Quick Dip: Why Does My Technique Change When I Get Tired?

A short read for the car journey

Category: Technique  | Read time: Under 2 minutes

Your first few lengths may feel smooth. Later in the set, your arms feel heavier, your breathing becomes harder and the same pace takes more effort.

As your muscles tire, it becomes harder to keep producing the same force and coordinating your movements. Your strokes may shorten or your kick may become less steady.

One change can affect another part of your stroke.

In front crawl, lifting your head to breathe can let your hips and legs drop. This creates more resistance, making it harder to move forwards. Pulling harder may not solve the problem if your body position is causing it.

You might feel that swimming has become harder without realising your head position has changed. Your coach can see this from poolside and explain what to practise.

For this example, the focus might be turning your head with your body to breathe, keeping one goggle in the water, rather than lifting your face forwards.

Use a familiar skill when the swimming gets tough.

If you have been working on that breathing movement, try to keep it going towards the end of the set. Use the rest between swims to remember the same focus for your next effort.

You do not need to work out every technical fault yourself. Tell your coach what you feel, such as “The last length feels much harder.” They can watch whether your movement changes as you tire.

If something hurts or you feel unwell, stop swimming and tell your coach straight away.

Ask your coach: Can you watch my last length and tell me what I could do better?

Created by Basingstoke Bluefins Coaching Team