Swimming speeds

[Deleted]

I've talked about my lack of abilities when it comes to swimming on here before. In the last couple weeks, I've really been paying attention to my times when doing sets. I'm wondering whether comparing times from different types of swimming can help me identify my weaknesses.

For example, my average (non-sprint) time to swim 100m is 2:20. If I use a pull buoy, the same time goes down to 2:05. If I'm kicking with a board, my time is 3:10. My all out time to sprint 50m is normally around 1:00, but I've been as low as 0:55.

Is it normal to be faster with a pull buoy, or does that show that I have a specific weakness?

Should my sprinting time be faster relative to my "normal" pace?

[emjacobs]

I swam competitively when I was young and if I remember correctly your time increasing with a pull buoy means that you are letting your hips / thighs get too loose without it. Essentially your legs and lower body don't stay as nice and tight and you are increasing drag as well as not keeping your power as condensed.

[Susie]

I am considerably faster without a pull buoy, but I also swim with perfectly competent swimmers who don't have as big a difference in speed w/ or w/o pull buoy. You shouldn't be materially slower w/o a pull buoy, though. If you are, you're probably letting your legs hang too low in the water/your body position is too vertical. It's hard to guess w/o watching you swim, but you might need to strengthen your lower back (think swimmers/supermans on dry land), you might need to engage your core/lats more with your stroke, and you might need to make your kick smaller (like shortening your stride in running) so your feet never get so deep.

Everybody is way slower kick boarding than swimming w/ or w/o a pull buoy so I would not focus too much on your times kicking.