How to Get a Fast Stroke Rate #theraceclub

if you can’t hold a quick stroke rate in freestyle, you’ll struggle to be a top sprinter. Most elite 50 freestylers can sustain roughly 120 strokes per minute while still preserving solid distance per stroke. At The Race Club we rely on the Finis Tempo Trainer and two specific drills to teach fast turnover without losing feel for the water.

The dolphin-kick freestyle drill is great because any mismatch between arm timing and the kick feels immediately off — swimmers quickly learn they must drive their arms harder to stay in rhythm. The spin drill with closed fists forces gets the hand through the pulling motion quickly and helps swimmers push past the 120-spm mark.

Remember: stroke rate by itself won’t win races — you must keep good distance per stroke. That balance is what separates fast swimmers from great ones.