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Freestyle Drill Series: #2

As you are working through these Freestyle Drills, keep in mind that each on leads into the next. However, you can, also, mix and match each one. Meaning you don’t have to follow the steps in order. But I find, when you first begin working through each drill, following the steps will help you really understand how your body moves through the water. Enjoy! 

Catch-Up Free

Start with Streamline kicking on your stomach. Then as you roll on to your side and reach forward with one arm, press (pull) the other arm directly underneath your body, throwing the water past your hips until that hand tags the other hand. Then repeat with other arm. 

Buoyancy - Keep your spine tall while keeping your chin toward your chest. Again, this is building on the Log Roll and Kicking on your side.

Propulsion - Keep your arms straight at all times (even above the water...for now), as you pull the water past your hips with one arm, the other arm reaches forward until your body is on its side. Each pull is one fluid motion until you tag the other hand. Then Repeat. 

Breath - Hold your breath first so you are able to focus on pulling and rolling your body onto both sides. Then, when you want to breath, as you reach onto your side, pause the pulling arm at your side and reach the other arm out front while you kick on your side for 6-10 kicks (check out the Log Rolling breathing). This helps you simplify and not rush your strokes.

Focus:

Hold your breath at first. Go as far as you can without breathing (NO Bubbles), then add the breath.

Roll your body to initiate the pulling of the water, not your arms. 

Keep your arms straight, hands firm and flat at all times. Once you understand how pull the water effectively, then we can work on your 

“recovery” (when you aren’t pulling water) arm position.

Distance Per Stroke. How far can you go without breathing and with SLOW powerful strokes? How few strokes can you take to get to the other side? 

MOVE LOTS OF WATER!!! Enjoy and start slow!

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Freestyle Drill Series: #1

Do you ever feel like it is hard to catch your breath while you swim freestyle? Do you ever feel like you aren’t moving very fast across the pool even though your arms and legs are moving fast?

The First thing I can tell you is youprobably aren’t, really, using the water in the most efficient way possible. Meaning, you aren’t floating and or you have poor body position and balance in the water. Second, the timing and rhythm of your stroke is making it hard to breathe. And third, your aren’t really catching and moving water in an efficient way.

So the first drill in this series I am about to share with you is designed to break down Freestyle in its most basic body position. It will teach you correct body position, how to breathe in an easy way and how to propel yourself forward with as little effort as possible. Keep in mind, this drill is used in every day practices by competitive swimmers. So doing this drill will be time well spent when you are going to the pool to do your laps.

Log Rolling

With arms at your side, kick 6-15 kicks on, both, your back and front, rolling (180 degrees) in both directions. Once you become comfortable with going back to front, then begin rolling from side to side 

Buoyancy - start on your stomach (holding your breath) then slowly, use your hips and shoulders (head and feet follow body) to roll your body)

Propulsion - Flutter Kick with arms at your side. Remember, the kick follows the body. (try not to use your legs or arms to turn your body)

Breathe - As you look at the bottom and roll your body, blow nose bubbles. (air should come out your nose even when you get to your back) The head will turn automatically as you get onto your back.  

Side - Side Kicking -  Looking at the bottom of the pool, roll your body on its side as you kick (chest and kick should be towards the side walls). Once on your side, turn your head/chin toward your upper shoulder until your face breaks the surface. Blow nose bubble as you turn your head. Again, the breath happens after you roll. (If you lift your head, you will feel like you are sinking). Also, before you roll to the other side, make sure your face is down with your chin connected to your lower shoulder.

Focus:

Keep your spine tall and float.

Use your hips and shoulders to rotate, NOT your legs.

Kick slowly from your hips with long, loose,straight legs. 

Hold your breath until your are ready to breathe. Then blow nose bubbles after you begin to roll.

Start SLOW!!! once it starts to feel easy to do this, then pick up the pace. The next drill we will focus on the arms and rotation.

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Swimming Endurance

Many people watch the Olympics and consciously or unconsciously think that that is what swimming is supposed to “look like,” but we all know there are many other water sports and activities out there that don’t require us to know how to swim Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke or Butterfly. If we really think about it, the Four Olympic strokes are, in reality, “advanced skills” and require the body to understand how to use the water in very specific ways. Don’t get me wrong, they are the fastest most efficient ways to swim, but to do so your body needs to have mastered BUOYANCY (Floating), BREATH CONTROL and PROPULSION (Pulling & Kicking).

The fact is, you don’t need Freestyle to be safe in the water or to get a great workout. Also, it’s much easier to swim with your hands under the water. The thing is, when you first begin learning to swim, all the sudden your body is forced to function in this foreign substance called “water,” but your body has never really had to use water to survive and it doesn’t know how to use the water in a very simple, efficient way. So keeping your hands underwater will make it easier to focus on learning to USE the water. I imagine for a beginner learning to swim Freestyle is like going to Calculus class, never having learned to add subtract, multiply or divide. Plus, there is always the underlying fear of drowning. So it is better to focus on as few things a possible while learning how to use the water efficiently and with ease. Then it will be easier to learn how to do the Four Olympic strokes.  

Now, there is a skill I would like to share with you and many new or novice swimmers know about this skill already, but I feel like they aren’t spending enough time practicing it. Plus, I believe it will simplify the way you learn to use the water and make it easy for your body to process Floating, Breathing, Pulling and Kicking yourself where ever you decide to swim. AND you can go as Fast or Slow as you want. Also, it makes a great warm up for Advanced swimmers. So here it is....

Breaststroke Pull-Outs w/ Flutter Kick: “Pizza Arms”

Buoyancy- Streamline position, with chin toward the chest. This is your Front Float. It is your Neutral position.

Propulsion - Flutter Kick (Free & Backstroke Kick) and separate the hands. Then, keep your arms straight (like a paddle for a canoe) and hands firm as you press the water (strong pull) to your hips. Pull right under your body as if your fingers are painting the bottom of the pool. Feel yourself GLIDE. Then with relaxed arms and hands, slowly, slide them up under your stomach (touching your belly button, chest & chin), until you reach into streamline. Repeat!

Breathing - As your body is Streamline Kicking, blow nose bubbles and separate your hands. Then lift your chin OR roll your body onto your back (don't do both or you will feel like you are sinking). At the same time, press your hands to your hips. Then let yourself fall back into the water. Float while holding your breath and repeat steps 1, 2, and 3.

Here are a few things you should keep in mind when practicing this skill.  

The key here is to MOVE the WATER. The more water you move, the further you will go each stroke.

DON’T GO FAST at first. Float like a boat while your arms and legs offer enough support to move you forward. When you get the hang of it, then start pulling and kicking harder, NOT faster.

Focus on holding your breath and technique when you start to using your arms and legs. This will allow you to put your attention on your body position (Buoyancy) and how you are connecting with the water as you kick and pull (propulsion). Again, Don’t Breathe.

When you are able to swim a distance of 15-20 yards without breathing, then add the breath. 

Now, what is great about this skill is you can do each step by itself, then add the next step and then the next. You can do it without legs and only arms or the other way around. The key is to float and learn to effortlessly, connect with the water. For you beginners, review last week’s post, where I talk about floating and holding your breath because it leads right into what you just read. Be SAFE and Challenge yourself in short distances.

CHALLENGE: 

Beginner: .Float vertically or horizontally and Breathe without using your arms or legs or the bottom of the pool.

The goal is to float while holding your breath. Then,lift your chin or roll to your back to breathe. No need to hold your breath for long periods. Just enough to experiencing floating. 

Intermediate: 8x25 yards Full stroke. The goal is to see how few strokes and breaths it takes to get across the pool. GO SLOW.

Distance Per Stroke. Focus on catching and moving lots of water with powerful, slow strokes.

Advanced: 4x100 (face in the water @ 10-15 seconds rest) 25yd only kicking/ 25yd only pulling/ 25yd Full stroke (NO BREATH)/ 25yd Full stroke. 

The focus here is to break up the stroke so you learn not to rely on your legs or your arms to breathe for the first 50 yards, then challenge yourself to go the whole pool without breathing on 3rd length. Then use the full stroke with breathing for recovery.

Also, you could do it 75 yards underwater, breathing only at the walls. Then 25 yard recovery.

If you know how to do any of the strokes, do them. Focus on technique.

Add more yardage or faster intervals if it isn’t challenging enough. 

Have fun and MOVE LOTS OF WATER!!!!

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FLOAT & HOLD YOUR BREATH

This is for those who are beginner swimmers or those who get tired quickly while swimming. If this is you, KEEP READING!

Many beginner & novice swimmers struggle in the water because they are worried about when to breathe. What they don’t really understand is that the more comfortable they are holding their breath, the easier it will be to get their breath.

When we swim we must be able to balance Inhaling, Exhaling and Holding our breath with & without air in the lungs. However, many swim teachers fail to emphasize the importance of holding the breath. In fact, many skip this skill entirely and only focus on blowing bubbles. Also, many teachers will teach their students to float on their backs, but will skip floating with the face in the water. This is CRAZY to me since we swim, mostly, on our stomachs.

What I have found to be helpful after ten years of teaching swimming and 17 years of competitive swimming is that, along with blowing bubbles (remember to always blow through the nose not your mouth), it is much easier for students to learn how to swim when they aren't worried about when they will be able to breathe. 

So, below, I’ve given a few, very fundamental skills, that are great exercises to help develop more comfort in the water and make swimming easier. As you do these exercises, challenge yourself to hold your breath longer and longer. 

Common Fear: Choking or getting water up the nose and in the mouth. 

SIMPLE TRICK 

Place the top of the tongue, flat on the roof of your mouth when you hold your breath. This helps shut off the natural reflex to breathe in through the nose. TRY it NOW. Simple, right?

It is very important to release all tension in the face & mouth (don’t puff your cheeks). The more tension, the less breath control you have.

Skill: Front Float (Dead-Man's/Jellyfish Float)

Keep your spine tall and in align with your chin toward your chest.

Breathe in through your mouth and hold your breath (release all tension in your face). 

Then, place your face in the water.

Let your arms & legs be long & loose while they hang underneath the water. 

 Skill: Egg Float/Cannon Ball Float

Hug your knees, exactly like the fetal positions and let your chin rest on your knees.

Key is to be Motionless

while

Releasing all Tension

in your body. Trust the water. It will support your body. Again, the more tension in your body the less stable your body will be while floating. In fact, if you feel like you are falling or tipping over, which, is common, that means you have tension in your body. Also, keep your arms & legs underwater at all times! 

Adding Exhaling & Inhaling: Egg or Dead-man's Float

Exhale: It is very important to HUMMMM (YES! HUMM. Make a sound). 

HUMMMM so that bubbles exit your nose, until their is no air left.

Then hold your breath. 

You will begin to SINK. See if you can let yourself sink to the bottom without any air in your lungs.

DO ALL THIS BEFORE ADDING THE BREATH. 

Inhale: Make sure you start by holding your breath while you float before trying to breathe.  NOTE: you don’t need to fill your lungs with air. A small breath is enough.

Just before you run out of bubbles, reach both arms forward (underwater) making sure your hands are firm and flat with your fingers together. 

Once your arms are fully extended in front, lift your chin up to the sky and press your hands (keeping arms straight like a clock) to your hips. 

The moment your mouth exits the water, breathe in through your mouth. 

Then, let you body fall back into the water. 

Then, float and begin again. 

ADVANCED SWIMMERS:

During your workouts, incorporate holding your breath. Try to do full lengths of the pool without taking a breath. 

Example Workout: 

10 x 25yrd - Odds underwater streamline kicking (on your back front, breaststroke kick or flutter kick), Evens (any of the 4 strokes). Note: use intervals that challenge you, but give you enough rest.

6 x 75yrd Freestyle - 25 breathing every 3 strokes, 25 every 5 strokes, 25 every 7 strokes.

NOTE: 

Instead of focusing on moving your arms & legs fast to get to the other side, FOCUS on connecting and moving as much water as you can with each, individual arm stroke and kick.  

How much DISTANCE PER STROKE can you get????

Thanks for reading!!!!!!!!!!! This is my first ever blog post, so PLEASE, share your feedback, ask questions and let me know if any of this is unclear for you.