Our goal for this FINIS Blog is to share information and feedback about swimming more openly. So I wanted to share an ongoing story I have about a friend re-learning the basics of swimming.
Steve is looking to do an open water swim this year after not swimming regularly since high school. So while on a ski lift at Squaw Valley this spring, Steve asked me for technique hints or suggestions so that he doesn’t embarrass himself in the water. I told him that the first thing to do is go back to the fundamentals. Over the next few weeks I found myself “coaching” Steve via email instruction as if he were just learning how to swim.
I started out by asking Steve to get in the water 3 days a week and repeat the workout below each day during his first week. Target yardage 1200. Steve suggested, come on, that’s too easy! My reply was that quality is far more important than quantity. During the second week we would increase to 1500 or 1600 yards, so I told him to enjoy the shorter workout while his body gets used to swimming again. Our end goal is to get Steve swimming 3 days a week about 3000 yards per workout.
Week 1:
- 500 yards freestyle warm up. Concentrate on each lap, not just finishing the 500. Think about catching the water at the top of the stroke; reach out front, catch the water and at that moment, rotate the opposite hip down and try to pull the body past the hand.
5 x 50 yards breaststroke (10 second rest between each 50)
6 x 75 yards free/kick/free with the snorkel. Make the middle 25 kicking only, hands at your sides, rotate to the left side and right side every six kicks, keeping your head straight, rolling your shoulder toward the bottom of the pool. 10 second rest between each 75.
Get out, relax and come back after a day off.
Steve enjoyed his first week but he admitted having a tough time grasping the concept of rolling the opposite hip down and pulling the body past the hand. In future posts, I’ll expand more on my coaching growth with Steve but I do have to say that it has been fun for me to teach Steve through some of these fundamentals that I have learned over the years. And it is even more exciting to get his enthusiastic replies when a concept I had been explaining finally sticks. Perhaps it is not too late to re-learn some of the basics? Swim well and blog on.
- John Mix
CEO and Co-Founder
I’m confused too. Are you saying that when you reach out with your right arm/hand that your left hip should rotate downward (toward the bottom of the pool)? I always rotate my whole body to the right when I stretch out with my right arm to try and get the maximum amount of extension.
FMF,
We are talking about two slightly different phases of the stroke that should both be implemented in freestyle to maximize power and efficiency of the stroke. Like you mentioned, at full extension, the body should be rotated onto the side of the extended arm. What then should happen is that the body should rotate in the first initial phase of the arm pull. If you are pulling with your right arm, this means rotating to your left side as your hand passes by your head. Take a look at the Hydro Hip Video. This video shows how the hips must rotate BEFORE the pull begins.
Thanks. I see what you were talking about now.
You should have him film his stroke above and underwater and submit it to http://www.theathletevillage.com. We can review it and give him some detailed feedback. And the best part – there is a money-back guarantee that it will help him get faster!
As your average joe with no proper swim training experience, Do you think this program would work for someone looking to start a fitness training program?
This is an excellent way to start a fitness swimming program. Steve was in a similar place before we started working together. My intention with Steve is to use technique drills and equipment to enhance his training in the water. Incorporating some of this can be far more interesting and productive than swimming straight for 30 minutes.
You can use these basic training tips to create an interesting and productive program in the pool every time you swim. I’ll continue to share my interactions with Steve in the coming months.
Ryan,
Video is an excellent way to perform stroke analysis and aid a swimmer in improving their technique. This is one of the reasons why we try to post video to the blog when we have a good opportunity.
First of all, thank you. This simple explanation of the basics of free style helped me immensely in the pool. I shared it with other beginning swimmers in my blog http://undrowning.blogspot.com/2010/04/click.html
I’m sure I’ll be back for more workouts and videos!