OMY! Sports News

Swimming Secrets for Everyone

Triathlon Tech
Swimming is a sport that demands precision and balance. However, tracking and improving these aspects can be challenging—it often requires hours of coach observations and specialized tools like stopwatches or video systems. For most amateur swimmers, especially those who train independently, access to detailed data about their technique is limited.
This very challenge inspired our friends at MySwimEdge to come up with a simple idea — to create something small, convenient, and designed specifically for swimmers. That’s how the sensor, based on MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology, was born. It’s a tool that seamlessly integrates into your training routine, helping you understand how your body moves, how effective each stroke is, and what can be improved — all without laboratories, complex devices, or high costs.
Let’s dive into how it works for swimmers of all levels.

Easy to Use, But Deep Insights

The sensor doesn’t require a complicated setup. Simply place it in a special strap on your lower back, swim one lap, sync the sensor with the MySwimEdge app, and get critical data and graphs detailing your swimming technique. You don’t need to prepare the pool or spend hours analyzing — the results are ready in a minute or two.
Want to see how your technique changes at higher speeds, when breathing to the other side, or when fatigued? Swim another lap or more, and you’ll have a full set of insights into your swimming technique.

Small but Powerful

This tiny device packs a lot of technology:
  • Tracks movements in three dimensions (rotation, acceleration, and magnetic field).
  • Stores data and syncs with your phone via Bluetooth.
  • Fully waterproof, with built-in memory and a rechargeable battery.
  • Weighs less than 50 grams, so you’ll barely notice it’s there.

Data That Really Matters for Swimmers

After your swim, the sensor provides information to help you refine your technique:
  • Symmetry: How effective are your left and right strokes?
  • Speed and Distance: A graph of speed variations and distance per stroke — not averages, but for each stroke individually.
  • Stroke Stability: Are all your strokes consistent, or are some more or less efficient?
  • Stroke Characteristics: Are you maintaining speed or alternating between accelerating and slowing down?

Why Symmetry Matters

The foundation of efficiency in any cyclic activity is smooth, steady forward motion. The higher your speed with consistent effort, the lower your energy expenditure and the greater your endurance at that speed. Jerks, imbalance, and uneven motion waste energy, slow you down, shorten your maximum distance, and often lead to injuries.
With MySwimEdge, you can analyze your “symmetry” — metrics comparing the balance of your movements. The sensor shows:
  • Which arm propels you further with each stroke.
  • How speed and effort differ between arms.
  • How synchronized your arms are.
This data isn’t just numbers. It allows you to see what’s happening in the water and focus on real improvements. It’s not about achieving perfect symmetry but understanding how balanced or unbalanced your body is in the water.

How It Works During a Swim

The sensor collects data as you swim, and upon syncing with the app, analysis begins:
  • Tracks your body’s rotation to determine when each stroke starts and ends.
  • Analyzes the speed, distance, and rhythm of each arm’s movements.
  • After the session, the data is automatically processed and made available in the app, where you can view graphs and metrics.
You can immediately see how changes in breathing, body rotation, or stroke technique affect your efficiency. Adjust your rotation, body position, or stroke and observe how your technique evolves. Of course, you can track your technique improvements over time.

A Story of Progress

Take M., an amateur triathlete who struggled with swimming due to a shoulder injury. With the help of MySwimEdge, she discovered that her left arm was less efficient. A discussion with her coach revealed the need to improve torso rotation to reduce shoulder strain. Thanks to targeted training, M. reduced her 200m time from 3 minutes 30 seconds (1:45/100m pace) to 3 minutes 15 seconds (1:37/100m pace) while experiencing less shoulder pain.
Stories like this show that even small, data-driven adjustments can lead to significant results.

For Swimmers of All Levels

You don’t need to be a professional to benefit from understanding your technique. Whether you swim for health, prepare for triathlons, or simply want to improve your skills, access to accurate data motivates and helps you train smarter.
It’s not about being perfect — it’s about making progress. When you see how your swimming evolves over weeks or months, your training takes on new meaning.
Learn more about the sensor’s functionality in the American Swimming Journal editions #4, #5, #6
OMY! Sports in cooperation with MySwimEdge