This is a topic I’ve discussed in the past, but it’s worth bringing up again. I’ve been seeing a number of social media posts lately around triathletes and swimming. Energy systems are of course important, but without addressing mechanics and efficiency the best workouts will fall short of their intended goals.

So let’s revisit stroke rate and distance per stroke. Far too often, I've watched coaches and athletes ignore stroke rate, distance per stroke, pace, and the overall impact of not taking all these factors into consideration.

First, let's define distance per stroke, and stroke rate as simply as possible:

Distance Per Stroke (DPS): How far you travel with each stroke cycle. Usually measured in meters or yards per stroke.
Stroke Rate (SR): How fast you turn your arms over. Usually measured as strokes per minute (SPM) or seconds per stroke.

SR and DPS exist in tension. An increase SR usually equates to DPS dropping (shorter, less effective strokes). And an increase DPS usually equates to SR dropping (longer strokes take more time).

Faster swimming is not about maximizing one variable, but optimizing the product of both. These two factors, combined with proper mechanics and an efficient pull, help determine your pace in the water.

Let’s sum up how to look at distance per stroke and stroke rate in an easy to understand relationship. The data below is courtesy of Jonty Skinner. Don’t know who he is? Look him up. He’s been around.

In regards to DPS: A 1 inch improvement in DPS and you can expect almost the same relative impact. That is to say, potentially, up to a .4 second gain per 50 meters or up to 1.5 seconds over 200 meters depending on the number of strokes taken and assuming the SR stays consistent.
In regards to SR: A .03 second increase per stroke cycle over 50 meters and you can potentially see up to a .4 second improvement. Over 200 meters this could yield up to 1.5 seconds. Depending on the number of strokes taken and assuming the DPS does not decrease.

Those underlined and italicized statements…..those are critical. You can’t work on an improvement in one area without holding the other constant.

Other factors to keep in mind: A really fast SR (where the swimmer is just thrashing their way though the water) almost always yields a minimal DPS and a slow swim. And a really slow SR, almost always, yields a slow swim. It’s a very interesting relationship.

Bottom line: SR must stay consistent while DPS improves. And likewise, DPS cannot decrease while SR increases. You can’t sacrifice one for the other. This is the challenge. And this is why simply focusing only on lowering the number of strokes per length (for instance) by itself isn’t a solid measurement of improvement.

If you can reduce the number of strokes that you take over one length of the pool while maintaining the same pace, then you can be quite confident that improvements in your swim mechanics and efficiency have been made. However, if you reduce the number of strokes taken, even one or two strokes, and your pace slows then it’s time to revisit stroke mechanics and focus on drills and improving efficiency.

Your key takeaway? Speed in swimming is not about choosing stroke rate or distance per stroke. It’s about finding the highest sustainable stroke rate that preserves effective distance per stroke for the task at hand.

It's a combination of DPS, SR, cardio load, form, and mechanics. It's up to you, and your coach, to take all factors into consideration. Identifying limiters, provide the tools for remediation, and increasing performance takes time and focus and a full understanding of the swim stroke.