Fastest master swimmer offers tips on how to swim faster in the pool
Last month, as part of a WeRTriathletes, the national triathlon club, I spoke with International Swimming Hall of Fame Inductee and one of the fastest swimmers in the world, Karlyn Pipes. She talked about tips and strategies on getting faster in the pool.
As one of the most highly decorated swimmers, Karlyn provided two important tips for swimmers and triathletes to help get faster —
Balance
It’s important to stay steady and keep balanced, Pipes mentioned. She said it’s “almost the same as riding a bike but it’s trickier for a swimmer, as you need to keep steady in a moving surface.”
“The theory of people trying to get on their side and swim like a fish is actually wrong,” she said. “You want to visualize yourself a little bit bigger… you want to be more like a submarine or a whale or just fat in the front. This will help you find your balance.”
Trust the water and relax
This is difficult to do for some people. By floating on the water, hands outstretched, legs together and trickle out your air, Pipes said “you can relax your body frame.” Once in position, “you can simply paddle your body like a surfboard.”
When I asked Karlyn what she does to combat negative self talk, she said: “our bodies are mostly water. If we are in the water and we tell ourselves negative things, then the water will react to that.” She said what you project into the water is returned to you. “Speak positively to yourself before a race or when your stressed. Say something like: I love you water, I love you, make me strong and what I’m really saying is I love you to myself.”
Here is the entire interview on YouTube live:
