Stroke rate is one of the most discussed topics in triathlon swimming, and for good reason. It is also one of the most misunderstood. The short answer is that in the pool, stroke rate matters far less than most people think. In open water, it matters far more.
In the Pool, a Wide Range Works
Look at elite pool swimmers and you will find a surprisingly wide range of stroke rates across events and individuals. Some swimmers take long, gliding strokes. Others turn their arms over rapidly. Both approaches produce world-class times in the controlled environment of a pool, where lane ropes dampen waves, there is no current, and nobody is swimming over the top of you.
If you are a pool swimmer chasing faster times, stroke rate is unlikely to be the variable that moves the needle. Technique, power application through the water, and fitness will get you further. Targeted drill work is a better use of your time.
Open Water Changes Everything
The moment you step into open water, the equation shifts dramatically. Currents, chop, swell, other swimmers jostling for position - the environment is inherently unpredictable. Swimmers who "sit on their stroke" with a long, gliding catch phase are constantly being disrupted. Every wave, every bump from another competitor, every change in current interrupts that glide and robs them of momentum.
Higher stroke rate swimmers maintain more consistent propulsion through these disruptions. They spend less time in the vulnerable glide phase where external forces can slow them down. This is why, almost without exception, the fastest open water swimmers in the world operate at a higher stroke rate than their pool equivalents.
In the pool, you can afford to glide. In open water, every pause in propulsion is an invitation for the environment to slow you down.
How to Increase Stroke Rate Without Losing Length
The common mistake when trying to increase stroke rate is simply spinning the arms faster, which shortens the stroke and achieves nothing useful. The key is to shorten the gap between full extension and setting up the catch.
Most triathletes have a dead spot at the front of their stroke. The hand enters the water, the arm extends, and then there is a pause before the catch begins. That pause is where your free speed lives. By initiating the catch earlier - getting the hand into position and beginning to press backward sooner after entry - you increase your stroke rate without sacrificing stroke length.
Practice this deliberately in the pool using the right swim equipment. Use a tempo trainer set slightly above your current stroke rate and focus specifically on eliminating that dead spot at the front. Over time, the higher rate will feel natural, and you will carry it into race day with a stroke that is both fast and long.