Freestyle and Backstroke Technique Tips
Freestyle and backstroke are referred to the long-axis strokes, as you are rotating on the long-axis of your body while swimming these two strokes. These tips will help you become a faster, more efficient swimmer.
I Cannot Maintain My Kick Speed When I Swim Freestyle
I am a swimmer with a problem. Do you have any suggestions for a swimmer with a lazy swimming kick (freestyle)? I will be swimming well, then I will loose my kick rhythm and cannot regain it. Any info would be great. Let's try two things that might help you overcome your "lazy" swimming kick trouble.
I am a swimmer with a problem. Do you have any suggestions for a swimmer with a lazy swimming kick (freestyle)? I will be swimming well, then I will loose my kick rhythm and cannot regain it. Any info would be great. Let's try two things that might help you overcome your "lazy" swimming kick trouble.
Learn to Swim Freestyle on Your Side
When we learned to swim freestyle as children, most of us swim flat in the water, with little or no hip rotation as our arms are doing the majority of the work. Many triathletes and open water swimmers have found it necessary to change their stroke and swim more on their sides in order to conserve energy, swim faster, and get through potential rough water conditions with greater ease.
When we learned to swim freestyle as children, most of us swim flat in the water, with little or no hip rotation as our arms are doing the majority of the work. Many triathletes and open water swimmers have found it necessary to change their stroke and swim more on their sides in order to conserve energy, swim faster, and get through potential rough water conditions with greater ease.
Improving a Swimmer's 100 Freestyle
How did Alexandre Popov manage to become the world's fastest and most efficient human swimmer? The basic thrust of his program was that stroke efficiency - not training speed, hard work or power - was the #1 goal.
How did Alexandre Popov manage to become the world's fastest and most efficient human swimmer? The basic thrust of his program was that stroke efficiency - not training speed, hard work or power - was the #1 goal.
About Swim Drills for Freestyle
Ideas on swimming drills from your About.com Guide.
Ideas on swimming drills from your About.com Guide.
Assorted Freestyle Drills
Freestyle and backstroke are referred to the long-axis strokes, as you are rotating on the long-axis of your body while performing these two strokes. Hence, many of the same drills can be used for both strokes and/or combined into one drill.
Freestyle and backstroke are referred to the long-axis strokes, as you are rotating on the long-axis of your body while performing these two strokes. Hence, many of the same drills can be used for both strokes and/or combined into one drill.
Backstroke - Thoughts on Basic Technique
What is your mental picture of a backstroke swimmer? This is one result from a mental exercise to quickly describe different elements of backstroke swimming.
What is your mental picture of a backstroke swimmer? This is one result from a mental exercise to quickly describe different elements of backstroke swimming.
Backstroke from Swim-City
Some of the backstroke basics, including diagrams.
Some of the backstroke basics, including diagrams.
Coaching Novice Freestyle and Backstroke
Peter Malone and ASCA with some great ideas on teaching both "long-axis" strokes.
Peter Malone and ASCA with some great ideas on teaching both "long-axis" strokes.
Faster Crawl
Women's Cycling and Rebecca Bishop with many ways to improve freestyle; aimed at open water swimmers, but applicable to everyone.
Women's Cycling and Rebecca Bishop with many ways to improve freestyle; aimed at open water swimmers, but applicable to everyone.
Five Tips for Freestyle
Relax, Streamline, Roll, Extend, and Kick - and a few more details.
Relax, Streamline, Roll, Extend, and Kick - and a few more details.
Four Swim Skills for Swimmers to Master for Faster Swimming
Swim coaches like to talk about how swimming gets harder as a swimmer goes faster because of an increase in drag. Swimmers find it difficult to get results from applying more muscle power to the water if they are not doing it the right way. The first steps to faster swimming are positioning, grabbing, pressing, and rotating, things that everyone can learn. Here are a few things to check before trying to put more muscle power into your swims.
Swim coaches like to talk about how swimming gets harder as a swimmer goes faster because of an increase in drag. Swimmers find it difficult to get results from applying more muscle power to the water if they are not doing it the right way. The first steps to faster swimming are positioning, grabbing, pressing, and rotating, things that everyone can learn. Here are a few things to check before trying to put more muscle power into your swims.
Freestyle - Thoughts on Basic Technique
What is your mental picture of a freestyle swimmer's technique? This is one result from a swim coach doing an exercise to quickly describe different elements of freestlye swimming technique.
What is your mental picture of a freestyle swimmer's technique? This is one result from a swim coach doing an exercise to quickly describe different elements of freestlye swimming technique.
Freestyle Body Position
Pictures and directions to help you get a better, more streamlined, body position; from Fédération Suisse de Natation.
Pictures and directions to help you get a better, more streamlined, body position; from Fédération Suisse de Natation.
Freestyle Head Point - Simple Swimming Technique Tip
A swimmer's "Head Point" - the top of their head - works like a compass. If it points someplace besides the destination, things get out of line and the swimmer gets lost. We started using this term with our youth group, and they got it - it clicked. The swimmers body positions improved and they got more efficient in terms of swimming stroke count versus swimming speed.
A swimmer's "Head Point" - the top of their head - works like a compass. If it points someplace besides the destination, things get out of line and the swimmer gets lost. We started using this term with our youth group, and they got it - it clicked. The swimmers body positions improved and they got more efficient in terms of swimming stroke count versus swimming speed.
Freestyle Stroke Modifications To Prevent Fatigue
You jump in the pool and start swimming. You warm up a bit and then comes the main set. You feel pretty good on the first one and do a respectable time. The second one feels like you worked a bit harder but you end up going 8 seconds slower. Does this sound familiar?
You jump in the pool and start swimming. You warm up a bit and then comes the main set. You feel pretty good on the first one and do a respectable time. The second one feels like you worked a bit harder but you end up going 8 seconds slower. Does this sound familiar?
Freestyle Technique For the Off Season
Bill Weaver gives some lessons on developikng your freestyle technique.
Bill Weaver gives some lessons on developikng your freestyle technique.
How often should a swimmer kick when swimming freestyle?
The freestyle kick - 2-beat, 4-beat, 6-beat, 2-beat crossover, What do I use when swiming freestyle? This swimming question, often asked by swimmers, is one best answered by that swimmer. How? By a little swim or kick test in the swimming pool. The answer to how much you kick when swimming freestyle today might not be what you do 6 months from now if your swim technique and conditioning improve.
The freestyle kick - 2-beat, 4-beat, 6-beat, 2-beat crossover, What do I use when swiming freestyle? This swimming question, often asked by swimmers, is one best answered by that swimmer. How? By a little swim or kick test in the swimming pool. The answer to how much you kick when swimming freestyle today might not be what you do 6 months from now if your swim technique and conditioning improve.
How to Master the Top 5 Challenges to Breathing in Freestyle Swimming
The most common question I hear in the triathlete world about the mysteries of swimming efficiently usually involves something with breathing. In freestyle, it is the first step to get your body position right. Then, for many, you throw in breathing and everything goes haywire!
The most common question I hear in the triathlete world about the mysteries of swimming efficiently usually involves something with breathing. In freestyle, it is the first step to get your body position right. Then, for many, you throw in breathing and everything goes haywire!
Raw Power
Forget it! Olympic Coach Gennadi Touretski talks about ways to develop better feel for the water - the techniques he has used with Popov and Klim; From Fédération Suisse de Natation.
Forget it! Olympic Coach Gennadi Touretski talks about ways to develop better feel for the water - the techniques he has used with Popov and Klim; From Fédération Suisse de Natation.
Swim.EE Stroke Pictures
Great breakdowns of strokes, starts, and turns.
Great breakdowns of strokes, starts, and turns.
Swimmer, do you have a runner's kick?
Do you have the dreaded runner's kick? Have no fear, there are things you can do to beceome a better kicker and a better swimmer. Even the worst of kickers can develop an adequate kick for freestyle, which is all you need for a triathlon swim.
Do you have the dreaded runner's kick? Have no fear, there are things you can do to beceome a better kicker and a better swimmer. Even the worst of kickers can develop an adequate kick for freestyle, which is all you need for a triathlon swim.
Swimming Backstroke in a Straight Line
I have a backstroke swimming problem which I do not know how to correct. When I swim back stroke I am not swimming straight - I am a crooked backstroke swimmer. I have even been disqualified because I went over the lane ropes into another lane when swimming in a backstroke race. I need help to correct this swimming problem! The advice I have for a crooked backstroke swimmer?
I have a backstroke swimming problem which I do not know how to correct. When I swim back stroke I am not swimming straight - I am a crooked backstroke swimmer. I have even been disqualified because I went over the lane ropes into another lane when swimming in a backstroke race. I need help to correct this swimming problem! The advice I have for a crooked backstroke swimmer?
Swimming Posture
Do you remember in grade school the teacher or your parents telling you to improve your posture? "Sit up STRAIGHT, young man! Stop SLOUCHING in your seat! I remember that distinctly from both parents and teachers.
Do you remember in grade school the teacher or your parents telling you to improve your posture? "Sit up STRAIGHT, young man! Stop SLOUCHING in your seat! I remember that distinctly from both parents and teachers.
Swimming Stroke Length, Stroke Rate and a Swimmer's Training
Most swimmers will, at one time or another, count how many strokes they take per length and aim to reduce the number of strokes by focusing on such elements as catch, pull through, and body rotation. This is an excellent way to improve your economy and efficiency through the water.
Most swimmers will, at one time or another, count how many strokes they take per length and aim to reduce the number of strokes by focusing on such elements as catch, pull through, and body rotation. This is an excellent way to improve your economy and efficiency through the water.
The Swim Smooth DVD - Don't miss this one
The Swim Smooth DVD from Coach Paul Newsome (Perth, Australia) is a must-have in any swimmer or swim coach's swimming technique and swim training toolbox. It is a comprehensive freestyle technique guide for pool swimmers and for triathletes with above and under water clips. It also includes sections on wetsuit use, ocean swimming, and open water racing tips.
The Swim Smooth DVD from Coach Paul Newsome (Perth, Australia) is a must-have in any swimmer or swim coach's swimming technique and swim training toolbox. It is a comprehensive freestyle technique guide for pool swimmers and for triathletes with above and under water clips. It also includes sections on wetsuit use, ocean swimming, and open water racing tips.
Three Dimensional Freestyle
Scott Rabalais describes building a good freestyle through the appropriate use of length, width, and depth.
Scott Rabalais describes building a good freestyle through the appropriate use of length, width, and depth.