**Distance Per Cycle: The 4th Pillar of Teaching Better Swimming**

The key to long-term improvement as a swimmer is this:  Increase distance per cycle while maintaining the same tempo and breakout distance.  This week we look at ways to increase distance per cycle in all four strokes, and give some sets to help you develop this all-important skill.  Come join us!

**Monday**

**Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia:  Head**

In butterfly, one of the best ways to increase distance per cycle is to minimize up-and-down movement.  Olympian Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia maintains a stable head/neck alignment and lands the hands forward and high, with head and eyes below the arms.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2324-butterfly-head>

It’s all about efficiency

0808 Press but shallow press

0878 Direct an early connection

1096 flow and direction

2853 low and forward breathing 

2932 soft hand entry

3665 hands no wider than elbows

3751 hand exit sweeping out

3829 hand entering directly in front of shoulders

5213 stressed to body position

5292 the natural reaction to distressed body position

5549 stressed body position

5627 the resulting action

11475 this is as deep as it gets

**Tuesday**

**Ash Delaney: Backstroke**

Aussie Olympian Ash Delaney shows us two key ways to increase distance per cycle in backstroke:  1) Let the legs and feet follow the rotation of the hips, and 2) Don’t break the wrist during the pull.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1715-backstroke-ash-delaney>

0522 the line

0576 the power

0612 the finish

0678 the catch

0699 the power

0740 the finish

0788 Constant kick

5590 not just the arm but the entire body

10601 distance per cycle is impacted by body line

**Wednesday**

**Felipe Lima: Breaststroke Head**

When trying to increase distance per cycle in breaststroke, it’s all about improving your LINE.  Brazilian Olympian Felipe Lima shows what a great breaststroke LINE can look like.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2617-breaststroke-head>

0641 escaping surface tension

0669 following the natural flow of the body

0715 drawing the hips

0762 proper timing

0842 finish the stroke

20120 efficiency in the line

20909 Head stays down and in line during the out sweep

20919 hands in head up to air hips forward

21202 arms extended head down prior to kick

22088 complete the stroke

31280 eyes down an extension

31466 eyes down on out sweep

32088 eyes down at corners

32612 hands in Head up to air

**Thursday**

**Jason Lezak:  Connect the Catch to the Core**

Jason Lezak gives a masterclass in how to increase your power – and distance per cycle – in freestyle.  The key is to connect the catch to the core – to swim with your entire body and not just with the arms.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/353-connect-the-catch-to-the-core>

0545 connected timing

0574 Energy going forward

0684 connected timing

1352 purposeful direction

1648 purposeful direction during breathing

2253 driving the hand forward

2539 driving hand forward during breathing

3835 submerged after breath 

5027 low and balanced breath 

10118 driving from the legs

11511 getting everything possible from the stroke

25375 completely submerged

32036 harnessing the power of the body 

33411 purposeful path of the hand

34643 purposeful path of the hand

43588 watching the connection

45225 watching the path of the hand

52798 maximizing each arm

55477 complete the drill

60394 take away the instinct

61710 my favorite frame

63491 the final result

64147 the breath

**Friday**

**Glenn in EP:  Freestyle Rate**

In this clip, shot in the Endless Pool, Glenn uses a FINIS Tempo Trainer to hold his stroke RATE the same, but slowly increases the speed of the flow, requiring him to swim faster at the same stroke rate.  Notice how this assignment causes many aspects of his stroke (especially kick and pull) to change.  In the pool, a similar set would be 4 X 50, holding stroke rate but getting faster on each 50.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2840-freestyle-rate>

1139 water at speed one

1617 water at speed two

2619 water at speed three

3540 water at speed four

4658 tired

**Saturday**

**Discovering Freestyle Efficiency Step 2**

In this set of 4 X 50, the goal is to maintain the same stroke count for each 50, but to get faster on each 50.  The swimmer will quickly learn how to increase distance per cycle by adding power to the pull and kick, and by sharpening awareness of streamline and breakout.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1008-freestyle-discovering-efficiency-step-2>

13 first lap

14 second lap

3729 3513

11223 3325

14570 3212

21698 2922

14923 one additional dolphin

20020 Long wall

21653 Long finish

Failure

**Sunday**

**All Drills:  Wax On…Wax Off**

Here’s an example of the flip side of our equation.  In a short set of 25s, the goal is to maintain SPEED but take fewer strokes on each 25.  It’s another way of getting the swimmer to increase distance per cycle.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1878-wax-on-wax-off-set>

0523 nine strokes 12.5 seconds

1938 10 strokes 13.3 seconds

3521 11 strokes 12.1 seconds

4961 12 strokes 11.7 seconds

11368 12 strokes 11.3 seconds two dolphins

12541 11 strokes 11.7 seconds two dolphins

13987 10 strokes 11.3 seconds three dolphins

15416 nine strokes 11.5 seconds three dolphins I’m barricading he can’t get in

**BONUS**

**Bruno Fratus: Slow to Fast**

In this set of 4 X 25, Bruno Fratus shows how to get faster while holding on to one aspect of technique: reaching full extension on every stroke of freestyle.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2374-slow-to-fast>


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March 25, 2025 - Distance Per Cycle