Swimming vs. Running: Are you in the 'running on ice' trap?

When teaching kids and adults to swim, one of the most common misconceptions I see is the belief that faster arm movement equals faster swimming. It’s a natural thought – after all, in running, the faster your legs move, the faster you go. But swimming doesn’t work the same way.

Think about running on solid ground. With every step, your feet push off, propelling you forward. Now imagine trying to run on ice. Without traction, your feet would slide, and no matter how fast you moved your legs, you wouldn’t get anywhere quickly. Swimming works in a similar way.

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In the water, your hands and arms act like your feet on the ground. To move efficiently, they need to find "traction" – or what we call a good hold on the water. If you rotate your arms too fast or pull too soon, it’s like slipping on ice: you’re expending a lot of energy but getting nowhere fast.

This is where many young swimmers run into trouble. Kids often think that flailing their arms as quickly as possible will make them faster. In reality, this approach creates more drag, disrupts their rhythm and leaves them exhausted without much forward motion.

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So how do we teach kids to avoid the "running on ice" trap?

Start with Technique Over Speed
Learning to swim is about mastering control. Teaching kids to slow down and focus on their stroke allows them to feel the water and create an efficient pull. By extending their arms, catching the water properly and pulling with purpose, they can start to move with power and ease.

Glide Before You Go Fast
Encourage kids to lengthen their strokes and enjoy the glide. This helps them understand that swimming is about quality, not quantity. Once they’ve mastered efficient technique, speed naturally follows.
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Practice Makes Powerful
It’s important to remind kids (and their parents!) that swimming is a skill developed over time. It’s about training the body to work with the water, not against it. The reward? More speed, less effort and greater confidence.
Learning to swim isn’t just about movement – it’s about mastering the art of traction in the water. By focusing on technique and understanding how to "grip" the water, young swimmers can build a strong foundation that sets them up for success, no matter how fast they dream of going.

A: Windmill arms  |  B: 3/4 catch  |  C: Catch up

3/4 catch stroke - perfect timing for efficiency and traction
Proper stroke timing is key in swimming. A 3/4 catch stroke, where one arm pulls as the other reaches forward, maximises efficiency and boosts distance per stroke (DPS). This smooth rhythm helps you swim faster with less effort.

This is often true for adults as well but they tend to have better buoyancy and control than kids and can grasp the understanding of the physics behind it more easily.

If you are looking to improve or correct your swim stroke for efficiency and speed get in touch today.