Swimmers

1

No laughing. Okay fine laugh but then help. (Read 383 times)

RunFree7


Run like a kid again!

      2011 Goals:
      Sub 19 5K (19:24 5K July 14th 2010)
      Marathon under 3:05:59 BQ (3:11:10 Indy 2010)
    protoplasm72


      Your kick seems very fast and shallow.  I think you are flicking your lower leg instead of swinging your whole leg.  If you were going to kick a soccer ball you wouldn't just snap your knee straight.  You'd swing from your hip and your lower leg would automatically follow.  Power comes from the hips.  Work on using your hips to swing your leg and the rest will follow.



      For your swim stroke, the first thing that I notice is you are swinging side to side.  You want your body to remain straight through your entire stroke and just rotate around your spine.  I think your main issue is you are under rotating which causes you to reach by leaning.  You want your hips and shoulders to rotate together and you want to be pretty much on your side when you start your catch.  There are drills where you swim on your side to get used to this feeling.  Take a look at some rotation drills.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUFGlAHZgAQ

      Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose; it's how drunk you get. -- Homer Simpson

      RunFree7


      Run like a kid again!

        Your kick seems very fast and shallow.  I think you are flicking your lower leg instead of swinging your whole leg.  If you were going to kick a soccer ball you wouldn't just snap your knee straight.  You'd swing from your hip and your lower leg would automatically follow.  Power comes from the hips.  Work on using your hips to swing your leg and the rest will follow.

         

        Small things first.  Lets go with the kick.  I thought I wanted my legs as straight as possible and for them to be short strokes.   Are you saying that I should bend my knees, slow down my kick and let my legs fall more into the water so they are not straight behind me?   I'm getting a little confused on how I am supposed to kick.    Obviously I am doing something very wrong.  Thanks for trying to help.

          2011 Goals:
          Sub 19 5K (19:24 5K July 14th 2010)
          Marathon under 3:05:59 BQ (3:11:10 Indy 2010)
        Slo


          Wow…..Brave Man !  Just kidding

           

           

          Swimming in many ways is like Golf.

           

           

          >It’s very technique oriented.

           

          >Any thing your body wants to do naturally is wrong….eg, it’s counter intuitive.

          It takes years of practice to master.

           

          >Utilizing imagery while learning the techniques is helpful.

           

          >And, when you ask for opinions on what you need to work on……everyone is quick to tell you.

           

           

          Your Kick….1st video

           

           

          The only reason you had any forward movement is because you pushed off of the wall.

           

           

          Bending your knees ain’t all bad….it’s the way your bending your knees.

           

          You may feel like your using your hips but you are not. You are pulling your thigh up and bending your knee at the same time. What is happening is that you are dropping your knee below your hips. The forward movement of your thigh is pushing against the water. In addition to this your calf is deeper in the water so as you pull your heel up, this is also pulling against the water. The push of your thigh and pull of your calf is causing you to move backwards. When you kick the only thing working for you is your calf….its kinda like two against one.

           

           

          From a standing position lift your right leg by bending it at the knee. Notice how your right knee is out in front of your left knee. This is what you are doing…at least this is what it looks like your doing. A side shot would tell better. Now from this position pretend like your kicking a ball. The force exerted on the ball is coming from your knee only.

           

           

          Now, from a standing position pull your right leg back without bending your knee at all. Now kick.  All the force exerted is coming from your hip. This is good.

           

           

          Finally, from a standing position, pull your right leg back like you did before. Once it is back then bend your knee slightly…..Ok, now kick. The force came from both the hip and the knee. This is optimum.

           

           

          When you do kick drills…and swim….do not bend your knees at all for now. Keep your legs stiff like a 2x4.Point your toes to the wall and pretend that there is a steel rod running thru your leg.  If you use fins make sure they are the short stiff fins…not the floppy kind you see on snorkelers, these fins promote a bicycle kick. A set like the Finis zoomers are perfect.

           

           

          Learning to kick on your back is also very good. Here the effects of a bicycle kick are exaggerated. You have to kick stiff legged and it teaches you to move your leg back with out bending your knee first. If your bending your knee first your being pulled forward.

           

           

          Another thing to try is the Pull Buoy. Sticking this between your legs will also force you to kick with out bringing your thighs forward because you have to keep it between your legs. Typically this is not a tool for kick drills but I think it will help you.

           

           

          Swimming…..Video #2

           

          Your making about every mistake a beginner makes….that’s ok though because we’ve all been there!

           

           

          What your doing wrong:

           

          Your balance needs help.

          Your picking up your head.

          Your left side is not doing what your right side is. Your right side is much stronger. If you didn’t have a black line to follow you would have been two lanes over.

          Your body is snaking….you need to keep it straight. Goes with the line above.

          Your left hand is “crossing over”

          Your hand entry is to far out front.

          Your hand needs to exit the water closer to your body.

          Your recovery stroke needs to be higher in the air...think chicken wing, elbow pointed to the ceiling.

          Your stroke timing is off.

          Your dropping your elbows.

           

          Again, we all have made these mistakes. There are drills to teach you the proper techniques and make them 2nd nature so that you don’t have to think about them. Remember, swimming is counter intuitive….like golf you have to burn these movements and timing into your muscle memory. That is why drills are so important!

           

           

          My recommendation is this…..go to Amazon.com and order the Total Immersion Freestyle video….I’d get the book too. Watch the video and start from the very beginning when you do your drills. Do not skip over any of these as being unimportant. About 2/3rds of that list above will be solved in a few weeks. After that, video yourself again and we can start the fine tuning process. Right now, get your balance down.

           

          BTW....How long is that pool ?

           

          My disclaimer......as it relates in the world of swimming.......I am barely out of the novice category and certainly do not qualify to be an instructor.

           

          Stick with it.....swimming is a very rewarding activity.  Best of Luck and grab some big water!

           

          MTA: I just wanted to add.....Everything I said about your swimming could be said about practically anyone. It is to the extent that we do....or not do these things.

          protoplasm72


            Like Slo_Hand said, I think the TI videos will help.  It's hard to describe in words because it's mostly about feeling the water and making adjustments.  People say kick from your hips not your knees because it helps create the correct motion, not because your knees should be locked straight.  Definitely slow the kicking down so you can get a better feel of what you are doing, shallow is ok if it is the right kind of shallow .  Maybe hold on to the side of the pool and just practice varying your kick.


            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgZ5-oatDg8

            Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose; it's how drunk you get. -- Homer Simpson

            RunFree7


            Run like a kid again!

              "Your making about every mistake a beginner makes….that’s ok though because we’ve all been there!

              "

               

              Wow I had no idea I was that bad!  I'm done with swimming if I have that much work to do. 

               

              Just kidding of course. 

               

              Your left hand is “crossing over”

              Your hand entry is to far out front.

               

              I need to work on my kick but was wondering about these two pieces of information above.  Where abouts should my hand enter the water?  I know that I need to push for momentum right?  So do I straighten my hand out while it is in the water?  Should my hand come in front at my shoulder and then just push straight back?

               

                2011 Goals:
                Sub 19 5K (19:24 5K July 14th 2010)
                Marathon under 3:05:59 BQ (3:11:10 Indy 2010)
              Slo


                "Your making about every mistake a beginner makes….that’s ok though because we’ve all been there!

                "

                 

                Wow I had no idea I was that bad!  I'm done with swimming if I have that much work to do. 

                 

                Just kidding of course. 

                 

                Your left hand is “crossing over”

                Your hand entry is to far out front.

                 

                I need to work on my kick but was wondering about these two pieces of information above.  Where abouts should my hand enter the water?  I know that I need to push for momentum right?  So do I straighten my hand out while it is in the water?  Should my hand come in front at my shoulder and then just push straight back?

                 

                 By crossing over I mean......

                 

                Pretend there is a bar that runs right down the center of your spine and extends out past your head. Your hand should not cross this centerline. Your hands should stay about shoulder width apart.

                 

                Yes, extend your arm under the water. There is a great drill for the proper entry point and Total Immersion does a great job covering it. Basically pretend there is a mail slot right even with your forehead. Pretend your inserting your whole arm into this mail slot. There is a saying....."Prentend your reaching over a barrel" This applies to both what your arm is doing above the water and below. Above = recovery and Below = Pull

                 

                Really, to go much further is getting the cart ahead of the horse. We could have a whole discussion of what your arm should be doing after the extension. When to break your elbow etc.

                 

                I would start on the balance drills. This is going to address both your kick and your body position. You Tube is full of videos that illustrates many drills.

                RunFree7


                Run like a kid again!

                   

                  BTW....How long is that pool ?

                   .

                   BTW it is 25 Meters but probably seems longer because I take so long and splash so much. 

                    2011 Goals:
                    Sub 19 5K (19:24 5K July 14th 2010)
                    Marathon under 3:05:59 BQ (3:11:10 Indy 2010)
                  Slo


                    Bearcat

                     

                    I asked because the way the video is framed it looks longer. Watching the time though it was just a tad over 20 secs from you to reach the other end so I figured it wasn't 50 yards.

                     

                    It took you around 35 strokes to go from wall to wall.  20- 22 would be a more resonable number.

                     

                    Seriously....get that TI stuff. If you don't want to spend the money I will let you borrow mine.....I mean it.

                    TrailSurfer


                    Husband and father of 4

                      "Your making about every mistake a beginner makes….that’s ok though because we’ve all been there!

                      "

                       

                      Wow I had no idea I was that bad!  I'm done with swimming if I have that much work to do. 

                       

                      Just kidding of course. 

                       

                      Your left hand is “crossing over”

                      Your hand entry is to far out front.

                       

                      I need to work on my kick but was wondering about these two pieces of information above.  Where abouts should my hand enter the water?  I know that I need to push for momentum right?  So do I straighten my hand out while it is in the water?  Should my hand come in front at my shoulder and then just push straight back?

                       

                       

                      There is very little I can add to what has been said. Dont' be over whelmed. Each workout concentrate on one or two things to correct and that's it. Over the next month you'll make great progress.

                       

                      I have one gimick that may help your kick: Once you know how the kick should feel it will help a lot. So borrow a pair of longer fins and experiment with what move's you forward. Kick with a little bigger and smoother. You will not be able to kick as fast with fins on but there will be more resistance. This resistance combined with seeing what moves you forwards better will give you the feedback you need to adjust your technique. When you take off the fins try to use similar technique,but it will require a faster, slightly shorter kick (keep the that smooth technique). Switch off using fins and no fins each lap a few times. The physical feed back will help you feel what works.

                       

                      The most important question to ask ourselves in swimming technique is does it move me forward as efficiently as possible? Up, down sideways either wastes energy or slows us down.

                      Find the fun.


                      Bugs

                        Bearcat,

                        Thanks for posting that. I have no advice, but I will lend you some that my son has given me, "Don't give up, whatever you don't give up." 

                        Bugs