Swim Speed

Sheila Taormina shares what's new in the second edition of America's favorite guide to faster swimming: Swim Speed Secrets.

Sheila Taormina is a swimming coach and inventor of the STGRID, an underwater swimming technique analysis tool. Find an STGRID-certified coach near you!

Swimming is 80% technique! So why focus on the elements that are easiest to master? Set your top priorities to become a faster swimmer.

Reducing the number of strokes you take per pool length is only good if you are actually swimming faster, too... Sheila Taormina explains the relationship between DPS (distance per stroke) and stroke rate.

Check out an example of how swimmers take fewer strokes--and swim slower.

Find out why the world's elite swimmers keep breaking records while the rest of us are not getting faster.

Sheila Taormina’s Swim Speed Series is America’s favorite guide to faster swimming.

Alright, let’s get something straight. Sheila Taormina has one heck of a Rolodex. Get to know the elite swimmers whose technique is examined in Swim Speed Strokes.

Get technique guidance straight from the master herself at these Sheila Taormina swim clinics.

Swimming can be daunting for many triathletes, so it may seem overwhelming and unnecessary to add more stress by asking them to add a flip turn into the mix. However, there are a number of reasons to consider learning this skill.

Check out this index of the Swim Speed Drill Videos.

Can you hang with an Olympic gold medalist? Try the first week of Sheila Taormina's Olympic-quality workouts with this free download from her program, Swim Speed Workouts.

We've checked the stats and these are YOUR Top 10 favorite Swim Speed stories, tips, excerpts, and drills from Sheila's books. Take a look: maybe you missed one!

Working one-on-one with a Swim Speed Secrets certified coach is an excellent way to enhance the skills and techniques in Sheila Taormina’s Swim Speed Series of books.

“There is no one in our sport more accomplished in swimming than Sheila Taormina. She needs no introduction, and she now shares her breakout plan for the fastest freestyle.” — Slowtwitch

Ariana's favorite drill for training a powerful, fast butterfly kick is “vertical dolphin kicking.” Watch her demonstrate this drill in this video.

There is a valuable tool in swimming that lets you know if you are directing your energy the right way and holding water as you ratchet up the speed. It is called stroke data.

One of Aaron Peirsol’s favorite drills is the “scull and pull,” which is designed to help a swimmer feel for the catch from the extended straight-arm entry. Watch him demonstrate this drill in this video.

The curvilinear path in elite swimming is not an illusion caused by body rotation or elbow flexion. It’s undeniably present in the world’s fastest swimmers.

Vladimir Morozov swims freestyle uses a straight-arm technique. See an underwater photo of his stroke from Swim Speed Strokes.

Watch Peter Vanderkaay demonstrate the Catch-Up Drill in this video based on Swim Speed Strokes.

Because of the feedback we’ve gotten on Facebook, I will offer a short explanation of what I mean by “S-pull” and how all elite swimmers today show it in their stroke.

After getting many comments about this post on Facebook, Sheila Taormina has written a response that more fully explains the S pull in swimming in this new post: Let's Talk About the S Pull in Swimming.

Watch elite swimmer Laura Sogar demonstrate her favorite breaststroke drill in this video.

The best swimmers in the world are masters at feeling the water. But what does that mean? Sheila Taormina explains.

Sheila Taormina explores the contributions that lift and drag make to the underwater pull in all four swimming strokes.

Four strokes are represented in these photos. Take this quiz and see if you can identify them!

A reader sent in a question recently about stroke rate. He noticed that his stroke rate had fallen after beginning the Swim Speed Workouts training program, resulting in fewer strokes per length.

The Press-Out Drill is an easy way to get in some quick upper body and core strength training in the middle of any swim workout. Watch Sheila Taormina demonstrate in this video.

You need to know your swimming stroke rate. If you don't, there's a good chance you're leaving speed in the water.

We sometimes get questions from swimmers about leg cramps during kick sets. What causes them? More importantly, how do you get rid of them? Sheila Taormina gives this advice for avoiding cramps during kick sets.

Your swimming tempo or stroke rate is as important as stroke count. A swimmer must strive to lower either of the two numbers without adversely affecting the over-all equation. Sheila discusses how timing can enable improvements in your swimming equation.

In her book Swim Speed Workouts, 4-time Olympian Sheila Taormina describes a key concept for developing your fastest freestyle, the Serape Core Drive.

In this video, Sheila demonstrates how to drill the diagonal phase using swim tubing.

Even triathletes need to work on their streamline to improve their hydrodynamics but also to improve their upper arm and shoulder flexibility and mobility for a more effective reach phase of the stroke.

Just as regular dryland strength training can turbocharge your swimming, spending just 3-5 minutes after every workout with effective swim tubing drills can make you rock-solid strong.

Possibly the most valuable drill in any swimmer's regular practice is the freestyle one-arm drill. Watch Sheila Taormina demonstrate.

The freestyle swimming sculling drill is a great drill to improve feel for the water and forearm strength.

A reader Larry has asked this insightful question: "If I am reading your book right, you seem to think the idea of streamlining is something that has somehow been misinterpreted by the masses." Sheila responds.

Consider swimming as your best crosstraining for triathlon, running, and cycling this fall and winter.

A reader on Facebook asked Sheila Taormina to write a tubing-only drill for use during a business trip.

When should you start the Swim Speed Workouts program? Check our handy Swim Speed Workouts Start Chart, provided as a courtesy to help you plan your next PR.

Which direction is the hip drive in serape swimming? Does the hip drive upward or forward? And when: before or after EVF (the catch)? Sheila answers.

A Swim Speed reader asks, "How long is too long to hold your arm out in front?" When does arm extension become gliding? Sheila Taormina answers.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

TriEdge.net reviewed Sheila Taormina's swim training program Swim Speed Workouts and, boy, were they thorough!

The book FASTER: Demystifying the Science of Triathlon Speed by scientist and triathlete Jim Gourley confirms a fact we already know: technique is the most important part of fast swimming.

Keep your hard-earned swim fitness and tune your technique into tip-top shape with these workouts selected from the Swim Speed Workouts Program.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

In her book Swim Speed Workouts, 4-time Olympian Sheila Taormina describes a key concept for developing your fastest freestyle, the Serape Core Drive. Here’s Part II of an overview of serape swimming.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their new swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts swim training program. Here’s what testers thought of the workout for week 8.

When all you swim is long, slow distance, you don’t need time off to recover from swim workouts. But the Swim Speed Workouts program is more challenging, which means swimmers might have weeks when they should back off from swim training and let their bodies rest and recover.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Hand-Entry Drill helps swimmers feel the water from the moment their hand enters the water. The Hand-Entry Drill also improves the high-elbow catch.

In her book Swim Speed Workouts, 4-time Olympian Sheila Taormina describes a key concept for developing your fastest freestyle, the Serape Core Drive.

The Finish Drill trains the pitch and forward thrust of the finish phase of the underwater pull. Since this drill is done underwater, it also builds lung capacity.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The recovery drill teaches swimmers how to properly lift their arms from the water after the finish. A good recovery helps load the muscles with tension for the serape core drive.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

For athletes going all the way with Swim Speed Workouts, Sheila introduces the basic motions of the butterfly swimming stroke.

The Swim Speed Workouts Test Team gives its feedback on Workout 6-3.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Underwater Drill is simple: swim underwater one length of the pool. The goal of this drill is to improve feel for the water and build lung capacity.

How to incorporate Swim Speed Workouts into Ironman® swim training.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

Press-Outs build the upper body, shoulder, and upper back muscle strength required for the high-elbow underwater stroke. You can think of them like push-ups for swimmers.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Finish Drill helps swimmers focus on the last part of the underwater stroke, the finish phase. Sheila Taormina describes an ideal finish in her book Swim Speed Workouts.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Streamline Kick on Back is three drills in one. You'll get immediate feedback on the streamline of your body. You'll build your core muscles. And you'll strengthen your kick.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Dog Paddle Drill strengthens your core and upper body while also improving some aspects of streamline and feel for the water. It also looks kind of hilarious.

In this video, David Morgan demonstrates the proper positioning for the Serape Kicking Drill.

Finally, watch Olympic swimmer and multiple medalist Peter Vanderkaay demonstrate his own tornado.

The Swim Speed Workouts Test Team gives its feedback on Workout 3-3.

This video is a simple demonstration of good freestyle flutter kicking technique using a kickboard. If you are prone to cramping during kick sets, take a look at this video and at these tips from Sheila Taormina on how to avoid kick set cramping.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Tarzan Drill has been a mainstay in swim programs around the world for decades because it builds upper body strength, stroke power, a faster turnover, and core muscles.

The Swim Speed Workouts Test Team gives its feedback on Workout 3-1.

The Swim Speed Test Team is a group of volunteers that is reporting on their newfound swim speed earned over 16 weeks of the Swim Speed Workouts program.

The Swim Speed Workouts Test Team gives its feedback on Workout 2-2.

Swim Speed Workouts Test Team member Chad L. wrote in last week after a long freestyle kick set to ask swim coach and 4-time Olympian Sheila Taormina what he could do to stop getting leg cramps. Sheila gave this advice for avoiding cramps during kick sets.

The Swim Speed Workouts Test Team gives its feedback on Workout 2-1.

The Swim Speed Workouts Test Team gives its feedback on Workout 1-3.

One of the members of the Swim Speed Workouts Test Team sets a new PR -- during her cooldown to today's workout.

The Swim Speed Workouts Test Team gives its feedback on Workout 1-2.

The Swim Speed Workouts Test Team gives its feedback on Workout 1-1, the very first workout of the program.

Meet the Swim Speed Workouts Test Team

In this video, Sheila Taormina, 4-time Olympian, gold medalist, triathlon world champion, and triathlon hall of famer, talks about racing Michellie Jones, Joanna Zeiger, Leanda Cave, Barb Lindquist, Emma Snowsill, Laura Bennett and how they raised the level of competition in women's triathlon.

Should swimmers use pull buoys and swim paddles? Are swim paddles and pull buoys useful swimming tools for faster swim speed?

A reader asks, "What's the starting position for my shoulder, upper arm, and elbow to set the high-elbow catch?" Sheila Taormina explains.

When Sheila Taormina decided to try to make history by qualifying for the Olympics in a third sport, she -- like many Olympians -- had to make big sacrifices to follow her dream.

What's up with the Olympic sport of modern pentathlon?

Sculling is the most important drill for swimmers.

What is it like to win an Olympic gold medal?

The Tornado Drill can help you develop a better feel for the water.

Sheila Taormina talks about preparing for two career-making races in one season.

Why did Sheila Taormina become a triathlete?

Gliding makes you a slower swimmer. See why in this post on the Swimming Equation.

Sheila Taormina talks about her former teammate, 12-time Olympic medalist Dara Torres, and what it's like to have competed in four Olympic Games.

In this interview, Sheila talks about her approach to qualifying for the U.S. Olympic triathlon team.

Sheila demonstrates how to use Halo swim tubing in this video below.

Professional photographer Daniel J. Smith offers his tips for shooting great underwater swimming technique photos.

Sheila talks about how she worked outside the Olympic system to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Sheila talks about how anyone can develop feel for the water.

In this video, Shiela talks about the rewards of working with American veterans.

Here's what elite swimmers and their coaches have said about Sheila Taormina's book Swim Speed Secrets.

The swimmer's secret weapon is Swim Tubing Drills because they build the proper technique and strength simultaneously. Try this functional strength exercise and you'll find new strength for the underwater pull.

The recovery drill teaches swimmers how to properly lift their arms from the water after the finish.

Learn how to properly streamline underwater and you can improve your hydrodynamics and also improve your upper arm and shoulder flexibility and mobility for a more effective reach phase of the stroke.

Sheila demonstrates how to use Halo swim tubing on a Halo bench in this video below.

Sheila Taormina's favorite swimming drill is the Press-Out Drill because it builds crazy strength for the underwater pull.

Swim Speed Secrets Drill: Catch-Up Drill

The One-Arm Pull with Kickboard is a variation on the One-Arm Drill that some swimmers find easier. Swimming with one arm at a time immediately reveals uneven strokes.