Terry Laughlin, founder of Immersion Swimming, shares his swimming facts versus myth interpretations. More importantly learning to swim the right way from the very beginning can only enhance your swimming abilities.
Terry shares that, "The primary reason the average swimmer converts only 3 percent of energy into forward motion is that our swimming actions are so strongly influenced by basic self-preservation instincts. Concerns about choking and sinking are so primal that they continue to affect how we swim long after we’ve lost our conscious fear and even after we’ve become quite accomplished."
It is then important to counter our natural instincts to become better swimmers. Here are a couple of myths that Terry explains:
Myth: Riding high on the water allows you swim faster
Truth: We swim through, not over, the water. Consequently drag avoidance, not power production, is our most important strategy for swimming faster.
Myth: Stroke faster to swim faster
Truth: Swimming speed is determined by a simple equation: Stroke Length times Stroke Rate equals Velocity (SL x SR = V). You need both to swim faster but SL has conclusively been shown to be the foundation–the measure that correlates most strongly with performance.
Knowing that your natural instincts are counter-intuitive to the best swimming techniques, it is vital that you be vigilant and mindful in your practice to counter them.
For detailed information: The Truth About Five Common Swimming Myths