Stroke for Stroke: 10 Winning Practices of the Best Swimmers
/Success in the water doesn’t happen by accident. The best swimmers, whether Olympians or age-group champions, don’t just show up and hope for the best—they follow a system. A system that builds endurance, hones technique, and sharpens the mental and physical skills required to dominate their events.
I’ve worked with swimmers across all levels, from triathletes looking to survive the swim leg to seasoned competitors fine-tuning the details that separate good from great. Through all these experiences, one thing is clear: the best swimmers share a set of winning practices. If you want to swim faster, train smarter, and reach your potential, integrating these principles into your routine is key.
10 winning practices of best swimmers
Let’s break down the 10 fundamental habits of elite swimmers and how you can apply them to your training.
1. Structured Training: Elite swimmers adhere to a meticulously planned training schedule that hones various aspects of their swimming abilities. This comprehensive regimen addresses endurance, speed, technique, and strength.
1. Structured Training: The Blueprint for Success
The best swimmers don’t just wing it. They follow a carefully designed training plan that targets all the critical components of performance—endurance, speed, power, and skill refinement.
A well-structured plan balances:
Aerobic base training to develop endurance.
Anaerobic work to improve race-speed efforts.
Sprint and power sets to sharpen explosiveness.
Drills and skill work to refine technique.
Without a structured approach, swimmers risk overtraining certain areas while neglecting others. The key? Train with purpose, know your training cycle, and focus on both strengths and weaknesses.
2. Volume: Swimmers tailor their training volume to their specific discipline, ensuring they swim the appropriate distances and strokes to excel in their chosen events.
2. Volume: Finding the Right Mileage for Your Stroke
Swimmers log serious yardage, but volume alone doesn’t make you faster. The right amount of volume is tailored to your stroke, race distance, and training goals.
Sprinters need lower volume but more explosive, high-intensity work.
Distance swimmers thrive on higher mileage with aerobic-based sets.
Middle-distance swimmers need a blend of both.
Too much unnecessary volume can lead to fatigue without added benefits. Quality over quantity is the rule—every meter should have a purpose.
3. Intensity: High-intensity intervals are a core part of their training, enabling them to improve speed and enhance cardiovascular fitness.
3. Intensity: Training at Race Pace and Beyond
The best swimmers don’t just glide through the water at a comfortable pace. They train hard. Intensity is the game-changer, and elite athletes structure their workouts to include race-pace efforts and high-intensity intervals.
Threshold training improves stamina and speed.
Sprint sets develop explosive power and fast-twitch muscle activation.
VO2 max work pushes the upper limit of cardiovascular capacity.
Swimming fast in training builds the neurological and muscular adaptations needed to swim fast when it matters.
4. Technique: Swimmers dedicate significant time to perfecting their swimming technique, striving for maximum efficiency in the water.
4. Technique: The Efficiency Factor
Swimming is not just about brute force. The most efficient swimmers move through the water with precision, reducing drag and maximizing propulsion.
Key technical focus areas include:
Streamline position off every wall.
Early vertical forearm (EVF) for a powerful catch.
Body rotation to engage core muscles.
Stroke efficiency to maintain speed with less energy.
Great technique allows swimmers to go faster with less effort. Small adjustments, repeated consistently, lead to massive gains over time.
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5. Cross-Training: Many swimmers complement their pool time with dryland exercises, focused on building strength and power, which not only enhances their overall fitness but also helps prevent injury.
5. Cross-Training: Dryland for Strength and Stability
The best swimmers don’t just train in the pool. They build strength and power on land with dryland training—an essential tool for improving athleticism and preventing injuries.
Key areas of focus include:
Kettlebell training for explosive power and endurance.
Core work to improve body control in the water.
Mobility exercises to enhance range of motion and reduce stiffness.
Bodyweight training for functional movement patterns.
A well-rounded swimmer is a strong swimmer. Integrating dryland work will enhance overall performance and longevity in the sport.
6. Recovery: A strong emphasis on recovery between workouts is essential, ensuring that swimmers perform at their best while minimizing the risk of overuse injuries.
6. Recovery: Training Smarter, Not Just Harder
Elite swimmers train hard, but they also prioritize recovery. Without proper recovery, the body can’t adapt to training, leading to fatigue, poor performance, and increased injury risk.
Recovery strategies include:
Active recovery swims to flush out lactic acid.
Foam rolling and mobility work to keep muscles loose.
Cold therapy and compression for post-workout recovery.
Training smarter means balancing work and rest. Swimmers who recover well train better and race faster.
7. Nutrition: Proper nutrition is a cornerstone of a swimmer's regimen, providing the necessary fuel to endure intense training sessions and support the recovery process.
7. Nutrition: Fueling for Performance
A high-performance engine needs the right fuel. The best swimmers eat with intention, ensuring they have the energy for training and the nutrients for recovery.
Core principles of a swimmer’s diet:
Protein for muscle repair and strength (lean meats, eggs, fish, or plant-based options).
Carbohydrates for energy (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables).
Healthy fats for endurance (avocados, nuts, and olive oil).
Hydration—even slight dehydration can negatively affect performance.
Food is fuel. What you eat directly impacts how you train and perform.
8. Mental Training: Mental preparedness and visualization are integral to their approach, helping swimmers stay focused and confident in the face of intense competition.
8. Mental Training: The Mind is the Key to the Race
The difference between winning and losing often comes down to mental strength. The best swimmers train their minds as much as their bodies.
Key mental strategies include:
Visualization—seeing yourself execute the perfect race.
Breath control—managing nerves and optimizing oxygen use.
Goal setting—breaking down big goals into daily, achievable steps.
Confidence is built through preparation. Train the mind, and the body will follow.
9. Rest: Swimmers incorporate rest days into their training schedules and prioritize sleep, allowing their bodies to recover and rejuvenate, ultimately helping them avoid overtraining.
9. Rest: The Secret Weapon for Faster Swims
Elite swimmers know that sleep is just as important as training. Quality rest is when the body repairs and adapts, making you stronger.
Tips for better recovery sleep:
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule.
Avoid screens and blue light before bed.
Prioritize 8+ hours of quality sleep for optimal recovery.
Skipping rest leads to burnout, slower times, and increased risk of injury. Train hard, but recover harder.
10. Consistency: Consistent practice, spanning years of dedication, is the bedrock of achieving elite-level performance in competitive swimming. It's through this unwavering consistency that swimmers reach the pinnacle of their sport.
10. Consistency: The Long Game of Swimming Success
The best swimmers don’t skip workouts, and they don’t rely on motivation alone. They show up, day in and day out, even when they don’t feel like it.
Swimming is a sport of accumulated work over time. Progress isn’t always linear, and success isn’t built in a week or a month—it’s built over years of consistent training.
If you want to reach your full potential, commit to the process. Show up, put in the work, and trust the journey.
Remember, each swimmer's approach may vary based on their individual strengths, weaknesses, and coaches' guidance.
Are You Training Like the Best?
These 10 winning practices separate the best swimmers from the rest. While talent plays a role, the real secret to swimming success is in the daily habits, discipline, and attention to detail that top athletes embrace.
Whether you're training for your next triathlon, refining your stroke for open water racing, or chasing a personal best in the pool, adopting these principles will set you on the path to peak performance.
The question is: Are you ready to train like the best?