users can set
up access to news as it happens - for sports scores and
financial markets
PALO ALTO, Calif. - December 15, 2005 - 4INFO, Inc., the leading
mobile search service, announced today...
The Best Way to Eliminate Lower Back Injuries in Golf
One out of every two golfers will incur a lower back injury
during their playing careers, are you one of them?
Almost every golfer on the planet has at some time or another
felt their lower back "tighten" up on the course, after a round,
or...
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Why Count Strokes When Swimming Freestyle?
You may have had coaches that make you count strokes throughout the workout, either by mixing it into drill sets, the main set, or at the end of workout. Some coaches recommend making a habit of always keeping track of your stroke count. As a coach of distance swimmers and triathletes, I believe stroke counting is a necessary part of most swimming workouts.
If you stick with it and do it on a consistent basis, stroke counting in swimming is an excellent way to increase your DPS (Distance Per Stroke). The world’s best swimmers are faster than you because they travel further with each stroke, not because they are moving their arms faster. Keeping track of the number of strokes you take per length will allow you to begin to lengthen out your stroke, as well as add more speed and distance while keeping your heart rate down and allowing you to save your energy for later in the swim or race.
The goal should be to bring down your average stroke count per length. Great swimmers like Alexander Popov or Ian Thorpe may be able to scoot through the water at record speed while taking 30 strokes per length (50 meters), but this low stroke count does not have to be your golden number for improving your stroke. First, determine what your range is. Try to swim most of the time at the low end of your range or below your lowest stroke count. Don’t worry about speed at first- you can influence this later, perhaps as you begin to learn what your “ideal” stroke count
is. Here is an example of a set that can help lengthen your stroke, as well as build endurance:
50+100+150+200+200+150+100+50
-Take 10-30 seconds between swims
-Count your strokes each length on the way up.
-Try to maintain or lower your stroke count on the way down while keeping the same pace.
Another fun set that you can play with is free golf. For example:
6x50’s Free on 1:05. For each 50, count your strokes AND check your time. Add these 2 numbers together to get your golf score. Try to lower this score through the set. The tricky part is, trying to add speed without adding strokes, or subtracting strokes without sacrificing speed.
Consistently incorporating stroke counting into your workouts will, over time, help you to swim longer (or “taller”) in the water, and use less energy to go the same speed or even faster. And for those that don’t consider swimming to be their strength in a triathlon, this saved energy is sure to translate into a better bike and run!
About the Author
Kevin coaches masters and triathlete swimmers in San Diego, CA. He operates the website www.TriSwimCoach.com, a resource for future or current triathletes needing help with the swim. The site features a free email newsletter offering tips and articles on triathlon swimming. Kevin has also written an electronic book titled “The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming” which is sold on his website www.triswimcoach.com in downloadable form.
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