<p><strong>By popular demand — let’s talk about speed.</strong></p><p>There’s a lot written about it. A lot talked about it. And a lot of confusion about how to actually develop it.</p><p>Here are my five fundamentals of going fast, fast, fast:</p><p><strong>1. Forget “throw your arms”</strong></p><p>I’m not a fan of that old drill where kids get on their back and just throw their arms as fast as possible. Some call it overspeed training.</p><p>I don’t buy it — physiologically, biomechanically or from a skill learning perspective.</p><p>It doesn’t teach anything except throwing your arms really fast.</p><p>And our sport isn’t just about moving your arms quickly. It’s about moving your arms quickly with great technique and good skill — under fatigue, under pressure, in competition.</p><p>All of those things together.</p><p>Just thrashing your arms isn’t speed development. It’s just thrashing.</p><p><strong>2. Speed is relaxation</strong></p><p>Here’s a core principle I believe in deeply:</p><p><strong>The faster you want to go, the more relaxed you have to be.</strong></p><p>So how does a coach apply this day to day?</p><p>When you’re at the end of the pool about to send them off for a fast 50 — watch your language.</p><p>Don’t say: <em>“50 metres </em><strong><em>hard.”</em></strong></p><p>Don’t say: <em>“All out effort.”</em></p><p>Why? Because we want speed to feel effortless. Easy. Smooth.</p><p>Try this instead:</p><p><em>“This one — as fast as you can go, but easy, smooth and relaxed.”</em></p><p><em>“Maximum speed, no effort, totally relaxed.”</em></p><p>You’re marrying two concepts: maximum speed and maximum relaxation.</p><p>Look at anything that moves fast in the animal kingdom. Look at track and field sprinters. The ones who move really quickly are loose, relaxed, smooth.</p><p>You can’t swim faster by trying harder.</p><p>Swimming isn’t an effort sport. It’s a technique sport. A skill sport. A relaxation sport.</p><p><strong>3. Speed is speed is speed</strong></p><p>Just because you’re doing 25s or 50s doesn’t mean you’re doing a speed workout.</p><p>It’s all about the rest. And the intensity.</p><p>A real speed set might look like:</p><p>* <strong>8 x 25 on 3:00 - longer rest if needed.</strong></p><p>* <strong>6 x 50 on 3:30 - longer rest if needed.</strong></p><p>Complete rest. Easy, relaxed recovery — static or dynamic, your choice.</p><p>Short distances. Maximum speed. Lots of rest.</p><p><strong>Speed is speed is speed.</strong></p><p>Yes, there’s a case for doing speed work at the end of a session when they’re tired — technique under fatigue. That’s real. That’s what heats and finals feel like.</p><p>But if you’re trying to develop genuine speed — short distances, long rest, not too many of them, great speed.</p><p><strong>4. Fast + Long = Best</strong></p><p>When kids are starting out, we think about moving arms quickly. Fine.</p><p>But as they develop, we need them to move their arms quickly with maximum distance per stroke.</p><p>It’s no good if they can thrash their arms really fast but they’re taking 30 strokes per 50.</p><p>We’re looking for the combination: fast and long.</p><p><strong>Fast is good. Long is good. Fast and long is best.</strong></p><p>Long strokes at maximum speed. Pressure on the water throughout the stroke. Maintaining length while moving quickly.</p><p>That’s what we’re chasing.</p><p><strong>5. Speed work all year round</strong></p><p>This might be the most important one.</p><p>I see coaches around the world obsessed with what I call exclusion blocks. The first seven weeks of the season — endurance only. Then pre-competition — a bit of speed, lots of threshold. Then they throw speed in at the end and hope it comes back.</p><p>I totally disagree.</p><p><strong>Speed is the most precious thing in our sport.</strong></p><p>Nobody lies in bed at night dreaming of doing 40 x 100. Kids are lying in bed thinking: how do I go faster?</p><p>Olympic gold medals. World records. PBs. Qualifying for the next level.</p><p>This whole sport is about going faster.</p><p>It makes no sense to kill speed off for months with huge volumes of training and then hope it magically returns.</p><p>Wishing, hoping and prayer do not represent a solid strategy.</p><p>Do speed work at least two or three times a week. All year round. Even in the middle of your so-called endurance block.</p><p>More and more coaches around the world are moving away from exclusion blocks toward holistic, balanced programs that include deliberate speed work throughout the year.</p><p><strong>The One-Second Test</strong></p><p>Here’s my rule of thumb:</p><p><strong>Swimmers should never be more than one second slower than their PB 50 time — at any point in the year.</strong></p><p>Middle of an endurance block? They should still be able to touch speed.</p><p>If you kill it off and just hope it comes back — chances are, one day it won’t.</p><p>Speed is the most precious thing in this sport. Protect it.</p><p><strong>Over to you</strong></p><p>What are <strong>your</strong> favourite speed sessions?</p><p>How do <strong>you </strong>talk to your swimmers about going fast?</p><p>How do <strong>you </strong>generate real speed in your workouts?</p><p>I’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below.</p><p></p><p><strong>Wayne Goldsmith</strong></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://swimminggold.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">swimminggold.substack.com/subscribe</a>