Help - Does anyone swim?

[SportyAndGirly]

I am making a gift for a kid who aspires to be an Olympic swimmer. I looked up all the types of swimming at the Olympics and got this:

• Freestyle: 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 (women), and 1,500 (men);
• Backstroke: 100 and 200;
• Breaststroke: 100 and 200;
• Butterfly: 100 and 200;
• Individual medley: 200 and 400;
• Relays: 4×100 free, 4×200 free; 4×100 medley
• Marathon: 10 kilometres


Can you tell me which distance would require the most speed? Is it like running where the shorter the distance, the more speed you are required? (And the longer the distance, the slower you swim but more endurance is required?)

Can you also tell me which stroke would allow you to swim the fastest?

I need to know so I can make this gift. Thank you!

[sowilson]

Freestyle 50 would be the fastest. Actually, during the winter indoor season the 25m freestyle would be the fastest. Stroke depends on the swimmer, their likes, and their genetics. When I was swimming competitively my best strokes were the backstroke and the butterfly. Even though I was faster with my freestyle I was comparatively faster in my back and fly. As a kid you train all strokes. You won't know which stroke is your best until you're well into puberty and are developing your adult body.

[SportyAndGirly]

Thanks sowilson. You sound like a pro. Can I ask something else? Which stroke would require the most strength?

So I guess I was right - the shorter the stroke, the more speed you are expected to use (like in running)

[Rodman1]

Freestyle 50 would be the fastest. Actually, during the winter indoor season the 25m freestyle would be the fastest. Stroke depends on the swimmer, their likes, and their genetics. When I was swimming competitively my best strokes were the backstroke and the butterfly. Even though I was faster with my freestyle I was comparatively faster in my back and fly. As a kid you train all strokes. You won't know which stroke is your best until you're well into puberty and are developing your adult body.

I agree

[sowilson]

Thanks sowilson. You sound like a pro. Can I ask something else? Which stroke would require the most strength?

So I guess I was right - the shorter the stroke, the more speed you are expected to use (like in running)

Not really a fair question. They all require strength. A fairer question might be "which requires the greatest expenditure of energy per meter swam?" I would suggest the butterfly. To move efficiently through the water with the butterfly you need to go fast or you will plow through the water. There is no cruising gear with the fly. Freestyle is the easiest to go all out or cruise, backstroke next, breast stroke can be done slowly or quickly but resistance builds quickly, fly needs to be done at close to max speed.

None of this is relevant for a kid learning to swim. If your goal is the Olympics you will spend all of your extra income on chasing that dream. You will probably send your kid to a specialist program for year around training and school. You will swim many hours, twice a day, everyday. You will swim and probably race every stroke and distance at least once in your career (I did back, butterfly, IM, and sometimes the 1500 free). As for strength, you need to be relatively strong for all the strokes. I don't believe I would have a different program in the weight room for different strokes.

I swam from 6 to 16 years old, 2 practices a day, everyday, no time off (yep, swim during vacations). Girls, hockey, and constantly burning eyes let me know it was time to quit.

[PaulSmith32]

[QUOTE=sowilson;1407606703]Freestyle 50 would be the fastest. Actually, during the winter indoor season the 25m freestyle would be the fastest. Stroke depends on the swimmer, their likes, and their genetics. When I was swimming competitively my best strokes were the backstroke and the butterfly. Even though I was faster with my freestyle I was comparatively faster in my back and fly. As a kid you train all strokes. You won't know which stroke is your best until you're well into puberty and are developing your adult body.[/QUO
yeah freestyle 50 would be the fastest

[opeleroy1980]

50 yards would be the fastest... Most American high school teams and all the NCAA teams compete in yards, and not meters.

Freestyle is the fastest stroke, but if you watch top flight swimmers like Ryan Lochte, Florent Manaudou, and even US high schooler Ryan Hoffer you'll notice that underwater dolphin kicking is actually faster than freestyle. This is huge in short course races where up to 60% of the race can legally be swum underwater.

Being fast in the water is about so much more than being strong. Technique is paramount.

[donski100]

While freestyle is typically the fastest, I used to be faster in the breast stroke than freestyle.

[MichaelBack27]

50y freestyle is the fastest
Freestyle is the fastest stroke
Breaststroke requires the most strength (There was articles written about this years ago in that USA swimming ish... Fly is more motion rather than strength)