If you’ve ever wondered how to swim faster and enhance your performance in the pool, this article is for you. Whether you’re training for a competition or aiming to improve your technique, swimming fast isn’t just about strength—it’s about using the proper methods.

From perfecting your form to incorporating high-intensity training, these pro tips will help you cut through the water more efficiently. Stick around to learn proven strategies that can transform your swim game!

 

1. Perfect Your Swimming Technique

Mastering your technique is one of the most important factors in learning to swim fast. Swimming is all about efficiency—how well you move through the water with minimal resistance. Start by focusing on body alignment.

In a swimming instructor course, swimmers learn to ensure each stroke is smooth and deliberate, pulling the maximum amount of water with every movement. Paying attention to your form can significantly affect your overall speed.

 

2. Incorporate Interval Training

Interval training is a fantastic way to swim faster by conditioning your body to perform at a higher intensity. Instead of swimming long distances at a steady pace, break your workout into shorter, high-speed intervals. For example, swim 10 sets of 100 metres quickly with short rest periods in between.

This method boosts endurance, speed, and technique all at once. Over time, your body will adapt to maintaining a higher average speed across longer distances.

 

3. Strengthen Your Core

A strong core is crucial to swimming fast, as it helps maintain proper body alignment in the water. Exercises like planks, side planks, and Russian twists strengthen the muscles that keep you balanced and stable during a swim.

Core strength improves propulsion, allowing you to powerfully move through the water. By engaging your core with each stroke, you’ll maintain a better position in the water, reducing drag and swimming faster.

4. Improve Your Starts And Turns

The start and turn phases in competitive swimming can significantly affect your overall time. A powerful start off the blocks or the wall gives you an initial burst of speed. Focus on building leg strength and practising explosive pushes to improve your start.

As for turns, make sure your transitions are smooth, and your underwater dolphin kicks are strong. Mastering these phases helps you maintain momentum and minimise time lost during a race.

 

5. Optimise Breathing Techniques

Learning how to breathe efficiently is another key to swimming faster. Breathing every 2-3 strokes instead of every stroke helps you maintain momentum and reduce drag by keeping your body in a streamlined position for longer.

Bilateral breathing, which involves alternating sides, also balances your stroke, ensuring that both sides of your body work equally hard. This rhythmic breathing pattern helps you stay smooth and efficient in the water, preventing unnecessary movements that slow you down.

 

6. Increase Stroke Rate And Distance Per Stroke (DPS)

To swim fast, you must find the optimal balance between stroke rate (how many strokes you take) and Distance Per Stroke (DPS). Increasing your stroke rate without sacrificing technique helps you move faster through the water, but it’s important to do so without shortening each stroke.

In private swimming lessons, swimmers are guided to focus on maintaining long, powerful strokes to cover more distance with each movement. Using wearable technology like swim trackers or manually timing your splits can help analyse and improve both your stroke rate and DPS, allowing you to swim more efficiently.

 

7. Use Swim Drills To Improve Technique

Swim drills are a highly effective way to improve specific aspects of your stroke, which in turn makes you a faster swimmer. Drills like sculling, finger drag, and closed-fist swimming help fine-tune your body positioning, hand placement, and water sensitivity.

For instance, sculling focuses on improving the feel of the water, while closed-fist swimming forces you to engage your forearms more effectively. These targeted exercises help refine your technique, making every stroke more efficient.

 

8. Use Resistance Tools

Adding resistance to your swim training is a powerful way to build strength and speed. Resistance tools like swim parachutes, drag socks, and resistance bands add extra drag, forcing your muscles to work harder.

Over time, this builds power, enabling you to swim faster when the resistance is removed. Incorporating resistance training into your routine can improve speed and endurance, helping you push through the water with more force.

 

9. Streamline Like A Pro

Streamlining is one of the easiest ways to get “free” speed in the water. Whether it’s after a start or a turn, staying in a tight, efficient, streamlined position reduces drag and lets you maintain momentum without additional effort.

When you push off the wall or dive into the pool, make sure to tuck your head, straighten your arms, and engage your core to stay as hydrodynamic as possible. Pair this with a strong underwater kick to maximise your speed off the walls​.

10. Prioritise Recovery And Flexibility

Recovery is often underestimated but is vital for long-term speed improvement. Stretching, foam rolling, and flexibility exercises prevent injuries and enhance muscle recovery.

By maintaining flexibility, especially in your shoulders, hips, and ankles, you’ll have a wider range of motion during your swims, which translates to more efficient strokes. Prioritising recovery helps reduce soreness, allowing you to train consistently and ultimately swim faster.

 

11. Track Performance With Wearable Tech

To swim faster, you need to track your progress and identify areas for improvement. Wearable technology, such as swim-specific devices, can provide valuable insights into your performance. These devices track metrics like stroke rate, split times, and lap speed, giving you real-time data that can help you fine-tune your technique.

Analysing this data allows you to see your location and efficiency and adjust your training accordingly. Whether you can improve your stroke rate or maximise your distance per stroke, wearable tech can play a crucial role in optimising your performance.

 

12. Build Endurance With Distance Training

Endurance is just as important as speed when it comes to swimming faster over long distances. Incorporating distance swims into your training regimen helps improve your aerobic capacity, enabling you to sustain higher speeds for longer without tiring out.

Focus on gradually increasing your swim distances during workouts, and aim for steady pacing. Over time, your ability to maintain speed across longer swims will improve, giving you an edge in both training and competition.

 

13. Focus On Kick Strength

Your legs play a significant role in propelling you through the water, so kick strength is vital for swimming fast. Incorporate focused kick sets into your practice sessions, using tools like fins to enhance leg strength and develop a more powerful kick.

Work on flutter and dolphin kicks, especially off the wall, where strong underwater kicks can boost your speed at the start of each lap. Improving your kick strength will generate more propulsion and increase your overall speed.​

 

14. Strengthen Your Upper Body

Dryland strength training, particularly targeting your upper body, can significantly impact your swimming speed. Focus on exercises that build strength in your shoulders, lats, and triceps—muscles that are heavily engaged during pulling motions in swimming.

Weightlifting, resistance bands, and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups are excellent ways to develop this strength. A stronger upper body allows you to pull more water with each stroke, boosting your speed through increased power.

 

15. Master Your Pacing

Pacing is essential for swimming fast in races or long practice sets. Start by maintaining a consistent pace throughout your swims, avoiding the common mistake of starting too fast and burning out early.

Instead, focus on gradually increasing your speed as you go, aiming for negative splits—where your times get faster with each lap or set. Mastering your pacing helps conserve energy while maximising speed when it matters most.

16. Improve Feel For The Water

Improving water confidence can significantly enhance your swimming efficiency. This involves developing better sensitivity to water resistance so you can “catch and pull” more effectively with each stroke.

Practice drills like sculling, where you use small, controlled movements with your hands to push water, and closed-fist swimming, which forces you to rely more on your forearms. These exercises train your body to better sense the water and apply force more efficiently, ultimately helping you swim faster.

 

17. Work On Flexibility And Mobility

Flexibility and mobility are key factors in maintaining an efficient stroke and avoiding injury. Focus on improving flexibility, especially in your shoulders, hips, and ankles, which are crucial for a full range of motion in the water.

Incorporating yoga or targeted stretching exercises into your routine can help loosen tight muscles, making maintaining proper form while swimming easier. Increased flexibility allows you to stretch further with each stroke, improving your overall speed and reducing the risk of muscle strain.

 

18. Use Visual And Mental Training Techniques

Swimming faster isn’t just physical—it’s mental, too. Visualisation is a powerful tool that allows you to mentally rehearse your races or practice sets, boosting your confidence and focus. Spend a few minutes each day imagining yourself swimming efficiently, executing perfect starts and turns, and hitting your target pace.

This mental rehearsal sharpens your focus and helps you perform better under pressure. Combine visualisation with breathing exercises or mindfulness techniques to keep nerves in check and stay composed during races.​

19. Maintain A Balanced Diet And Stay Hydrated

Fueling your body with the right nutrients is essential for swimming fast. A well-balanced diet rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats provides the energy needed for both training and competition.

Carbohydrates fuel your muscles, while proteins aid in recovery and muscle repair. Staying hydrated is crucial, as dehydration can negatively affect your performance and endurance. Ensure you drink plenty of water before, during, and after your swims to keep your body functioning optimally.​

 

20. Practice Race Simulations

To truly prepare for competitive events, practice simulating race conditions during training. This includes working on starts, turns, and pacing under fatigue to mimic a race’s physical and mental demands.

Set up your training environment as close to a race situation as possible—wear your race suit, time your intervals, and challenge yourself to maintain peak performance throughout. Simulating race conditions helps refine your performance strategy, reduce anxiety, and prepare your body for the real thing.

 

Conclusion On How To Swim Faster

Swimming faster is not just about physical strength; it’s about mastering technique, training smart, and staying focused. By following these 20 pro tips, you’ll be well on your way to improving your speed and performance in the water.

If you’re looking for personalised guidance Swimwerks offers expert private swimming lessons designed to help swimmers at every level. Get in touch with Swimwerks today to accelerate your swimming journey and achieve your goals.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Swimming Faster

How Can I Swim Faster Without Getting Tired?

Swimming faster without tiring requires a balance of technique, endurance, and pacing. Focus on interval training and improving your stroke efficiency to reduce energy waste and maintain speed for longer distances.

What Is The Best Breathing Technique For Swimming?

Breathing every 2-3 strokes, also known as bilateral breathing, is often the best technique. It helps maintain balance and reduces drag, allowing you to swim more smoothly and efficiently.

How Does Core Strength Improve Swimming Speed?

A strong core stabilises your body in the water, helping maintain proper alignment and reducing drag. It also allows for stronger, more coordinated movements, which translates to faster swimming.

What Kind Of Drills Help Improve Swimming Technique?

Drills like sculling, finger drag, and closed-fist swimming are great for fine-tuning specific aspects of your stroke. These drills improve water feel, stroke mechanics, and overall technique.

Why Is Flexibility Important For Swimming?

Flexibility increases your range of motion, allowing for longer, more efficient strokes. Improved flexibility also reduces the risk of injury, ensuring that you can train consistently over time.

How Can I Improve My Starts And Turns In Swimming?

To improve starts and turns, practise explosive push-offs and focus on tight streamlines. Strong underwater dolphin kicks and quick, smooth turns can help you maintain momentum and save valuable seconds during a race.