We have a saying in our swim squad, and it goes like this, “If you fight the
water, you will lose”. Swimming is all about grace, efficiency and glide. Here
are some tips to get you going:
- Stretch your leading arm out as much as possible. Think about your swim as
if you were climbing a rope ladder and you want to grip the furthest rung possible.
-
Hold your leading arm out, and stretch for a second or two, then bend your wrist down. Again, using the rope ladder analogy, you want to ‘claim’ the furthest rung possible. Here is a video detailing this part. It’s in my mind the most important part of your swim stroke because it sets everything else up. It’s 2 min 42 seconds long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udWgHus9P_Q
- Now begin your pull. You need to bend your elbow at this point and also keep your hand as shallow as possible in the water. Think of a time when you rowed a boat. If your oar went too deep in the water you would screech to a halt and turn the boat in on itself.
-
I advise our swimmers at this point to imagine that they have an elastic band attached to the palm of their hand on one end, and onto the iliac crest of the hip on the other. The hand must now pull in the direction of the hip.
-
Keep your hand going past the hip until you get a full tricep extension.
-
Now bring the hand out out the water and tickle the water with your finger tips. This will force your elbow upward, and your opposite shoulder more deep into the water. The greater your tilt, the more you look like a canoe, and the less you look like a lilo. (Remember, canoes are quicker than lilos).
-
At this point your face will emerge out the water. Try not to lift your head to breathe. The water should form a bow wave around your face, with the water dipping down near your mouth.
-
I encourage my swimmers to tumble turn. Swimming can be tiring on the back, as you form an anterior pelvic tilt while swimming. In short, your lungs and bum pop up with your hip dipping in the water. A tumble turn gives you a chance to stretch out your back.
9. Join a swim squad. You will rapidly escalate your swimming abilities.
- Make friends with the water. Relax in it, and it will reward you with many
happy hours.
Here are details of the swim squad that I run sbr sport swim-squad. Let us know if we can help.
Regards,
Mike Roscoe.
Kinesiologist.
