Ok, so spent the day at home isolated because my daughter returned from Melbourne with a bit of a cold that I thought I might be coming down with. Turned out I didn't get it so decided to write a blog post instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media. I've been playing with this theory in the water, let me know what you think...

The Secret to Swimming Speed: The Missing Piece to The Swim Speed Equation

When it comes to swimming, we often hear and read about the importance of technique, endurance, and strength; and the old familiar equation:

Velocity (or Speed) = DPS+SR

Where:

DPS (Distance per Stroke): This is how far you travel with each stroke.
SR (Stroke Rate): This is how many strokes you take per minute.

But there's a third crucial factor that often gets overlooked: Propulsion Efficiency (PE).

The Complete Equation

Here’s the complete equation that I think truly encapsulates swimming speed:

Velocity (or Speed) = DPS×SR×PE

Where:

DPS (Distance per Stroke): This is how far you travel with each stroke.
SR (Stroke Rate): This is how many strokes you take per minute.
PE (Propulsion Efficiency): This is how effectively you CONVERT your strokes into FORWARD MOTION, including using the weight and rhythm of your head and arms, shoulders and hips to harness FREE energy.

(Interdependence - Each factor—DPS, SR, and PE—depends on the others. Multiplying these factors reflects how they combine to create the overall effect.)

The Role of Each Component

Distance per Stroke (DPS)

Think of DPS as your stride length in swimming. The farther you travel with each stroke, the fewer strokes you need to cover a distance. Improving DPS involves working on your technique to make each stroke count. DPS is dependant also on how each individual is built ie arm length, height etc

Stroke Rate (SR)

SR is about how often you take strokes. Increasing your stroke rate means you’re taking more strokes per minute, which can boost your speed…if you're using correct technique.

Propulsion Efficiency (PE)

PE is often an OVERLOOKED component of the speed equation. It puts the OOMPF into your swimming and is about how well you convert your strokes into moving forward.

High propulsion efficiency (PE) means less wasted energy and MORE speed. Like DPS it involves perfecting your technique to minimize drag and maximize the power of each stroke.

PE is the SECRET SAUCE and harnesses the free energy generated by the weight and momentum of your head & arms, shoulders and hips and combining them with a sustainable RHYTHM.

Many swimmers and coaches focus on smooth long strokes and a strong six-beat kick, believing this is the hallmark of an efficient stroke. However, world champions like Katie Ledecky and Janet Evans demonstrate that what might appear as an inefficient stroke can actually be incredibly effective and efficient, thanks to their high propulsion efficiency harnessing "free energy" from their momentum and rhythm.

If their shorter DPS and higher SR with no kick were inefficient their records wouldn’t’ve held for so long?!

Propulsion Efficiency in Action

Katie Ledecky and Janet Evans are prime examples of how PE plays a crucial role in swimming speed.

Despite what might look like an inefficient stroke—Heads lifting, ducking and weaving, undulating freestyle, swinging arms and unique style— these gals harness "free energy" from their momentum and rhythm with every stroke. This coupling effect (Gary Hall from The Race Clubs’s term) creates additional propulsion, showcasing that PE is a game-changer in swimming performance.

Conclusion

Understanding this simple yet profound equation can transform how you approach your swim training and make targeted improvements to boost your swimming speed.

WARNING: When you get it, you will start lunging

Happy swimming!

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