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Published on: May 20, 2011
The relationship between stroke length, stroke frequency, glide time and performance in swimmers: a biomechanical
Barış Baydemi̇r1, Tunay Di̇li̇can2, Gökhan Çeti̇noğlu3
1Faculty of Sports Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Türkiye.
BMC Sports Science, Medicine & Rehabilitation
|June 16, 2026
Summary
Faster freestyle swimming relies on high stroke frequency and effective glide time. Stroke length also impacts performance, but requires individualized technical assessment for optimal results in competitive swimmers.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
- Swimming Performance Analysis
Background:
- Competitive freestyle swimming performance is influenced by technique.
- Key parameters include stroke length (SL), stroke frequency (SF), and glide time (GT).
- Understanding the interplay of these variables is crucial for optimizing speed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the effects of SL, SF, and GT on freestyle swimming performance.
- To analyze the relationships among these swimming technique parameters.
- To provide insights for training program development.
Main Methods:
- Study involved 12 licensed male freestyle swimmers (18-25 years old).
- Measured anthropometric characteristics, best 25m freestyle times.
- Utilized Kinovea (2D motion analysis) to record SC, SL, SF, and GT.
Main Results:
- Swimming time showed significant negative correlation with SF and GT (p < .05, p < .01).
- Swimming time demonstrated a significant positive correlation with SL (p < .05, p < .01).
- High SF and effective glide phase are crucial for faster times.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing stroke frequency and glide time is key for improving freestyle swimming speed.
- Increased stroke length may negatively impact swim times, necessitating individualized technical evaluation.
- Balanced development of technical parameters within training is recommended.
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