You would think that there are few external factors that influence your speed in the water. At least, certainly not as bad as walking or cycling. However, there are a few things that can affect your swimming times. That may explain why it is sometimes much easier and faster in one pool than in another. It could of course be between your ears, but there are certainly a few other things that can play a role in that. Then we are talking about the depth of the pool, the edges, lines, water temperature and quality with lifeguard training near me.
Depth of the pool
According to Sara McLarty – former swimmer and triathlete – the depth of a pool determines swimming times. “Shallow pools are slow because the water recoils quickly from the bottom, but deep pools—like a plunge pool—often feel slow because you can’t see the bottom and therefore have no reference point,” McLarty said in an interview with Triathlete . So it doesn’t mean that a deeper bath is always better. There is a limit. The perfect depth of a swimming pool would be about three meters.
Drainage and lines
The design of the gutters of a swimming pool also has a major impact on how fast a swimming pool is. In a swimming pool in which excess water flows directly into a well, you are less bothered by waves. Certainly the best Olympic pools have sophisticated systems for this, which makes waves disappear as much as possible.
This also applies to the lines in a bath. For example, there are special lines that ‘absorb’ waves so that you can enjoy calmer water. Simple lines that mainly serve to cordon off a lane do not do this. The width of the lanes – and thus the distance between two lines – is also important. For example, wide lanes create better conditions than narrower ones with lifeguard training near me.
Water temperature and quality
It always sounds tempting to finish your workout in a special warmer pool used for swimming lessons or gymnastics. That heat may be nice at first, but after a few laps you get tired of it. Swimming in warm water is not pleasant, but the same goes for cold water. The ideal water temperature for a quick swim would be between 25.5 and 26.5 degrees Celsius.
The chemicals in a swimming pool can also sometimes work against you if you want to swim quickly. “Pools can feel slow if they’re not clear or if the chemicals aren’t quite right,” McLarty told Triathlete. “I get a lot of complaints from my athletes when the chemicals aren’t quite right because they’re focused on complaining about a ‘cotton mouth’ feel.” If the proportions are not quite right, athletes may have even more difficulty breathing. All but ideal if you want to swim a few quick hundred meters with lifeguard training near me.
Improving Front Crawl Technique – How do I improve all these points?
You may recognize yourself in one of the above points. Don’t worry, I recognized myself in all these points ;). And although I’ve already improved many, some will always remain a focus.
There are technique exercises for all individual points. And a lot of questions also just discipline. Thinking about every stroke. And you step by step. So don’t try to improve 10 points of attention at the same time. But focus on only 1 point for improvement in the coming month. Continue working from there.
Another tip, have yourself filmed regularly. Only in this way can you really properly assess your own swimming stroke and work on your points for improvement with lifeguard training near me.
