The paradox of swimming

Today, I reveal the biggest secret to swimming faster. Are you ready? First, you must understand this underlying paradox:

The thing you are trying to slip through is the very same thing you are trying to push against. Put another way: You have to minimize drag at the same time you are trying to maximize drag. Wait, what? Why would you want to maximize drag? Well, REVERSE drag is force in the direction you want to go. Ok, so that explains why swimming can be so difficult to master – it requires you to do contradictory things.

How to unlock this riddle: In swimming, there are only two ways to increase propulsion: 1. Minimize resistance 2. Maximize force The secret is… …never do one at the expense of the other. There you have it. Check out these drills – and start unraveling this paradox:

– 1×25 freestyle, reach and extend each arm so far forward before the catch that your shoulder touches your ear

– 1×25 freestyle, snap hip downward on the same side as that spearing arm just before you reach maximum extension

– 1×25 freestyle, reach and extend each arm so far forward before the catch that your shoulder touches your ear

– 1×25 freestyle, snap hip upward on the same side as pulling arm after you set the catch and hit the power phase