Every swimmer should breathe every 3rd stroke during freestyle training. Many are reluctant to change. Allow me to state my case:
Exhibit A: Breathing bilaterally keeps your stroke even. Ever seen a swimmer who "limps" as they swim? Was he breathing every 3? Exactly.
Exhibit B: Breathing every 3 helps avoid neck and shoulder tightness. Swimmers who breathe only to one side try this: Turn your head to the right. Turn your head to the left. Is your flexibility equal in both directions? Most likely you can turn your head further to your breathing side.
Exhibit C: Head position determines body position. We breathe with our heads. In my observation, 99% of freestylers could improve their breathing mechanics. Thus with better breathing mechanics, almost every swimmer can improve her body position, reducing drag.
Exhibit D: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. To pick your head up or to pull your head to the side to side to breathe, you must support that position. Thus, unless your breathing mechanics are perfect, you are exerting energy and effort to support that imbalance. This is energy that could be used to propel you forward.
Exhibit E: "I get less oxygen when I breathe every 3rd stroke," say the every-stroke-breathers. Changing a habit is not easy. Learning a new skill takes time. At first, you will get less oxygen when you breathe every 3. As you develop your bilateral habit, you will learn to relax and breathe deeper. Soon you will be able to take in nearly as much oxygen as before.
Exhibit F: With imperfect breathing mechanics, the equal and opposite reactions can often cause stroke irregularities that can cause injury, most often to the shoulders. Who would have thought that simply breathing could injure you?
The floor is open for cross-examination.
Showing posts with label Technique. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technique. Show all posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Are You an UGLY Swimmer?
Do you exhibit these traits that might make you an UGLY swimmer?
U sually late is how you arrive to the pool. Be prepared and start on time to maximize your improvement potential.
G oal setting is a chore for you. Become a champion goal-setter if you wish to become a champion.
L azy around your walls. The turns can make an ordinary swimmer good and a good swimmer great. Concentrate on making yours better to make the leap to the next level.
Y earning to be better without making an increased commitment. Achievement follows a commitment to excellence.
U sually late is how you arrive to the pool. Be prepared and start on time to maximize your improvement potential.
G oal setting is a chore for you. Become a champion goal-setter if you wish to become a champion.
L azy around your walls. The turns can make an ordinary swimmer good and a good swimmer great. Concentrate on making yours better to make the leap to the next level.
Y earning to be better without making an increased commitment. Achievement follows a commitment to excellence.
Featured Drill: Flags-In Finishes
The finish is among the least frequently practiced skills in our sport, in my observation. This drill serves as a mini-progression to help swimmers adjust to the presence of the wall appropriately during a finish, thus practicing for that gold medal moment.
We did this as a set of 16 x 50 today, 6 done like phase 1, 6 in phase 2, and the final 4 in phase 3. Here's the progression.
Phase 1
At the conclusion of the 50, the swimmer takes his last stroke at the backstroke flags and then positions his body for the finish, kicking strong all the way to an extended touch.
Phase 2
Same idea as the first phase, just move everything closer to the wall. Take the last stroke halfway between the flags and the wall. Make sure the swimmer is paying close attention to the spacing with the wall.
Phase 3
Now do an all-out finish, touching with the body at maximum length. The swimmer should touch with the fingertips. With the wall-judging ability honed in phases 1 and 2, the swimmer should be able to time his finish very precisely.
Try this progression for any stroke. You never know when your finish will make the difference between gold and silver!
Thank you to Heath Hudgins (the swimmer in the videos) for being a willing example.
We did this as a set of 16 x 50 today, 6 done like phase 1, 6 in phase 2, and the final 4 in phase 3. Here's the progression.
Phase 1
At the conclusion of the 50, the swimmer takes his last stroke at the backstroke flags and then positions his body for the finish, kicking strong all the way to an extended touch.
Phase 2
Same idea as the first phase, just move everything closer to the wall. Take the last stroke halfway between the flags and the wall. Make sure the swimmer is paying close attention to the spacing with the wall.
Phase 3
Now do an all-out finish, touching with the body at maximum length. The swimmer should touch with the fingertips. With the wall-judging ability honed in phases 1 and 2, the swimmer should be able to time his finish very precisely.
Try this progression for any stroke. You never know when your finish will make the difference between gold and silver!
Thank you to Heath Hudgins (the swimmer in the videos) for being a willing example.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
4 Laws for Your Best 400 I.M.
Want to have the race of your life in the "Decathlon of Swimming?" Obey these four fundamental laws of the 400 I.M.
1. Negative split the backstroke, breaststroke,and freestyle legs. Ideally, the difference is less than 1 second. Because of the time spent executing the back-to-breast and breast-to-free turns, this actually represents near even-pace swimming.
2. Finish each stroke before you begin the next one. It sounds so simple but requires a focused effort to make it happen. Finish each stroke with a bit of extra "oomph" and you will catapult yourself into the next stroke. Limp into the transition and you are already off to a bad start on the next 100 yards.
3. Exploit your strengths. This is your opportunity for an advantage over your opponent. Failing to do this is like keeping your pistol in its holster during a swordfight.
4. Cover your weaknesses. Swim the worst stroke well, with an extra eye for efficiency. Does it seem like this means you have to do EVERYTHING well? Welcome to the 400 I.M.
1. Negative split the backstroke, breaststroke,and freestyle legs. Ideally, the difference is less than 1 second. Because of the time spent executing the back-to-breast and breast-to-free turns, this actually represents near even-pace swimming.
2. Finish each stroke before you begin the next one. It sounds so simple but requires a focused effort to make it happen. Finish each stroke with a bit of extra "oomph" and you will catapult yourself into the next stroke. Limp into the transition and you are already off to a bad start on the next 100 yards.
3. Exploit your strengths. This is your opportunity for an advantage over your opponent. Failing to do this is like keeping your pistol in its holster during a swordfight.
4. Cover your weaknesses. Swim the worst stroke well, with an extra eye for efficiency. Does it seem like this means you have to do EVERYTHING well? Welcome to the 400 I.M.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Stop Wasting Your Walls
You are a fast swimmer. But are you a fast turn swimmer? There is a difference, you see. Many swimmers have been defeated by slower competitors who simply have superior turns, thus gaining an advantage that leads to victory. Most likely, we have all faced someone who turns faster than we do. The solution, in part, lies in your mental approach to your walls.
Without realizing it, you may have subconsciously allowed yourself to believe that the turn is a place where you get a little rest. You push yourself really hard when you swim, and you are so happy to get to the wall that you take an extra few fractions of a second to reverse your direction. It is an easy habit to fall into, but a very bad one.
To reprogram yourself for new turn habits, begin thinking of each turn as an opportunity to accelerate, to pick up speed, and to gain ground on your competitors. With this approach, your eyes will be opened to how much faster you can be. So stop wasting your walls and start making the most of every opportunity!
Without realizing it, you may have subconsciously allowed yourself to believe that the turn is a place where you get a little rest. You push yourself really hard when you swim, and you are so happy to get to the wall that you take an extra few fractions of a second to reverse your direction. It is an easy habit to fall into, but a very bad one.
To reprogram yourself for new turn habits, begin thinking of each turn as an opportunity to accelerate, to pick up speed, and to gain ground on your competitors. With this approach, your eyes will be opened to how much faster you can be. So stop wasting your walls and start making the most of every opportunity!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Featured Drill: Triple Turn
This drill was recommended to me by Griff Helfrich, one of our assistant coaches. It is designed to help a swimmer set up and execute a breast or fly turn correctly with maximum rotational speed. I'll call it Triple Turn drill.
The explanation is simple enough: when the swimmer approaches the wall, he or she executes three consecutive open turns. During the first two, the swimmer does everything but the push-off, then reloads the body for another turn. On the third one, the swimmer pushes off the wall as normal.
When executing the Triple Turn, the swimmer must pay attention to several technical elements - a strong knee drive, swift compact arm action, and driving the head straight back into an agressive streamline to depart the wall.
This drill could be performed in the middle of any breast, fly, or IM set, or could be done with the swimmer beginning from a prone kicking position and initiating the Triple Turn on command or on a whistle.
Here is a brief look at one of our swimmers, rising senior Bryce Mendes performing the Triple Turn during a breaststroke set.
The explanation is simple enough: when the swimmer approaches the wall, he or she executes three consecutive open turns. During the first two, the swimmer does everything but the push-off, then reloads the body for another turn. On the third one, the swimmer pushes off the wall as normal.
When executing the Triple Turn, the swimmer must pay attention to several technical elements - a strong knee drive, swift compact arm action, and driving the head straight back into an agressive streamline to depart the wall.
This drill could be performed in the middle of any breast, fly, or IM set, or could be done with the swimmer beginning from a prone kicking position and initiating the Triple Turn on command or on a whistle.
Here is a brief look at one of our swimmers, rising senior Bryce Mendes performing the Triple Turn during a breaststroke set.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
What It Looks Like... Breathing to the Side in Butterfly
The following picture appeared on the front page of wwww.usaswimming.org this afternoon. It is Christine Magnuson, American record-holder in the 100 fly performing her signature event.
Magnuson demonstrates great technique utilizing a side-looking breath in butterfly. There are many swimmers that use this technique, but curiously, the forward breath persists in many butterflyers. I believe this is because many swimmers will not take the time to learn it and coaches will not take the time to teach it. If you can learn, it can be advantageous for several reasons:
1. Allows the swimmer to stay lower to the water on the breath, which means more of the swimmer's energy is directed to going forward.
2. Because of #1, the swimmer may be able to breathe more often without sacrificing speed.
3. Enables the swimmer to see the competition more effectively than with a forward breath. If the swimmer can breathe to both sides, this is an even more useful skill.
If you want to learn to breathe to the side in butterfly, here are a few pointers.
1. Work on your neck flexibility. In my opinion, this is the primary reason why swimmers who try side-breathing have difficulty - tightness in their neck prevents them from doing it correctly.
2. Be sure to keep your hips and shoulders on plane. By this I mean don't let your body roll to the side simply to get your side-breath.
3. Continue to do all the other technical elements of butterfly correctly. Strong kick, strong pull, good body dolphin, etc. The importance of these hasn't changed at all!
Magnuson demonstrates great technique utilizing a side-looking breath in butterfly. There are many swimmers that use this technique, but curiously, the forward breath persists in many butterflyers. I believe this is because many swimmers will not take the time to learn it and coaches will not take the time to teach it. If you can learn, it can be advantageous for several reasons:
1. Allows the swimmer to stay lower to the water on the breath, which means more of the swimmer's energy is directed to going forward.
2. Because of #1, the swimmer may be able to breathe more often without sacrificing speed.
3. Enables the swimmer to see the competition more effectively than with a forward breath. If the swimmer can breathe to both sides, this is an even more useful skill.
If you want to learn to breathe to the side in butterfly, here are a few pointers.
1. Work on your neck flexibility. In my opinion, this is the primary reason why swimmers who try side-breathing have difficulty - tightness in their neck prevents them from doing it correctly.
2. Be sure to keep your hips and shoulders on plane. By this I mean don't let your body roll to the side simply to get your side-breath.
3. Continue to do all the other technical elements of butterfly correctly. Strong kick, strong pull, good body dolphin, etc. The importance of these hasn't changed at all!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Featured Drill: Open-Mouth Swimming
Just as during many other elements of swimming technique, when breathing it is advantageous for a swimmer to relax to exert minimal energy while producing maximum forward motion. The goal of today's drill is to teach you to relax your jaw and facial muscles while breathing.
Try swimming freestyle with your mouth open - when it is in and out of the water. Try it for backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly too. Yes, you will get water in your mouth. Don't swallow it - spit it out as you exhale and keep going. This drill can also help swimmers become more aware of when their inhale/exhale cycle and prevents breath-holding. Try it and let me know what you think!
Try swimming freestyle with your mouth open - when it is in and out of the water. Try it for backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly too. Yes, you will get water in your mouth. Don't swallow it - spit it out as you exhale and keep going. This drill can also help swimmers become more aware of when their inhale/exhale cycle and prevents breath-holding. Try it and let me know what you think!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Featured Drill: Silent Swim
It's been awhile since I have used this drill, but it worked quite well with a group of our UNC Swim Campers yesterday.
I call it "Silent Swim." The idea is to have the group swim a distance (100m works well) without making any noise. To accomplish this, the swimmers can create no splash from either their stroke or kick. There is also one additional requirement - everyone in the group must be slower than a certain time (2:00 in this instance), or the silent swim must be performed again by the entire group.
By doing this drill, swimmers are forced to stop thinking about creating more power or exerting more force on the water, but rather to notice how their bodies interact with the water. An awareness of how one's body moves water out of the way can aid the swimmer's proprioception. The time limit is crucial - pick a time that will cause everyone in the group to really swim slowly.
This set is not hard, at least not in the traditional sense, so it may not seem like doing it again is very strong negative reinforcement. The solution: Use silent swim as a warm-down. If they do it right - they're done. If not? Again!
I call it "Silent Swim." The idea is to have the group swim a distance (100m works well) without making any noise. To accomplish this, the swimmers can create no splash from either their stroke or kick. There is also one additional requirement - everyone in the group must be slower than a certain time (2:00 in this instance), or the silent swim must be performed again by the entire group.
By doing this drill, swimmers are forced to stop thinking about creating more power or exerting more force on the water, but rather to notice how their bodies interact with the water. An awareness of how one's body moves water out of the way can aid the swimmer's proprioception. The time limit is crucial - pick a time that will cause everyone in the group to really swim slowly.
This set is not hard, at least not in the traditional sense, so it may not seem like doing it again is very strong negative reinforcement. The solution: Use silent swim as a warm-down. If they do it right - they're done. If not? Again!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Every Competition a Practice
Check out the corollary to this column, Every Practice a Competition
What are your goals for the end of this season? How fast do you want to go? What skills will you need to improve in order to achieve your goals? What steps are you taking today to improve these skills?
These are all crucial questions to ask yourself, particularly around each swim meet you attend. Meets represent a chance to test your skills, measure your progress, and hone your strategy. For senior swimmers, at in-season meets where a best time may not be the goal, it is important to have technical or strategic objectives so that the swimmer and coach may determine whether progress is being made. For age group swimmers who more often tend to improve their times dramatically while they are growing rapidly and learning new skills, it is equally important that the coach and athlete stay focused on the athlete's technical improvements, not just the swimmer's time. This approach will allow for continued development of the swimmer's ability and enjoyment of the sport.
Ideally, you have set goals for the end of your season. Use each competition during the season to take a step toward those goals, particularly in the areas of your technique and strategy. In this way, every competition can form a valuable part of your practice.
What are your goals for the end of this season? How fast do you want to go? What skills will you need to improve in order to achieve your goals? What steps are you taking today to improve these skills?
These are all crucial questions to ask yourself, particularly around each swim meet you attend. Meets represent a chance to test your skills, measure your progress, and hone your strategy. For senior swimmers, at in-season meets where a best time may not be the goal, it is important to have technical or strategic objectives so that the swimmer and coach may determine whether progress is being made. For age group swimmers who more often tend to improve their times dramatically while they are growing rapidly and learning new skills, it is equally important that the coach and athlete stay focused on the athlete's technical improvements, not just the swimmer's time. This approach will allow for continued development of the swimmer's ability and enjoyment of the sport.
Ideally, you have set goals for the end of your season. Use each competition during the season to take a step toward those goals, particularly in the areas of your technique and strategy. In this way, every competition can form a valuable part of your practice.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Review: Tempo Trainer - The Smart Swimmer's Tool
One of my favorite pieces of training equipment is the tempo trainer. Made by Finis, it is a small device that beeps at an adjustable rate. Put it behind your ear inside your swim cap, and away you go... beep... beep... beep.
The Tempo Trainer allows a swimmer to ensure he is achieving specificity in training, working his neuromuscular system in a way that is similar to what he aims to achieve in a racing situation. A tempo trainer can also be used to help a distance swimmer hold a particular pace in training, being set to beep when a swimmer is expect to turn at the end of the pool. We use it regularly in our training, and I find it an invaluable tool, particularly for short sprinting sets.
Some pros and cons of the Tempo Trainer:
Pros: Low price tag($30), simple two-button operation, ability to set beep for paces or stroke tempos,a versatile tool that can be used for all strokes, small compact design
Cons: Battery wears out quickly and must be sent to the manufacturer for replacement, goggle strap clip doesn't work well, buttons are small and hard to push, inability to program specific sets into the device
Does your team use the tempo trainer? If so, do you have a favorite Tempo Trainer set or a particular way that you like to use it?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
How Swimmers Ruin Kick Sets
Kicking is among the most vital skills that young swimmers need to learn. A strong kick provides a firm foundation for success and improvement in the long term. Unfortunately, I think many swimmers sabotage their chances of improving when they do kick sets. Here are the ways I see this happen:
1. Turning Kick Sets Into Social Hour
When swimmers kick with boards, they often use it as a chance to chat with their teammates. This takes the focus away from the kicking,and may even encourage the swimmer to lift his head and drop the hips, ruining the body position.
2. Pulling Into the Turn
In a race, using the legs to kick hard into all turns (particularly in backstroke and freestyle) is important to maintain one's momentum and execute the turn at maximum speed. Yet, when I watch most swimmers perform kick sets, when they pass under the flags they will stop kicking, take one or two arm strokes, pull with the kickboard, and then reach for the wall. This reinforces the bad habit of not using one's legs into the wall, not to mention reducing the training effect. When a swimmer kicks for 15 yards, pulls for 5 yards, and then pushes off and glides 5 yards, the legs don't get nearly the same workout.
3. Impatience Leading to Cheating
The quality of patience is a difficult one to get youngsters to buy into, particularly in a competitive environment. Many swimmers put competing with their teammates ahead of focusing on their improvement. The impatient swimmer often pulls on the lane line, pulls into the turn (see #2), or if kicking without a board uses small hand sculls to keep up. Often the impatient swimmer is one who excels in swimming but lags behind his teammates in kicking. Coaches must be careful to emphasize improvement to this swimmer and put him in an environment where he doesn't have to worry about racing.
4. Only Performing One's Best Kick
Often, coaches will give a kick set and allow swimmers to choose whether they perform flutter, dolphin, backstroke, or breaststroke kick. Unfortunately, (often because of impatience -- see #3) swimmers will practice their best kick. That isn't bad in itself, except that means the swimmer neglects his weaker kick. Generally speaking, time spent working on your weaknesses is far more productive than time spent working on your strengths. In addition, we want every swimmer to be well-rounded and to be able to swim all four strokes efficiently, which requires strong kicking ability.
5. Not Taking Kick Sets Seriously
Many swimmers look at kick sets as a chance to rest between swimming sets rather than chances to improve. With that attitude, the swimmer is guaranteeing that is all the set will be.
6. Not Kicking Fast Enough
This often occurs in conjunction with #5. An intense and focused kick set can be just as difficult as a swimming set. Very good kickers understand this. Poor kickers often don't push themselves hard enough, sometimes because they don't feel as though they excel at kicking, thus perpetuating the mediocrity.
7. Holding the Kickboard Incorrectly
The proper way to hold a kickboard is with one's arms extended, grasping the sides (not the top)of the kickboard, leaving enough space between the swimmer's chest and the board to put the swimmer's face in the water. I see some swimmers wrap their arms around the top of the board, resting their chest on the bottom of the board. This causes several problems, including putting a strain on the swimmer's lower back, and forcing a kicking position that is unnatural. An unnatural kicking position leads to a movement pattern that is altogether different than that which we see during swimming.
And, in the spirit of fairness, two to blame on the coach:
1. Over-Reliance on the Kickboard
Kicking is best done while floating on the surface in a body position similar to that during swimming. Doing lots of kicking with a board makes your swimmers better...kickers with boards. To make them better kickers when they swim, do more than half of your kicking without the board, and include kicking in your swimming sets or do more drills that require strong kicking. Sean Hutchinson, the coach of King Aquatics whose swimmers are known for being strong kickers, does virtually no kicking-only sets.
2. Not Doing Enough Kicking
Make it a priority. Measure your team's ability. Work to improve it. Measure your improvement. Find creative ways to make kicking fun. Point out kids who are good kickers - they aren't always your best swimmers. Everyone can become a better kickers, and some swimmers can become MUCH better kickers.
1. Turning Kick Sets Into Social Hour
When swimmers kick with boards, they often use it as a chance to chat with their teammates. This takes the focus away from the kicking,and may even encourage the swimmer to lift his head and drop the hips, ruining the body position.
2. Pulling Into the Turn
In a race, using the legs to kick hard into all turns (particularly in backstroke and freestyle) is important to maintain one's momentum and execute the turn at maximum speed. Yet, when I watch most swimmers perform kick sets, when they pass under the flags they will stop kicking, take one or two arm strokes, pull with the kickboard, and then reach for the wall. This reinforces the bad habit of not using one's legs into the wall, not to mention reducing the training effect. When a swimmer kicks for 15 yards, pulls for 5 yards, and then pushes off and glides 5 yards, the legs don't get nearly the same workout.
3. Impatience Leading to Cheating
The quality of patience is a difficult one to get youngsters to buy into, particularly in a competitive environment. Many swimmers put competing with their teammates ahead of focusing on their improvement. The impatient swimmer often pulls on the lane line, pulls into the turn (see #2), or if kicking without a board uses small hand sculls to keep up. Often the impatient swimmer is one who excels in swimming but lags behind his teammates in kicking. Coaches must be careful to emphasize improvement to this swimmer and put him in an environment where he doesn't have to worry about racing.
4. Only Performing One's Best Kick
Often, coaches will give a kick set and allow swimmers to choose whether they perform flutter, dolphin, backstroke, or breaststroke kick. Unfortunately, (often because of impatience -- see #3) swimmers will practice their best kick. That isn't bad in itself, except that means the swimmer neglects his weaker kick. Generally speaking, time spent working on your weaknesses is far more productive than time spent working on your strengths. In addition, we want every swimmer to be well-rounded and to be able to swim all four strokes efficiently, which requires strong kicking ability.
5. Not Taking Kick Sets Seriously
Many swimmers look at kick sets as a chance to rest between swimming sets rather than chances to improve. With that attitude, the swimmer is guaranteeing that is all the set will be.
6. Not Kicking Fast Enough
This often occurs in conjunction with #5. An intense and focused kick set can be just as difficult as a swimming set. Very good kickers understand this. Poor kickers often don't push themselves hard enough, sometimes because they don't feel as though they excel at kicking, thus perpetuating the mediocrity.
7. Holding the Kickboard Incorrectly
The proper way to hold a kickboard is with one's arms extended, grasping the sides (not the top)of the kickboard, leaving enough space between the swimmer's chest and the board to put the swimmer's face in the water. I see some swimmers wrap their arms around the top of the board, resting their chest on the bottom of the board. This causes several problems, including putting a strain on the swimmer's lower back, and forcing a kicking position that is unnatural. An unnatural kicking position leads to a movement pattern that is altogether different than that which we see during swimming.
And, in the spirit of fairness, two to blame on the coach:
1. Over-Reliance on the Kickboard
Kicking is best done while floating on the surface in a body position similar to that during swimming. Doing lots of kicking with a board makes your swimmers better...kickers with boards. To make them better kickers when they swim, do more than half of your kicking without the board, and include kicking in your swimming sets or do more drills that require strong kicking. Sean Hutchinson, the coach of King Aquatics whose swimmers are known for being strong kickers, does virtually no kicking-only sets.
2. Not Doing Enough Kicking
Make it a priority. Measure your team's ability. Work to improve it. Measure your improvement. Find creative ways to make kicking fun. Point out kids who are good kickers - they aren't always your best swimmers. Everyone can become a better kickers, and some swimmers can become MUCH better kickers.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
What Your "Tech Suit" Will NOT Do...
-It will not make up for the practices you missed.
-It will not correct your technique.
-It will not make you turn faster.
-It will not get you off the block more quickly.
-It will not help you stretch for the wall at the finish.
-It will not win a race for you.
-It will not keep you from breathing in and out of your walls.
-It will not make you more determined.
-It will not make you dolphin kick off the turn.
-It will not make you any faster than you deserve to be.
-It will not take credit for your successes.
-It will not take responsibility for your failures.
-It will not replace experience.
-It will not make you stronger.
-It will not help you take better care of yourself away from the pool.
-It will not cover for your lame excuse.
-It will not wake you up for morning practice.
-It will not help you warm-up properly.
-It will not make you tougher.
These things you must do on your own to become the best swimmer you can be!
-It will not correct your technique.
-It will not make you turn faster.
-It will not get you off the block more quickly.
-It will not help you stretch for the wall at the finish.
-It will not win a race for you.
-It will not keep you from breathing in and out of your walls.
-It will not make you more determined.
-It will not make you dolphin kick off the turn.
-It will not make you any faster than you deserve to be.
-It will not take credit for your successes.
-It will not take responsibility for your failures.
-It will not replace experience.
-It will not make you stronger.
-It will not help you take better care of yourself away from the pool.
-It will not cover for your lame excuse.
-It will not wake you up for morning practice.
-It will not help you warm-up properly.
-It will not make you tougher.
These things you must do on your own to become the best swimmer you can be!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
What it looks like... Proper Backstroke Arm Recovery
Proper form during the above-water portion of backstroke (known as the “recovery”) is crucial to developing efficient and powerful technique. The backstroke arm recovery occurs in three phases.
Phase 1: The Exit
Upon finishing the arm pull past the hip, the swimmer should lift the shoulder as the hip snaps up. The arm should follow the shoulder out of the water with the thumb side of the hand leading the way. Olympic Gold Medalist Kirsty Coventry demonstrates the thumb side lead below.
Phase 2: The Rotation
Once the arm is at least 45° out of the water (like the picture above) the swimmer should begin rotating the arm from the shoulder, keeping the elbow straight and the wrist relaxed. The swimmer’s palm thus moves from facing the midline of the body to facing outward. This happens while the arm continues its path of motion toward the water. Olympic Trials finalist and NCAC alum Tim Liebhold demonstrates what the arm should look like at the conclusion of Phase 2.
Phase 3: The Entry
The final phase of the backstroke arm recovery is perhaps the most crucial — the entry. The hand should enter the water directly above or slightly to the outside of the shoulder with the pinkie first. A common mistake is to over-reach, letting the hand enter the water behind the head. Once the hand is in position, it should slice deep into the water without slowing, setting up for a strong arm pull. The picture below shows proper hand position an instant before a perfect hand entry.
For an efficient and powerful backstroke that is shoulder-safe, be sure to follow these tips for the arm recovery!
Phase 1: The Exit
Upon finishing the arm pull past the hip, the swimmer should lift the shoulder as the hip snaps up. The arm should follow the shoulder out of the water with the thumb side of the hand leading the way. Olympic Gold Medalist Kirsty Coventry demonstrates the thumb side lead below.
Phase 2: The Rotation
Once the arm is at least 45° out of the water (like the picture above) the swimmer should begin rotating the arm from the shoulder, keeping the elbow straight and the wrist relaxed. The swimmer’s palm thus moves from facing the midline of the body to facing outward. This happens while the arm continues its path of motion toward the water. Olympic Trials finalist and NCAC alum Tim Liebhold demonstrates what the arm should look like at the conclusion of Phase 2.
Phase 3: The Entry
The final phase of the backstroke arm recovery is perhaps the most crucial — the entry. The hand should enter the water directly above or slightly to the outside of the shoulder with the pinkie first. A common mistake is to over-reach, letting the hand enter the water behind the head. Once the hand is in position, it should slice deep into the water without slowing, setting up for a strong arm pull. The picture below shows proper hand position an instant before a perfect hand entry.
For an efficient and powerful backstroke that is shoulder-safe, be sure to follow these tips for the arm recovery!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Why Should I Dolphin Kick???
I received the following question in response to one of my previous posts.
Why is dolphin kicking off your walls important? For me, it seems to waste energy and make me even more tired when I continue a race.
It is true that for some people, dolphin-kicking off walls is ineffective at helping them go faster in a race. These people simply haven't developed their underwater kicking ability to the point that it can help them.
One of the core principles of training is that you must train the way you want to race. Develop your skills in practice so that you can dive in on race day and be automatic. Improve your dolphin kicking at practice to the point that it can help you. Make it a habit. Become adept at it. Then and only then will it help you in a race.
Why is dolphin kicking off your walls important? For me, it seems to waste energy and make me even more tired when I continue a race.
It is true that for some people, dolphin-kicking off walls is ineffective at helping them go faster in a race. These people simply haven't developed their underwater kicking ability to the point that it can help them.
One of the core principles of training is that you must train the way you want to race. Develop your skills in practice so that you can dive in on race day and be automatic. Improve your dolphin kicking at practice to the point that it can help you. Make it a habit. Become adept at it. Then and only then will it help you in a race.
Friday, December 26, 2008
What it looks like... when you enter the water properly from a dive
When executed properly, a racing dive should take a swimmer through one “hole” in the water. Imagine yourself diving through a donut floating on the surface of the water. Watch this slow-motion example and watch the three stages of entry take place (the small circle represents where the swimmer will enter, and will not move.)
1. As the swimmer is about to enter the water, her hands are perfectly streamlined. Fingertips are touching the water in the center of the circle, the head is tucked between the arms, and the body is ready to “knife” into the water.
2. As the swimmer begins to enter the water to the shoulder, her head has entered the water in the same place as her hands, and she has lifted her legs to angle them toward the “hole”. Her momentum is carrying her entire body straight toward the circle.
3. The swimmers fingers, wrists, elbows, head, shoulders and hips have all entered the water in the same place, and her legs, ankles and feet follow into this same hole. Notice how her toes are pointed. This is the last thing you must do as your body enters the water. The smaller the splash, the better!
1. As the swimmer is about to enter the water, her hands are perfectly streamlined. Fingertips are touching the water in the center of the circle, the head is tucked between the arms, and the body is ready to “knife” into the water.
2. As the swimmer begins to enter the water to the shoulder, her head has entered the water in the same place as her hands, and she has lifted her legs to angle them toward the “hole”. Her momentum is carrying her entire body straight toward the circle.
3. The swimmers fingers, wrists, elbows, head, shoulders and hips have all entered the water in the same place, and her legs, ankles and feet follow into this same hole. Notice how her toes are pointed. This is the last thing you must do as your body enters the water. The smaller the splash, the better!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
What it looks like... when you use proper head position in breaststroke.
One of the most common technical errors swimmers make in breaststroke involves head position. Inefficient breaststrokers commonly lift and drop their head over and over with each and every stroke. Obviously, your head will rise and fall as your torso rises and falls through the stroke. What needs to stay constant is the angle at which you hold your head.
To keep your head at the correct angle, be sure that your eyes are always looking forward and down. Rebecca Soni, who won the Olympic Gold in the 200 breast in Beijing, demonstrates perfect head position in the photo shown here. Her eyes are focused on the water out in front of her hands, not on the wall at the other end of the pool.
Steady head position means steady body position. Steady body position means less drag and more speed!
To keep your head at the correct angle, be sure that your eyes are always looking forward and down. Rebecca Soni, who won the Olympic Gold in the 200 breast in Beijing, demonstrates perfect head position in the photo shown here. Her eyes are focused on the water out in front of her hands, not on the wall at the other end of the pool.Steady head position means steady body position. Steady body position means less drag and more speed!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Featured Drill: Advanced Trampoline Drill for Turns
Today's featured drill is designed to improve a swimmer's turns and underwater dolphin kicking, and is particularly effective for freestyle flip turns. It is an extension on a drill I first learned from Paul Yetter, coach of Katie Hoff. It is complicated, so let me outline the steps for you:
1. The swimmer kicks toward the wall, face down in a streamlined position.
2. The swimmer pikes and dives toward the bottom (works best in a 6-10 foot-deep pool).
3. When approaching the bottom, the swimmer tucks, flips, and pushes off the bottom vertically toward the surface.
4. Facing the wall as he surfaces, the swimmer throws his upper body into a fast flip turn off the wall.
5. Dolphin kicking fast off the wall, the swimmer takes two strokes into a phantom turn just in front of a pvc pipe (this will be a topic for a future blog) stretched across the lane.
6. The swimmer immediately starts kicking back toward the wall, and then breaks into a sprint for a few cycles before throwing himself into another fast turn (the swimmer in the video actually peforms an open turn here).
7. Dolphin kicking hard off the wall, the swimmer streamlines out past the pvc pipe and sprints to the opposite end.
Watch one of our swimmers perform the drill in video below:
1. The swimmer kicks toward the wall, face down in a streamlined position.
2. The swimmer pikes and dives toward the bottom (works best in a 6-10 foot-deep pool).
3. When approaching the bottom, the swimmer tucks, flips, and pushes off the bottom vertically toward the surface.
4. Facing the wall as he surfaces, the swimmer throws his upper body into a fast flip turn off the wall.
5. Dolphin kicking fast off the wall, the swimmer takes two strokes into a phantom turn just in front of a pvc pipe (this will be a topic for a future blog) stretched across the lane.
6. The swimmer immediately starts kicking back toward the wall, and then breaks into a sprint for a few cycles before throwing himself into another fast turn (the swimmer in the video actually peforms an open turn here).
7. Dolphin kicking hard off the wall, the swimmer streamlines out past the pvc pipe and sprints to the opposite end.
Watch one of our swimmers perform the drill in video below:
Sunday, August 10, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
What it looks like when...you have a perfect streamline
It may be the simplest of all swimming skills, yet one that most swimmers have not yet perfected. It is STREAMLINING.
This picture is of Natalie Coughlin, the world record holder in the 100 backstroke and a member of the U.S. Olympic Team this summer. She may be the world's best underwater dolphin kicker, in part because she has a near-flawless streamline.
To make your streamline like Natalie’s, be sure to do these things:
1. Place one wrist on top of the other, and wrap your top thumb around the bottom hand to hold it secure.
2. Stretch your arms overhead and lock your elbows.
3. Squeeze your ears with your biceps while keeping your head and neck straight.
4. Lengthen your spine with very straight posture.
5. Squeeze your butt cheeks together as you push off the wall.
6. Point your toes and kick like crazy!
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