Swim Stroke Timing

This kind of graph plots propulsive force over time for each arm during freestyle, showing not where the arms are in space, but when each hand is actually producing forward drive. In this figure, the original author uses the terms “catch-up” and “opposition” in a force-based, not stylistic, sense, so it’s worth being precise. By catch-up, the author means a timing pattern where one arm completes its propulsive phase before the other arm begins to generate meaningful force, producing a clear gap or “dead spot” in propulsion. By opposition, the author does not mean strict 180-degree arm opposition — true opposition would also create a dead spot. Instead, the solid curves represent a front-quadrant overlap, where the recovering hand has entered and begun setting the catch before the opposite arm has fully finished its push. This overlap prevents propulsive force from dropping to zero, creating a continuous pressure wave that maintains momentum and body support. The key distinction the author highlights is therefore not stroke length or patience at the front, but whether propulsion is overlapping or interrupted.

Before I get into my own reflections, I want to start by pointing you to a blog post that’s genuinely worth your time.

Paul Newsome from Swim Smooth recently published an article called “The Hardest Swim Type to Correct and Why.” If stroke timing has ever felt hard to see, hard to feel, or hard to explain to athletes, this is one of the clearest frameworks I’ve come across.

Why this matters: Stroke timing is often the invisible wall that stops fitness from turning into speed. Swimmers can get stronger, fitter, and more committed—yet still feel stuck—because momentum leaks away at the front of the stroke.

Paul introduces a simple timing spectrum based on his Swim Types system that places swimmers not by talent or fitness, but by when propulsion happens at the front of the stroke:

• Bambinos and Arnies: Sit on the early / unstable timing side, often dropping the lead arm too soon.

• Kicktastics, Swingers, and Smooths: Generally show good timing (front quadrant)—but they arrive there and maintain it through very different mechanisms.

• Over-gliders: Sit on the late-timing, paused side.

If you coach or train swimmers regularly, I’d strongly recommend reading Paul’s article first. Everything below builds on his model, exploring how these types react when we add variables like cadence and gear.

The Big Idea: Timing Is Directional, Not “Good vs Bad”

What I really like about Paul’s spectrum is that it removes judgment. Swimmers don’t suddenly become “bad.” They drift. Often, a real problem is fixed—just taken a step too far.

The Fix-to-Fault Pipeline

The Flaw: Dropping the lead arm too early -> Instability at the breath.

The Fix: Holding the lead arm longer ->  Improved support and confidence.

The Drift: The hold becomes a pause -> Momentum stalls and over-gliding appears.

Nothing broke. A sensible fix just overshot the middle of the spectrum.

The "Implicit" Timing of Swingers and Kicktastics

In Paul’s model, Swingers and Kicktastics are not timing-fault swimmers. They have rhythm and continuity. However, there is a key difference in how they sustain that timing:

• Swingers: Maintain timing through rotation and a natural, higher cadence.

• Kicktastics: Maintain timing through a high-energy kick. That kick creates a "propulsive bridge" that connects one arm stroke to the next.

For both types, good timing is often implicit—it happens as a byproduct of their rhythm rather than through conscious control of the lead arm. This distinction is vital for Swimrun.

Why Stroke Timing Is Often Under-Coached

In my own coaching, I've observed that stroke timing is often under-emphasized, especially by experienced swimmers and coaches. Why? Because good swimmers tend to self-solve timing with stroke rate.

When cadence is higher:

• Time at the front compresses.

• Pauses are harder to sustain.

• The hands tend to pass naturally.

In simple terms: Higher stroke rates hide timing problems.

At higher cadence, propulsion overlaps more smoothly from one arm to the other. This creates a near-continuous pressure wave through the stroke, masking the brief loss of lift that would otherwise be obvious during a pause.

Learner Swimmers Live in “Stretched Time”

With adult learners and developing swimmers, I regularly see stroke rates in the low-to-mid 50s. At those rates:

• Small pauses become full stops.

• Delayed catches kill momentum.

• Timing faults become the main limiter.

Paul’s spectrum explains what the swimmer is doing wrong. Stroke rate explains why it feels so hard.

Why This Explains Paddle Performance in Swimrun

This framework explains something many swimrun coaches notice intuitively: two swimmers can look identical in no-gear swimming—then become worlds apart once paddles and pull buoys are added.

The "Timing-Fragility" of the Kicktastic and Swinger

In Swimrun, the Kicktastic and the Swinger are uniquely vulnerable to a timing collapse. Why? Because the gear systematically removes their primary timing mechanism.

• For the Kicktastic: Their "propulsive bridge" is the legs. When that kick is neutralized by a pull buoy or restricted by a wetsuit and shoes, the bridge vanishes.

• For the Swinger: Their "timing mask" is high cadence. When large paddles artificially reduce their stroke rate and lengthen their time at the front, their natural rhythm is disrupted.

In no-gear swimming, both types look great. But under the constraint of gear, if they haven't learned to consciously maintain that front-quadrant connection using their arms alone, they drift instantly rightward on the spectrum. They become accidental over-gliders because the mechanisms they usually rely on (kick and cadence) have been taken away.

Paddles Change the Timing Game

Especially with the current trend toward larger paddles:

• Stroke rate drops.

• Time at the front increases.

• Any timing error is magnified.

Without realizing it, swimmers are pushed rightward along the timing spectrum.

What Paddles Really Reveal

When stroke rate slows, over-gliders lose momentum and delayed catches become obvious because the legs can’t "rescue" the stroke. Meanwhile, swimmers with solid timing maintain continuity and stay fast even at low cadence.

Paddles don’t create the difference. They expose it.

There is also a double whammy here. When an over‑glider uses large paddles, they’re not just losing momentum — they’re placing significant torque on the shoulder as they try to accelerate the paddle from a dead stop.

But it often doesn’t stop there. Because the swimmer is eager to restart momentum, the pull frequently begins too early — before the recovering hand has passed the head and before the natural weight shift has occurred.

That means the catch is no longer set up by the body moving past an anchored hand. Instead, the arm tries to do the work in isolation. Elbow position drops, the shoulder takes the load, and what should have been a high‑elbow, forward‑set catch becomes a forced pull against the water.

So paddles amplify two timing problems at once: restarting from zero and pulling before the body is in position to support the catch. Over time, that combination isn’t just inefficient — it’s a clear durability risk.

The Swimrunner’s Trap: Why No-Gear Swimming is Your Timing Lab

Many swimrunners fall into the trap of training exclusively with pull buoys and paddles. While the sport is gear-intensive, skipping no-gear training is a mistake for one primary reason: Gear is a crutch that masks dead spots.

The False Buoyancy of the Pull Buoy

A pull buoy artificially raises the hips, making it "safe" to pause at the front because the back end isn't sinking. Without gear, that same pause causes the legs to drop immediately. No-gear swimming provides the instant feedback you need to realize that your timing is stalling.

The Artificial Momentum of Paddles

Large paddles create a massive burst of propulsion that can "carry" a swimmer through a dead spot in their timing. This creates a "pulse-and-coast" rhythm that is ineffective over long distances. In no-gear swimming, that momentum evaporates the second you pause.

Owning the Flow

If you can’t maintain a continuous, fluid rhythm without gear, you don't actually "own" your stroke timing—you are simply renting it from your equipment. To achieve optimal timing with gear on, you must first master the ability to remove dead spots when you have nothing but your own rhythm to keep you moving.

Coaching Takeaways

• Stroke timing deserves to be a primary coaching focus.

• Low stroke rates are a stress test for timing.

• No-gear swimming is the diagnostic lab; paddles are the final exam.

• Kicktastics and Swingers are "Timing-Fragile"—they must learn to maintain flow when gear removes their natural rhythm.

• Bigger paddles magnify timing issues if continuity isn't solid.

If you can’t maintain flow when time stretches, you don’t fully own your stroke timing yet.

Final Thought

Paul’s article explains how swimmers drift into timing problems. Stroke rate and equipment explain when those problems become obvious. Together, they offer a practical, non-judgmental way to understand one of the most misunderstood parts of freestyle.

If stroke timing has ever felt slippery—either to feel or to coach—start with Paul’s piece. Everything else builds from there.