What is a good SPL for 50m freestyle?

[hiabhijeet]

I was doing 42-45 SPL yesterday. Is that way below the mark?
What would be a good SPL for 50m freestyle??

Thanks,
Abhijeet

[wie]

The best SPL is the one with which you reach the other side most quickly. ;)

I think we all have our personal optimum.

[terry]

Abhijeet
How tall are you and what pace were you swimming at?

[hiabhijeet]

Originally Posted by terry

Abhijeet
How tall are you and what pace were you swimming at?

Hi Terry... I am 180cm. Didn't capture the pace though, but it was not fast at all, should be more than a minute.

EDITED TO ADD

Terry,
Your question made me think on these lines -

Body length = 180cm
Body length + arm length = 225cm (say 45cm ahead of the head)
Length of Push from the starting wall = 400cm (say slightly less than 2 body + arm lengths)
Length covered by single stroke = 100cm (around half of body + arm length)

So now,
Total Length = 5000cm
Minus the push length = 5000 - 400 = 4600cm
Divided by per stroke length = 4600/100 = 46 Strokes

So based on my assumption of length covered per stroke I'll do 46 strokes, which is slightly more so I must be doing a bit better than 100cm per stroke. And to reduce my SPL will have to increase it to more than 100cm.

Not considered pace at all in this and I guess if that comes into picture then we would be talking about how much stroke length to compromise to gain 'X' amount of pace. I mean you can keep gliding to gain stroke length but at what pace? Right?


Thanks,
Abhijeet

[wie]

Sorry, I thought you meant 50 m freestyle as a race. :)

I am 180 cm, too, practicing TI for about 8 months now and I'm swimming relaxed about 44 SP50. When I concentrate I can do 40-42.
I have been told on this forum that this is okayish.

On the other hand I've been told that one should not be too fixated on SPL. The problem for me, self-teaching, is that I know of no other measure for improvement of my technique.

[CoachSuzanne]

I'm 5'3" On my best days I have done 36 to 37 SPL in a 50m pool when focused on long strokes.

With any amount of speed or with a more relaxed, less strained stroke a typical SPL for me is 40-42.

Swimming fast on purpose puts me at 45-47.

All out 50m sprint and I'm at 50 SPL.

So...36-50 Spl.

[haschu33]

Originally Posted by CoachSuzanne

I'm 5'3" On my best days I have done 36 to 37 SPL in a 50m pool when focused on long strokes.

With any amount of speed or with a more relaxed, less strained stroke a typical SPL for me is 40-42.

Swimming fast on purpose puts me at 45-47.

All out 50m sprint and I'm at 50 SPL.

So...36-50 Spl.

I'll just duplicate that post, and replace the 5'3" with 5'10 5/64 and the 36-50 with 28-50.

Originally Posted by wie

...
On the other hand I've been told that one should not be too fixated on SPL. The problem for me, self-teaching, is that I know of no other measure for improvement of my technique.

I know, there is no real other measure than SPL. I think the real challenge when learning freestyle self-coached is to find out how it feels when it's right.

Not to fixate on SPL doesn't mean not to check SPL - on the contrary. But my point is to try to swim a good, balanced, well-timed, relaxed, and - to some extend - graceful stroke and then check the SPL, not to try to swim with a low SPL.

[daveblt]

I'm about 5'9" . For 50m I would average about 29 or 30 strokes for a casual paced swim.

Dave

[tomoy]

Are we talking about a 1-length 50M pool? I think we should clarify that - it's what I assumed from hiabhijeet's 2nd msg (1 push off).

I'm 5'11" and last time I checked, I can barley do fewer than 40 strokes in a 50M pool. Doing 50Y in a 25Y pool though, 28-32 is normal.

[wie]

Originally Posted by haschu33

Not to fixate on SPL doesn't mean not to check SPL - on the contrary. But my point is to try to swim a good, balanced, well-timed, relaxed, and - to some extend - graceful stroke and then check the SPL, not to try to swim with a low SPL.

Well said. Thanks!