Swim Stroke Secret

#476 What’s in a swim stroke?

Welcome

Welcome to Episode #476 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coaches Rich Soares and April Spilde. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance news, coaching tips and discussion.

 

February is our month to focus on swimming and I thought the highlight of today’s show should be the Ask A Coach section. The question everyone asks is - “How can I improve my swim stroke?” We are going to talk about what that is today and the answer is going to blow your mind! 

 

Heck yes! I couldn’t agree more. The swim is oftentimes the barrier to entry for a lot of beginner triathletes and those who are interested in this sport. So, the timing of this topic couldn’t be more perfect as most of us are gearing up for our next season!

 

But first, I’m bringing back the Dad joke…What do a dentist and a swim coach have in common?

 

Show Sponsor: UCAN

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In Today's Show

• Announcements

• Ask a Coach: What’s the most important part of the swim stroke?

• Get Gritty Tip: The Power of a Misogi Challenge

• TriDot Workout of the Week - CSS Assessment: What, how, and why?

• Fun Segment: Like It, Love It, Leave It (Pool Edition)

 

 

Announcements:

 

FulGaz Virtual Group Ride Schedule - We are riding February 1st and we are riding the Pikes Peak ride on our FulGaz Virtual Group Ride. 

Link to FulGaz Ride: Quick Start - FulGaz

Group Code: 830238

Link to Teams:

https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=%2F_%23%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%3Ameeting_ZjkyYjc2ZTktYTNmOC00OTliLWE5NTItMGM5ZGRiMzI1MWEx%40thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%2522b66709e9-1b6a-4649-a18d-017b8a4b8aa7%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%2522a731b547-aa9a-4990-a6bc-527e8ce60a7e%2522%257d%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meetup-join&deeplinkId=ed09915f-7770-4919-8ef2-058af0139cdf&directDl=true&msLaunch=true&enableMobilePage=true&suppressPrompt=true

 

Join us on this FulGaz Ride.

Start Here: https://fulgaz.com/quick-start/

1 JOIN & DOWNLOAD FULGAZ

Create an account to activate your 14-day FREE trial.  Then download the FulGaz from your favourite app store. FulGaz is compatible with iOS, Android, Windows, Apple TV or Mac. To see if your device is compatible with FulGaz check out our guide.

 

2 Connect your trainer

Simply open FulGaz, hit “Get Started,” and then connect your devices via the button at the top of the homepage.

 

FulGaz is compatible with most smart trainers and smart bikes, speed sensors, and heart rate monitors. To see if your trainer is compatible, check out our guide.

 

QUICK START GUIDE

3 Let's ride

With 2,000+ rides and new ones added weekly, there is something for every level of cyclist. Search for iconic rides or by country, time and difficultly.  Our NEW and TRENDING collections are also a great place to start.

 

Be social and join us on Teams too - https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=%2F_%23%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%3Ameeting_ZjkyYjc2ZTktYTNmOC00OTliLWE5NTItMGM5ZGRiMzI1MWEx%40thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%2522b66709e9-1b6a-4649-a18d-017b8a4b8aa7%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%2522a731b547-aa9a-4990-a6bc-527e8ce60a7e%2522%257d%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meetup-join&deeplinkId=ed09915f-7770-4919-8ef2-058af0139cdf&directDl=true&msLaunch=true&enableMobilePage=true&suppressPrompt=true

 

303 Webinar Series Continues - February 4th 6-7 TriDot Pool School. We have Coach Brandy Ramirez to take us though the program and where you can find a TriDot Pool School near you!

 

Announcing Coaches Corner (aka Office Hours) with Coaches April Spilde and Rich Soares. Every 3rd Tuesday of the month.

Link to Feb. 18 Coaches Corner - link

 

Upcoming Programming - Our February focus will be on swimming.

Feb. 1 - FASST and essential pool equipment

Feb. 8 - Webinar with TriDot Pool School Director, Coach Brandy Ramirez

Feb. 15 - How to Read Swim Workout

Feb. 22 - Open Water Skills

 

Grit2Greatness Coaching Facebook Page Live - Come check out our new coaching Facebook page @grit2greatnessendurance

Ask A Coach Sponsor: G2G Endurance

Triathletes, stop guessing and start progressing! At Grit2Greatness Endurance Coaching, we’ve teamed up with TriDot to take the trial and error out of your training. Personalized workouts, next-level analytics, and seamless onboarding—it's all built to make you better, faster. Try it for two weeks FREE, then keep going for as little as $14.99 a month. The right training plan can change everything. Ready to see how far you can go? Click one of the sign-up links in our show notes today! 

Ask A Coach: What’s the most important part of the swim stroke? Hint, it’s not the stroke. It’s F.A.S.S.T.

Setup (Rich): Swimming 101 in college, private in-pool lessons, professional assessments with video and coaches (eg, Swim Labs), reading books, Total Immersion, the pro in the lane next - these are all some of the ways that I tried to improve my swimming technique and form. 

 

In July of 2022, I was invited to Dallas with the TriDot coaches at that time to pilot the TriDot Pool School. This was a program that had been in development for years and the coaches were going to be the students/subjects.

 

The greatest problems to overcome are drag and balance. At the core of the program is the foundation of the swim position that occurs between strokes. In fact, this program spends 90% of its focus on that position between strokes and maybe 10% on the stroke itself.

 

We are going to introduce the components of this position which we affectionately call F.A.S.S.T.

• Fingers flat and forward

• Arm stretched straight

• Shoulders and hips at 45 degrees

• Spine aligned from tail to crown with head facing down

• Thumb to thigh with palm to sky

To really learn the FASST method, it helps to have long blade fins, snorkel and nose clips. Here are some links to what I generally suggest and are common at the pool schools.

Amazon.com : Speedo Unisex-Adult Swim Training Fins : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Speedo unisex adult Swim Training Bullet Head diving snorkels, Shocking Lime, One Size US : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : TYR Ergo Swimclip - Black : Nose Plugs : Sports & Outdoors   The nose clips are to keep water out of your nose while using the snorkel.

 

Get Gritty Tip:

The Power of a Misogi Challenge

What if you did something so difficult, so uncertain, that there was a real chance you might fail? That’s the essence of *Misogi*—an ancient Japanese practice redefined by modern thinkers as a way to push boundaries, build resilience, and redefine what’s possible.  

The rule? Pick a challenge so big and audacious that there’s at least a 50% chance you won’t succeed. It should be something far outside your comfort zone, forcing you to confront your limits—and then go beyond them.  

For multi-sport athletes, a *Misogi* isn’t just about physical endurance. It’s about mental toughness, adaptability, and proving to yourself that you’re capable of more than you think. Maybe it’s your first ultra-distance event, a self-supported adventure, or a challenge that removes the usual metrics and expectations.  

For the everyday human? A *Misogi* might mean committing to something that genuinely scares you—signing up for a triathlon when you don’t see yourself as an athlete, tackling a project at work that feels beyond your skillset, or even showing up in a space where imposter syndrome tells you you don’t belong.  

Here’s the truth: You don’t grow by doing what you already know you can do. Growth happens when you face uncertainty and decide to take the leap anyway.  

So, what’s *your* Misogi for 2025?  

 

TriDot Workouts of the Week: 

To kickoff our February theme on swimming, let’s start with a TriDot Swim workout. Since this is an Assessment Week for both April and I, we thought we’d share the Critical Swim Speed assessment. We’ll explain what the session is, how to pace it for your best results, how to calculate your Critical Swim Speed and how to track your progress.

Warmup

4 x 25 Kicking With or Without Fins (15 sec)
4 x 25 FASST with Breathing (15 sec)
4 x 25 Pinocchio-Glove (15 sec)
4 x 25 FASST-1-FASST (15 sec)
4 x 25 Finger-Tip Drag Drill (15 sec)
4 x 25 Full Stroke Swimming Build to Z4 (15 sec)

 

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Main Set

200 swim starting slow and gradually building pace from Z2 to Z4 for final 50; rest 2 min

1. Perform a 400 time trial effort from a push (not dive).
2. Recover for 10 to 15 minutes with easy swimming and rest.
3. Perform a 200 time trial effort from a push.

Be sure to count your laps correctly. Your 400 time should not be faster than twice your 200 time.

Balance of time @ Z2 with excellent form


Be sure to enter/confirm your assessment results to update your training intensities and race projections.

 

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Cool Down

Balance of time @ Z2 and/or repeat warm up drills as time permits.

How to calculate your CSS?

Critical Swim Speed (CSS) is a measure of a swimmer's aerobic capacity and is calculated using the following formula: CSS (m/sec) = 200 / (time taken for 400m – time taken for 200m). CSS in meters per second can also be calculated using the following formula: CSS (m/sec) = (D2 - D1) ÷ (T2 - T1), where D1 = 50, D2 = 400, T1 = time for 50m swim in seconds and T2 = time for 400m swim in seconds. Swimming fast can be simplified into a physics equation: (S)peed = Stroke (L)ength x Stroke (R)ate.

How to track your CSS?

1. Use TriDot and let it do it automatically. Plus keep a SwimDot score of your percentile ranking, normalized and banded to show you against your peers.

2. Keep a spreadsheet and build this formula into it. 

We are happy to email you the CSS Logbook which includes a way to track what your 400 and 200 paces were, the ratio between the two and more. Simply go to the G2G Contact Us Page and send with the subject line CSS and we will get that right over to you.

Guess what, Rich! It’s that special time of the show where we have some fun as I take you through some fun and maybe, “not-so fun dilemmas.” It’s time for…! 

Today’s Fun Segment: Like It, Love It, or Leave It! (Pool Edition)

How It Works: You give your guest three pool-related training experiences. They must "Like It" (it's fine), "Love It" (can’t get enough), or "Leave It" (never again!) by assigning one to each category.

1. Lane Etiquette Dilemmas

• Swimming with someone who constantly touches your feet

• Circle swimming with five strangers in a lane

• Getting stuck behind a slow swimmer with no passing room

2. Swim Gear Struggles

• Goggles that fog up mid-set

• A swim cap that keeps slipping off

• Wearing a wetsuit in the pool for “race simulation”

3. Pool Training Drills

• Endless kickboard drills

• Hypoxic breathing sets (fewer breaths per lap)

• Sighting practice in the pool (aka, looking like a dolphin)

4. Post-Swim Realities

• Smelling like chlorine for the rest of the day

• That intense hunger that hits 10 minutes after getting out

• Wet hair dripping down your back no matter how well you towel off

5. Annoying Pool Habits

• The person who sprints past you, then immediately slows down

• Mid-lane conversations that block the wall when you're trying to turn

• Someone doing butterfly in a crowded lane

6. Swim Set Preferences

• 10x100s on a tight interval

• A long, slow continuous swim

• IM (individual medley) even though you’re only here for freestyle

7. Unexpected Pool Hazards

• That mystery warm spot in the water

• Hairballs floating toward you mid-lap

• The moment your goggles snap right before the main set

 

Closing:

Thanks again for listening this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it!

Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Train With Coach Rich:

Coach Rich Soares

[email protected]

Rich Soares Coaching

TriDot Signup - https://app.tridot.com/onboard/sign-up/richsoares

RunDot Signup - https://app.rundot.com/onboard/sign-up/richsoares

 

Train with Coach April:

Coach April Spilde

[email protected]

Grit2Greatness Endurance Podcast Podcast Series - Apple Podcasts

TriDot Signup - https://app.tridot.com/onboard/sign-up/aprilspilde

Triathlon Fun Segments:

• Would You Rather?

• Ironman Confessions

• Like It, Love It, Leave It

• Transition Troubles

 

Shoutouts to: @genucan @grit2greatnesscoaching @ironmantri @303triathlon @tridottraining @tridottrainingsystem

#grit #grit2greatness #usatriathlon #wintertriathlon #breckenbiener  #ironmantri #cycling #triathlon #swimbikerun #Iamtridot #tridotambassador #tridotcoach