Breaststroke - Snorkel Pull
Submitted Apr. 6, 2009 by Go Swim!

This drill is simple to do, and helps you work on a few key aspects for fast breaststroke. An added benefit of using the SNORKEL is that you don't have to hear your coach (or your swimmers, in my case) while they yell, or complain.




Why Do It:


Being able to focus so intently on a couple specific points while building strength, endurance, and timing is a great thing. We only wish all drills this simple carried so many opportunities for real work.

How to Do It:


1. Put on your snorkel, pull buoy, paddles, goggles, and suit... and not necessarily in that order.
   
2. Start pulling breaststroke, and do your best to stay stable. Try not to bob your head, and simply allow the feet to flow or follow.
   
3. Your first focus point is HOW are you pulling? Do you push out at the beginning of the pull, which will eventually cause the insides of your shoulders to hurt... or are you allowing your hands to sweep out and pull BACK to move you forward? Focus on making that connection to draw yourself forward, then spin your hands back out in front and grab another pull.
   
4. Your second focus point is WHEN you breathe and release your breath. Listen to your breath... just as in lifting weight, you should be EXHALING during the pull- back you worked on in the previous step. Exhale during the exertion. You should then be inhaling during the insweep of your hands... just as you will when you're swimming.
   

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):


There is no gliding in this type of pulling. This is the type of drill that mostly turns into a distance sprint. Keep moving quickly, directly forward, and do flip turns so you don't ever have to worry about picking your head up and out... except to grab a peek at the clock to make sure you're holding a great pace.

Click Here to see more drills submitted by Go Swim!

Training w/Monofins
Submitted Mar. 12, 2009

Training with a MONOFIN provides benefits for all strokes, such as improved streamline, body alignment, dolphin kicking technique and general kicking efficiency. Below are five key steps to improving your Monofin technique.

Step 1: Streamline - Extend arms as far as possible over your head and overlap your hands, which are clasped together by the thumb of the top hand. Tuck your head securely beneath the biceps while reducing the triangle-shaped space between the arms.

Step 2: Slight Hunch of Neck and Shoulders - While streamlined, slightly hunch the neck and shoulders without dropping the hands or head. This not only initiates the crucial undulation that will grow as it reaches the hips, but also keeps the upper body in a more aligned position while creating a forward "over the top of a small wave" sensation.

Step 3: Drive the Legs - With the heels up and knees slightly bent, flex your quadriceps and drive the feet downward in unison with equal force.

Step 4: Hips Forced Up - As the feet drive down, the body's undulation reaches the hips which should be forced up to accentuate the power of the downward kick. Do not drop your hands but keep them oriented forward and in alignment with the upper body from the waist up.

Step 5: Hips Slide Forward - Thrust the hips forward to assist the sweep of the upbeat kick and to get the heels ready quicker for the next propulsive downbeat.

The "Hip Slide" feeling that is created should be of the hips thrusting forward as the speed created from the downbeat is maintained. The transition from the up position into this "Hip Slide" should be smooth and continuous.

Note: Proper Monofin technique should yield powerful yet smooth movement through the water. Extra body movement should be minimized. The main source of power derives from the swimmers mid-section, involving the lower abdominal and back muscles, butt and quadriceps.

Freestyle Shark Drill w/Snorkel
Submitted Feb. 19, 2009

With the SWIMMER'S SNORKEL, slowly push off the wall with your arms at your side. Hold this position as you coast through the water. Add a very subtle flutter kick as you continue to move along the top of the water. Keep lying on your stomach, with your entire body parallel to the bottom of the pool.

After a few yards, slowly rotate your hips to the right so that you are swimming on your right side. The shoulders should follow the rotation of the hips such that the right shoulder is pointing towards the bottom of the pool and the left shoulder is out of the water and pointing towards the sky. Remember to keep kicking!

Now slowly slide your left thumb up your left side. Keep the outside of the left thumb against the body so that the elbow starts to point out of the water. Once the left thumb reaches the armpit, pause and hold the position for a few seconds. You should now have your elbow high out of the water like a shark fin!

Hold the shark position for a few seconds more and then slowly slide the thumb and hand forward in the water. Begin to rotate the hips around so that your left hip points towards the bottom of the pool. Continue to reach with your left hand in front of you and stretch. Your hand should be out in front with your entire body now moving forward on the left side. Your right arm has not moved and remains at your right side.

Hold this position for a few seconds and then start to creep your right thumb up your right side, just as you did previously on the left. Continue to the armpit and pause in the shark fin position. After a few seconds, slowly begin your body rotation again, pull down through the water with your left hand, and start to reach out in front of you with your right. Continue to alternate left-side vs. right-side, with lots of pausing and thought.

This drill allows you to swim slowly and accurately. The snorkel helps achieve this because you don't have to worry about the breathing motion. Simply concentrate on your body rotation, hand and thumb initiation and entry, and your overall positioning in the water. Swim smarter... swim like a shark!