The disadvantages of this method are there are fewer propulsive forces from the pull, which, particularly without a strong kick, can lead to greater fluctuation of the body speed. Another advantage is that fewer pulling strokes taken may decrease the amount of energy required to swim, or increase the efficiency of your swimming. This additional energy augments the effect of the pulling force, resulting in more distance per stroke. The additional time with your hand held out in front enables you to rotate your hips further, generating more kinetic energy during the counter-rotation, while one arm is pulling. Hip-driven freestyle generates more power for each pull, if done correctly. RELATED: Triathlon Swimming: An In-Depth Guide from Triathlete’s Editors Hip-driven vs. Help is just an away! Become an Outside+ Member and join Team Triathlete now! Plus: Members have exclusive, near-instant access to the entire editorial staff at Triathlete.

There are advantages and disadvantages of each technique, so before deciding which one works best, you should learn about each and experiment with both of them.ĭo you have more questions about your first (second, third, or tenth) tri? We have an active and supportive community of everyday athletes and experts in Team Triathlete who are willing to help. There is also a hybrid freestyle technique that many elite swimmers use (Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Katie Ledecky) that involves using one arm of shoulder-driven and one arm of hip-driven. That time, in turn, influences your stroke rate. The difference between the two is largely determined by the time the hand is held out in front (lift phase) before initiating the propulsive phase of the pull. There are two different techniques commonly used in freestyle: hip-driven and shoulder-driven. Deciding what stroke rate you should use in freestyle is not necessarily easy and there are a lot of factors to consider. Stroke rate in freestyle swimming refers to the number of strokes you take per minute. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!

Keystrokes test per minute