Over the years, I’ve watched countless age group swimmers spend hours trying to improve their swim, often with little reward. As a coach, I know the frustration of not improving firsthand. So, why do some pick it up relatively quickly and see good improvements, while others stagnate and struggle for years?
Here is my take on what’s potentially holding your swimming back, and how you can break through the plateau.
1. You’re Not Comfortable in the Water
It might seem basic, but many swimmers never truly get comfortable in the water. I can’t stress this enough—it’s a game-changer. What I mean by that is being able to put your head under the water and feel completely at ease, without feeling like you’re gasping for breath. I’ve worked with so many swimmers who struggle with this. Think about it: every time you lift your head to breathe, your hips and legs drop, which slows you down. You need to be relaxed and calm, rotating your body to breathe instead.
There are plenty of drills that can help with rotation and breathing—like side kick, 6-1-6, and 6-3-6. But the first step to real improvement is mastering comfort in the water.
One simple but effective drill I highly recommend for this is the sink down drill. It’s simple: exhale all the air from your lungs while upright in the water and let yourself sink. This drill helps you train to feel more relaxed and calm underwater. Once you’re at ease, everything else becomes easier.
2. You’re Overdoing Drills
This may sound contradictory, but spending hours doing drills to get the “perfect” technique can sometimes do more harm than good. I’ve seen swimmers get so caught up in perfecting drills that they miss the point. The truth is, unless you’re doing a specific drill to work on a particular element of your technique, you’re probably wasting your time. Worse, some drills can even slow you down.
For example, if you already have a slow stroke turnover, doing the catch-up drill can encourage an even slower turnover—not ideal for rough open water swims.
Drills should be purposeful. In my own swimming and coaching, I focus on using drills to target specific weaknesses, not just to fill up the session.
3. You’re Stuck in Cruise Mode
One of the biggest mistakes I see in age group swimmers is sticking to “easy” swimming, thinking that it’s all about maintaining perfect form. While good technique is crucial, there comes a point where you need to push yourself beyond comfort to make real progress. In my experience, once you can hold a pace of around 2:00 per 100 meters, you’ve built a solid foundation.
If you’re struggling to hold that pace, you might not be fully comfortable in the water, or there’s a major flaw in your technique that needs addressing. In these cases, I always recommend working with a good triathlon swim coach to figure out what’s holding you back.
But if you’re hitting that pace, it’s time to step it up. Swimming easy will only get you so far.
4. You’re Not Swimming Hard Enough
Improving your swim means swimming with intent. I always tell my athletes to swim with purpose, not just to check off the miles. The best way to do this is to swim under pressure, using a swim clock and structured send-off times.
One of my favorite sets—and one I swear by as a coach—is 20×100 at threshold effort with 10-15 seconds rest between reps. For example, if your threshold pace is around 1:45 per 100 meters, you would leave on 2:00. This way, the pressure builds because the clock waits for no one. If you’re just swimming with 15 seconds rest, there’s no real urgency, but when you’re up against the swim clock, it keeps you honest.
Give it a try—you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes to your swimming.
5. You’re Not Swimming Enough Full Stop
Here’s the harsh truth: if you’re only swimming once or twice a week, you won’t see significant improvement. Swimming is a skill that requires repetition, and without frequent sessions, you simply won’t develop the muscle memory or endurance you need to get faster.
I’ve experienced this firsthand, both personally and with a young lad who joined our squad. I’ve been swimming consistently for over 20 years, and the difference between two swims a week and four is huge. In recent weeks, I’ve been getting by on the minimum—just two swims a week—and believe me, I’ve felt the difference. I went from leading the lane to hanging at the back.
By contrast, the young lad who joined our group increased his swims from 2 to 4 times a week. In just 12 weeks, his 400m time dropped from 6:10 to 5:27. Those extra swims weren’t easy—one focused on strength, with lots of band work and individual medley (IM), while the other was a threshold session. But the results speak for themselves. You need to show up and put the work in, period.
Take a Step Back and Reevaluate
If you’re feeling stuck, it’s time to reevaluate your approach. Ask yourself:
- Am I comfortable in the water, or do I feel tense every time I swim?
- Am I relying too heavily on drills without understanding their purpose?
- Am I pushing myself hard enough, or am I staying in my comfort zone?
- Am I swimming frequently enough to see progress?
It’s not about doing more, but about doing things differently. Address the areas that are holding you back, and you’ll start to see improvement.
The Best Time to Work on Your Swimming is Now
With race season behind us in the Northern Hemisphere, now is the perfect time to focus on your swimming. Consider adding an extra swim session each week, or set yourself a goal—like completing a Christmas swim set challenge.
This is your chance to put in the work, reset your habits, and finally start seeing the improvement you’ve been chasing.
See you in the pool,
Coach D.