Swimming Performance Plateau - Instructor Action Plan

When a swimmer reaches a Swimming Performance Plateau, the instructor should resist immediately adding more distance or demanding greater effort.

Instead, use a structured assessment to determine what is actually preventing further progress.

Swimming Performance Plateau.

1. Establish the Current Baseline

Begin by recording a simple baseline using a familiar distance and swimming stroke.

Record the swimmer's time, stroke count, breathing pattern, and overall technical quality.

Do not turn the assessment into a competition. The purpose is to understand the swimmer's current movement pattern.

Where possible, repeat the same assessment under similar conditions during later lessons.

2. Watch Before Correcting

Observe the swimmer carefully before giving instructions.

Watch the whole stroke rather than focusing immediately on one isolated movement.

Look for unnecessary movements, excessive effort, poor alignment, breathing difficulties, and changes caused by fatigue.

Ask yourself whether the swimmer is actually producing useful forward movement from their effort.

Wait... Get Your Lesson Plans Here

3. Identify the Biggest Technical Limitation

Choose the single technical fault that appears to have the greatest effect on swimming efficiency.

Avoid giving the swimmer several corrections simultaneously.

Too many instructions can make the swimmer concentrate on individual movements rather than swimming naturally.

For example, choose body position before correcting hand entry if poor alignment is creating significant resistance.

4. Test One Correction

Give the swimmer one simple instruction and repeat the same swimming task.

For example, ask them to maintain a better head position or improve their streamline.

Then watch for an immediate change in efficiency, speed, stroke count, or ease.

If the swimmer improves quickly, you have identified a technique that deserves further attention.

5. Use the Easiest Successful Version

Once you identify a technical problem, reduce the task until the swimmer can perform it successfully.

A swimmer may need to practise one movement while standing, floating, kicking, or swimming slowly.

Then gradually return the movement to the complete stroke.

This allows the swimmer to experience the correct movement without excessive physical or mental demands.

6. Increase Speed Gradually

Once the swimmer can maintain the improved technique slowly, gradually increase the swimming speed.

Watch carefully for the point where technique begins to deteriorate.

That point provides useful information about the swimmer's current technical control.

If technique collapses immediately when speed increases, continue developing technique before emphasising greater speed.

7. Compare Technique Under Fatigue

Repeat the assessment after a controlled amount of swimming.

Observe whether the swimmer can maintain the same technical improvements when becoming tired.

If technique deteriorates rapidly, fitness may contribute to the plateau.

However, the instructor should still determine which technical faults appear first.

8. Decide What the Swimmer Actually Needs

At this stage, classify the primary limitation as technique, strength, fitness, or a combination.

• Technique: improve movement efficiency and coordination.
• Strength: develop the physical ability required for effective propulsion.
• Fitness: gradually increase the swimmer's ability to sustain good technique.
• Combination: address the technical problem while progressively developing physical capacity.

This prevents instructors from prescribing the same solution for every swimmer experiencing a Swimming Performance Plateau.

9. Give the Swimmer a Specific Goal

Finish the lesson with one practical goal the swimmer can understand and remember.

Instead of saying, "Improve your freestyle," provide something measurable and specific.

For example, the goal might be maintaining a stable head position for an entire length.

Another goal might involve maintaining the same stroke length while gradually increasing swimming speed.

10. Reassess Regularly

Return to the original baseline after several lessons and compare the results.

Look for changes in efficiency rather than relying exclusively on finishing times.

A swimmer who uses fewer strokes, maintains better alignment, or finishes with less fatigue may already be making significant progress.

Eventually, those technical improvements should contribute to measurable improvements in swimming performance.

A Simple Instructor Checklist

When progress stalls, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the swimmer actually physically capable of performing the movement?
• Does their technique remain sound at slow speeds?
• What changes when they swim faster?
• What changes when they become tired?
• Does one technical correction produce an immediate improvement?
• Is unnecessary movement creating additional resistance?
• Can the swimmer maintain the correction without constant reminders?
• What single technical goal should we practise next?

This approach turns a Swimming Performance Plateau from a vague problem into a practical coaching assessment.

The instructor's job is not simply to make the swimmer work harder. It is to discover what prevents their effort from becoming effective movement.

When technique improves, strength and fitness can become much more useful. Therefore, observe first, identify the limitation, make one correction, test it, and reassess.

That disciplined approach can help swimmers move beyond plateaus while making lessons more purposeful and effective.

Practical Swimming Assessment Examples

Practical testing can help an instructor determine whether a Swimming Performance Plateau results mainly from technique, strength, or fitness.

The following examples use simple swimming tasks that can be adapted to different ages and abilities.

Example 1: Easy Swimming Versus Fast Swimming

Ask the swimmer to swim 25 metres at an easy pace and then repeat it at a faster pace.

Watch whether the swimmer maintains their basic stroke technique as their speed increases.

For example, a freestyle swimmer may have a good body position during easy swimming.

However, when swimming faster, the swimmer may lift their head, shorten their stroke, and increase unnecessary kicking.

This suggests that technique may be limiting performance at higher speeds.

Before adding more fitness work, practise maintaining the same efficient technique while gradually increasing speed.

Example 2: Stroke Count and Swimming Time

Ask the swimmer to swim a set distance at a comfortable pace while recording their time and stroke count.

Repeat the test after a technical correction.

Suppose the swimmer previously completed the distance in 30 seconds using 28 strokes.

After improving body position, they complete it in the same time using 24 strokes.

That change suggests improved efficiency, even though the finishing time has not changed.

With continued practice, that improved efficiency may allow the swimmer to increase speed without substantially increasing effort.

Example 3: Technique Before and After Fatigue

Observe the swimmer during the first 25 metres of a longer swim.

Then observe the final 25 metres and compare their technique.

Look particularly at body position, breathing, stroke length, kick coordination, and arm recovery.

If the swimmer maintains good technique initially but loses it rapidly when tired, fitness may contribute to the plateau.

However, identify which technical fault appears first.

For example, the swimmer might begin lifting their head before their stroke rate changes significantly.

That observation gives the instructor a specific technical problem to address.

Example 4: Breathing Assessment

Ask the swimmer to swim several lengths while paying particular attention to their breathing.

Watch whether they lift their head, hold their breath, rush the inhalation, or disrupt their stroke rhythm.

Then practise the breathing action separately before returning to the complete stroke.

If the swimmer immediately becomes more relaxed and efficient, breathing technique may have contributed significantly to the plateau.

Example 5: Streamline Assessment

Ask the swimmer to push off the wall and maintain a streamlined position before beginning the stroke.

Observe how well they maintain alignment and how much resistance they create.

Then compare that movement with their normal swimming.

If the swimmer loses body alignment immediately after beginning the stroke, investigate whether the transition from streamline to swimming is creating unnecessary resistance.

This can be particularly useful when assessing swimmers who appear strong but do not convert that strength into speed.

Example 6: One-Correction Test

This is one of the simplest assessments an instructor can use.

Choose one technical issue and give the swimmer one clear instruction.

For example, ask them to keep their head still while swimming freestyle.

Then repeat the same distance at approximately the same effort.

If the swimmer immediately appears smoother or swims faster, technique was probably contributing to the problem.

The instructor can then develop that correction rather than immediately increasing training volume.

Example 7: Technique Versus Strength

Ask the swimmer to perform a movement slowly while concentrating on technique.

Then gradually increase the resistance or swimming speed while observing their movement.

If technique remains good but propulsion remains weak, strength may be a limiting factor.

However, if increased resistance causes the swimmer's movement pattern to deteriorate, technique may remain the greater concern.

This distinction helps prevent instructors from prescribing strength work when better movement control is needed.

Example 8: Technique Versus Fitness

Ask the swimmer to complete several short repetitions with adequate recovery between efforts.

Then compare their technique with a longer continuous swim.

If technique remains good during repeated short efforts but deteriorates substantially during continuous swimming, fitness may be contributing.

However, if technique is poor from the first repetition, additional fitness training will not solve the primary problem.

Recording the Results

A simple assessment record can make these observations much more useful over time.

The instructor could record:

• Distance swum.
• Swimming time.
• Approximate stroke count.
• Stroke quality.
• Breathing quality.
• Body position.
• Technical fault observed.
• Correction given.
• Result after correction.

This does not need to become complicated. A few consistent observations can reveal patterns that are difficult to notice during normal lessons.

For example, a swimmer may appear to have poor fitness because they become tired quickly.

However, assessment may reveal that poor body position causes excessive resistance from the beginning.

Improving that technical fault could reduce effort and allow the swimmer to swim longer without additional conditioning.

Use Assessment to Guide the Next Lesson

The purpose of assessment is not simply to collect information. It should influence what the instructor does next.

If the swimmer responds immediately to a technical correction, practise that movement until it becomes more consistent.

If technique remains sound but the swimmer cannot sustain it, gradually develop their fitness.

If the swimmer lacks the physical ability to perform the movement effectively, appropriate strength development may be required.

Sometimes all three areas need attention, but assessment helps establish where the instructor should begin.

Most importantly, do not assume that every Swimming Performance Plateau requires harder training.

Sometimes the swimmer already has enough strength and fitness to improve significantly.

They simply need to learn how to move through the water more efficiently.

The best assessment question is therefore not simply, "How hard can this swimmer work?" It is, "How effectively are they using the ability they already have?"

Enjoy     
Richard