The Six Truths of Fast Swimming - Truth #5

Myth #5 of Fast Swimming: "That little technical thing won't make a difference."
The 5th Truth of Fast Swimming: "The little things ARE the big things."

First, there is no such thing as a 'little thing.' Drag is a huge factor in determining swimming speed, and each small technical adjustment can have an impact. Not only that, but a bunch of these small technical adjustments can add up to so much more.

Think about the last time you saw a penny on the ground. Was it worth picking up? Would you have been more likely to pick it up if it was a nickel? How about a dollar? What if every time you walked down the street, there was a penny, and every day you picked it up? Eventually, you would begin to accumulate enough money to be able to purchase something of value.

As swimmers and coaches, we sometimes get stuck in this "penny on the sidewalk" mentality, one that says the changes we can make are so small as to be insignificant. But the truth is that it is the sum of these changes that make a difference. Thus we must strive daily to make small incremental improvements. Some days, we may be able to make a dollar's worth of improvement. Other days, just a penny. But if we strive for improvement each and every day, the sum will be well worth the effort.