I think most of us are good at identifying minor stroke corrections needed for our athletes but are you actually finding the real problem. Before you tell your swimmers simple solutions please diagnose their issues. For example; turn your hand inward, widen your recovery, lower your head, etc. are lazy solutions and yes probably need to be addressed but the larger picture needs fixed first.
Main issues which usually affect strokes and the actual solution instead of a quick diagnosis.
A. Timing of the breath.
This affects a lot of stroke flaws and the number one issue to many stroke flaws
1. Hand/arm under the body during stroke.
2. Hand entry (catch) and finish of the stroke either the entry is too short or crossing over or not finishing in the proper spot or position.
3. Does the swimmer inhale and exhale properly during the breath? You will really be surprised how many swimmers do this incorrectly.
B. Body Position
1. Head position verse legs, where are the 4-h’s (head, hands hips, heels)?
2. Ability of the swimmer to rotate if needed in strokes or adjust body position.
3. Ability to streamline.
C. Leg speed and proper timing of kick.
1. How good is your swimmer at kicking sets at practice?
2. Just telling your swimmer to kick more isn’t the solution.
D. Hand and Arm as one paddle. This must be taught at practice.
E. Momentum off the start, turn and maintaining it in the stroke.
1. The transition from underwater thru the first stroke.
2. Momentum of the kick off the wall and during the stroke.
3. Depth of break out.
4. The actual flip turn/open turn and the foot placement during.
F. The understanding of reducing drag. You must teach the swimmer to understand this and really think.
G. Proper mechanical timing. What do you do during:
1. The catch of each stroke.
2. The finish of each stroke.
3. Timing of kick and breath, etc..
H. Telling a swimmer to kick more is crazy but teaching the swimmer how and when to kick is the proper approach to learning. Teach them how to kick during a race. For Example, 85% first 25 on the legs then sprint; or give them a set number of fly kicks off the wall to hold during a race. Of course you have trained this in practice.
I. Recovery of each stroke.
Do the swimmers know how to have active recovery during a stroke? How do you teach the recovery of the stroke? Think about each swimmers flexibility when teaching this. You will have to engage the shoulders and core for proper recovery in all strokes. You must engage shoulder shrugs in breast and fly and arm positioning in free and back.
If you watch a swimmer and you tell them that they just need to turn their hand to catch more water you are missing the really big picture. Put some real thought into the problem and discuss the big corrections to make at practice.
All of the above mechanics are discussed in the FasterSwimming book!
Workout of the week:
Warm up:
300 mix , 4 x 50 descend and the last 50 with the heart rate above 30 beats per 10 seconds, 4 x 25 same as 50’s, 100 ez (:15 rest during set)
10 x 25 – 3/4 underwater fly kick sprint then 70% swim back to the wall and go again. The 70% swim back is the recovery.
6 x 150 kick w/fins 50 build/100 fast, :20 rest, #1-2 back or free, 3-6 fly
1 minute rest then
2 x 50 fly sprint kick with fins (:30 rest between)
100 recovery
Use cords to add drag and fly kick off wall until you can’t mover further. Push the legs!
3 sets of 6 push off wall, 50 recovery after each set
8 x 25’s kick variable speed by kick count 5 fast kicks and 5 slow kicks, :30 rest
100 recovery minimum.