stroke optimization

designing a system to make our fastest swimmers even faster

A lot has changed for swimming gear over the years, but there has been little advancement in how coaches analyze swimmers’ strokes. 

SCOPE OF WORK

How might we use advanced technology to maximize efficiency, learn from our fastest swimmers, and account for differences in individual biomechanics? This program developed an easy-to-use solution that:

1. Delivers detailed tracking and analytics

2. Provides instant visual feedback

3. Efficiently scaled across the entire USA Swimming organization

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

• DISCOVER: Learn from trainers and athletes

• CREATE: Experiment with motion-capture hardware and data viz software options

• REFINE: Iterate by testing and refining with users

OUTCOME

This technology solution is a combination of advanced hardware and custom software that analyzes a swimmer’s dolphin kick within the allowed 15 meters of underwater swimming and provides quantitative performance data to coaches.

The software tracks six points on the swimmer’s body – wrists, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and toes – allowing coaches to pinpoint the performance attributes of specific parts of the body, as well as see how well all parts are working together to increase speed and efficiency.

The system provides coaches with information that is a significant improvement over the current approach of manually counting strokes and kicks from the deck or making assumptions from underwater video footage. By comparing measurements to performance over time, coaches will be able to use this motion tracking tool to hone in on technique adjustments that work best for each individual swimmer’s body characteristics.