Article: Having someone monitoring your strokes, your breathing, and your technique is a great way to get a new perspective on how you approach your swim style. A good coach standing on the pool deck working with a group of swimmers is the best way to improve your overall swimming performance. If you can't find a coach, have a swimming buddy whose technique you admire watch your workout. Aside from a coach, recording yourself is a great way to get perspective on how you move through the water. You'll see bad habits you might not have been aware of as well as strengths you can improve upon. A long stroke is great; you're using good propulsion, low drag, and glide. A short stroke is great, too, but you can waste energy on strokes that are too short and scrappy. Know your stroke rate. It's a powerful aspect to know because it will allow you to make needed changes to your strokes to improve your style. Ask a friend or coach to time you for ten strokes with a stopwatch, not including dives or push-offs, just regular swimming. Count the number of strokes you take in the ten seconds. This is your stroke rate. Adjust your stroke as needed. A long distance event is any distance-based swimming event more than 1650 yards or 1508.8 meters. It can also be any time based even equal to or greater than one hour and can be in a pool or any body of water. Long distance swims are a great way to focus your expertise in your training for an fun event. Sign up with friends and make a weekend getaway out of it!

What is a summary?
Get a coach. Record yourself. Find balance between your long stroke and your short stroke. Search for long distance swims in your area.