Comments on: What is Your Ultimate Efficiency in Swimming?

By: Terry Laughlin

Terry Laughlin — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 20:11:59 +0000

My definition of efficiency: Use less effort/energy/muscle/oxygen to accomplish the same task. Also eliminate superfluous motion.

By: Paul Van Huffel

Paul Van Huffel — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 05:03:00 +0000

Actually, my question has to do with what you mean by “efficiency” as a swimmer could lay on his back and merely kick from one end of the pool to the other or put more effort into his speed, but the damping effect of the water will actually reduce the mechanical efficiency of the swim – conversion of calories burned into work done moving the body through the water.

I’m finding that even a good swimmer when pushing for speed will only be about 1% efficient. Using fins or adding arms to the propulsion will greatly add to the efficiency, but the effort of the swimmer will dictate the pace and subsequent calorie burn.

Anyway, so how are we to define and measure true efficiency?

By: Reginald Gunthorpe

Reginald Gunthorpe — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:12:00 +0000

I had a private tutor teaching meTI, unfortunately, I am no better at swimming than I was before. Was it the tutor? Was it me? we’ll never know.

Reg., U.K.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 11:50:00 +0000

this year I would say I progressed from 4 to 5% range, It has taken 3 years of intermittent continuous swimming with increased focus on stroke ease. I do like your levels of comparison as they represent where I have been in those three years. But I will say just implementing TI took me out of 1-2% range immediately.