SWIMMING TECHNIQUE - DEVELOPING FLUENCY BY DAVE SCOTT Swimming is a skill that requires an understanding of proper mechanics. By recognizing the basic techniques and inserting select drills into your daily training - your swimming will evolve into a much more pleasurable experience. Swimming can be extremely frustrating for the beginner as well as the seasoned athlete. It's easy to develop habits (some good - some bad) for all fitness levels. Being able to identify your stroke flow allows immediate assessment and evaluation. Following is a list of key points, problem areas and drills/skills to correct your technique. When you make a stroke change, practice that drill for 4-10 lengths - with an equal emphasis on developing a complimentary bilateral stroke. Almost all swimmers have a "good" and a "bad" arm or a favorite breathing side. Develop fluency on both sides. STROKE FLAW 1. Lower body sinks - you're always swimming uphill. a. Head position is "pressed" downward water level is at crown - not hairline b. Chest is pushed downward as well c. Concentrate on lifting heels not kicking hard downward 2. Streamline body position - your hips wag from side-to-side a. Eyes look downward (4-6 feet ahead) b. Rotate entire torso, keeping pelvis from sloshing by lightly contracting abdominals c. Rotate shoulders (60E째) off the water surface hips rotate 30-45E째 d. Feet may hit or crossover - that's ok 3. Legs are heavy and always sink - you're faster when swimming with a pull buoy a. Your ankles are probably dorsi-flexed similar to running position - practice pointing your toes b. Use fins - practice flutter kicking on your back, side, stomach and in the deep end c. Kick from the hips - NOT knees - you're not riding a bike in the pool 4. Arms swing like helicopter blades - you're continually clobbering your lane mates a. Men particularly, are tight in the upper back, shoulders and latisimus dorsi - stretch everyday b. Practice lifting elbow on recovery and dragging finger tips c. Swim a length with someone next to you and try to rotate torso and lift elbow without hitting your lane mate 5. Breathing is labored - can't get enough air a. Timing is critical - exhale is completed as elbow just begins to exit (on recovery) b. Practice keeping your lips slightly open when lowering your face c. Begin exhale as your hand presses down (a light trickle) d. 80% of exhale occurs when pulling arm is under chest to completion of the stroke 6. Neck is tight a. Lower your head (see #1) b. When head is down, look slightly to the opposite side
c. Relax shoulders d. Swing arm on recovery with thumb slightly leading the way 7. Body fishtails a. Check entry spot of hand - should line up with ear and shoulder not cross over the midline b. Don't over reach - slice a clean, quiet hole in the water - elbow bend is 130E째 c. Stretch hip flexors and low back - tightness causes torso rigidity 8. Hand slips during underwater phase a. Keep your elbow high on re-entry and entry - no dropped elbows b. Practice freestyle with a single paddle or with ineffective arm c. Put light pressure on the fingertips after full extension below surface 9. Can't feel triceps on your finish a. Practice hyper-extending your wrist by pushing with the heel of your hand - not flicking your wrist as hand passes by your hip b. Single paddle drill is effective to learn this stroke (hand) position - work on tricep kick-backs in your strength training session KEY POINTS FOR BEGINNERS TO ADVANCED 1. Learn how to breathe - practice bobbing, offside breathing and bilateral breathing. The exhale trickles then builds at the end of the stroke 2. Practice streamlining (gliding) - teaches and aero position. Legs straight, toes pointed, arms extended overhead with chin tucked 3.Rotate - feel recovery shoulder staying high as you tip from side to side. Stretch obliques and hips. Feel skinny, long and linear 4.Increase flexibility - see flexibility stretches 5.Count stroke length (number of strokes/length) - practice going distance per stroke. i.e. Hold the entry for 2 seconds with proper alignment then rotate to other side.