Swimming is a multifaceted sport that demands more than sheer physical stamina—it hinges on mastering technique, a pursuit that can feel elusive even to veteran athletes. Last year, I attended the Endurance Exchange Conference, where elite pro athlete and coach Tommy Zaferes led a captivating poolside session. His expertise, distilled into three core pillars—timing, balance, and the pivotal “catch” or distance per stroke (DPS)—offers practical, thought-provoking strategies to revolutionize how swimmers tackle this demanding discipline.
Before diving into these concepts, establish a foundation: comfort in the water and baseline swim fitness. Swimming taxes both body and brain, requiring neurological coordination and physical resilience. A 2015 study from the Journal of Sports Sciences found that novice swimmers who built aerobic capacity with consistent, low-intensity swimming for 6-8 weeks saw a 20-25% improvement before adding drills (Maglischo, Swimming Fastest). Similarly, research on motor skill acquisition (Journal of Motor Behavior, Schmidt & Lee, 2011) suggests that mastering a new movement—like a swim stroke—takes 300-500 repetitions for neural adaptation. Zaferes echoes this: swim first to build fitness, then layer in drills once you’re fit enough to execute them properly.
1. Timing: Synchronizing Stroke and Kick
Timing is the heartbeat of swimming—a rhythmic dance that fuses grace, efficiency, and power. Zaferes calls it the bedrock of balance, especially for swimmers struggling to glide smoothly. His standout tip? The 2-beat kick: as your hand reaches your hip, your foot on the same side kicks down. This syncs your stroke and kick into a streamlined cadence, ideal for beginners laying a foundation. A reduced kick rate also lowers metabolic cost, since the legs—your body’s largest muscles—work less, conserving energy for endurance.
Try the single-arm drill to focus on timing and core engagement. Extend one arm forward, stroke with the other, and focus on syncing your kick with each pull. Experts note that precise timing cuts drag by up to 10%, a widely accepted principle in swim coaching that amplifies efficiency with every stroke.
2. Balance: The Art of Rotation
Balance isn’t just staying afloat—it’s rotating cleanly around your central axis, like a rotisserie, not snaking side to side. Zaferes ties this to a precise hand entry: a catch too deep disrupts alignment, bleeding energy. The fingertip drag drill—skimming your fingers along the surface during recovery—reinforces a high elbow and sleek form, correcting over-rotation or sinking hips.
Even for one-side breathers, Zaferes insists on bilateral balance. Rotating equally to both sides fosters symmetry and curbs strain, a concept backed by coaching methodologies linking balanced rotation to fewer shoulder injuries. When you nail that poised rotation, positive reinforcement—whether from a coach or yourself—locks in the feeling. This triggers a neurochemical cascade: dopamine sharpens your drive, serotonin boosts confidence, oxytocin deepens trust in guidance, and endorphins add a splash of joy. It’s a biological nudge toward mastery.
3. Catch (DPS): Adapting Technique for Pool and Triathlon
The “catch”—when your hand and forearm grip the water—marries power and efficiency, and Zaferes highlights its nuances across contexts. In the pool, a neutral head position (eyes down) optimizes streamline, maximizing DPS. However, Triathletes, navigating open water, lift their heads to sight every few strokes, risking disruption to the catch. Zaferes suggests snorkel training to lock in a low head position, paired with periodic sighting practice (without a snorkel) to adapt neck, back, timing, and form—bonus: it preps you for the bike’s TT position.
Technique differs further as pool swimmers reach and extend forward to glide, while triathletes shorten the front of their stroke and power the back end to punch through choppy waves and current. To illustrate this further, imagine doing a chin up or pushing yourself up on the edge of a countertop. It is far easier to "push" our body weight than it is to pull it. While the part of the stroke under water is commonly termed the "pull phase" it would be better renamed as the "push phase" as this will help you apply power with the right timing as mentioned above and reduce fatigue to improve your endurance.
Zaferes’ gold standard? Consistent stroke count (DPS) while also increasing cadence with appropriate. Pros achieve this by reaching deeper for “thicker” water—where pressure increases resistance to push against. He also champions versatile strokes: a sprint stroke for race starts, a gallop stroke for mid-race surges (powerful, less efficient), and a two-beat cruise for endurance. The golf drill—adding strokes per length of pool to your time, aiming for a lower total—hones this balance of efficiency and speed.
Final Thoughts: A Pragmatic Training Approach
Zaferes’ philosophy is grounded and deliberate: build swim fitness before drills, set clear workout goals, and master one skill at a time—two is too many. Tools like pull buoys, paddles, or dryland exercises (think band work) mimic swim mechanics, but drills aren’t the endgame. The real power lies in understand the “why” behind each move. This awareness trumps rote repetition, ensuring efficiency in swimming, not just drills. Recovery matters greatly and flip turns? Optional unless you’re chasing master-class precision—open turns work fine, even forcing you to reclaim speed each lap.
These tips aren’t a universal fix but a set of topics to work on when appropriate for you. Want help deciding where to start to refine your own technique? Reach out for a personalized swim analysis—I’d love to help you conquer the water!