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Just how does anyone do freestyle swimming?? Tips needed
8 watchers
Apr 2012
10:55am, 11 Apr 2012
21405 posts
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JenL
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you always have to go as fast as you can. Slowing down and improving the stroke (and the breathing) first works wonders. |
Apr 2012
11:50am, 11 Apr 2012
8547 posts
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Nick Cook
Agree with JenL. The first thing the coach said to me when I went to a tri club was to slow down. |
Apr 2012
12:43pm, 11 Apr 2012
720 posts
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Fat Lazy Elephant
Like MudMeanderer I had a "lightbulb moment" when I came across Totoal Immersion book when I was a beginner. I only read half of it and never got to the drills bit but the general principles talked about in the book made me understand what front crawl is all about. -it's not about pulling and kicking at all -concentrate on water in front of you and not behind you (reach out in front of you as far as possible instead on concentrating on pushing the water backwards) -hand should never travel faster than the body, no backwards movement -kicking is not for propulsion and legs act as an extension of the body to maintain streamlined position ( "longer boats travel faster" ) - the body is dragging the legs rather than legs pushing the body - rotation rotation rotation Hope that helps! It certaintly helped me, I couldn't swim more than 25m without getting totally out of breath last June and after reading the book I completed a 10 km event in September easily  |
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Apr 2012
12:48pm, 11 Apr 2012
721 posts
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Fat Lazy Elephant
Talking of lessons, I've never taken any or been in any club but it baffles me when I see manyl of the club swimmers swimming with such a bad technique and nobody (the teachers) pointing out to them!!! E.g 90 degrees at the ankles - acting like brakes! Scissor kick, lower body sinking etc. Id feel cheated if I paid for the lessons and nobody told me what Im doing wrong! |
Apr 2012
1:01pm, 11 Apr 2012
529 posts
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MudMeanderer
FLE: I was in a club as a youngster, and there was little if any focus on technique, which is bizarre for such a technical discipline. It was simply a case of get in, swim up and down as fast as you can as a group, change stroke, repeat, get out. More by chance than anything I had a reasonable backstroke and breaststroke, but as soon as we were required to try crawl or (shudder) butterfly I would crumble half a length in. When I returned swimming as an adult, I tried in a similar fashion and stuggled to get beyond 3-4 lengths without being exhausted, and realised I'd struggle in a pool sprint tri, let alone anything open water if I swam like that. That was when I looked for advice and found TI, and within a couple of months managed an effortless c1km swim of front crawl. By applying similar techniques I've even managed to do a reasonable couple of lengths of butterfly since, though as a stroke it seems to require quite a lot more core strength. |
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Apr 2012
1:28pm, 11 Apr 2012
374 posts
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GerryO
I've found the total immersion book useful too. It is a touch verbose in style, but readable enough, and the comments about the general principles in the first part of the book I would certainly agree with. The author is also a fan of chi running which has some adherents among those in fetch-land. |
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Apr 2012
1:31pm, 11 Apr 2012
722 posts
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Fat Lazy Elephant
It is very surprising to read MM! I wonder then, how on earth are all those kids so incredibly fast as they are |
Apr 2012
4:03pm, 14 Apr 2012
4155 posts
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Bez-head
Thanks. I managed 3 lengths of front crawling the other day with proper breathing by slowing it all down. My thinking now is if can do 3 I can do more! |
