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Good Swimming Drills
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I should preface by saying I'm an average to below average swimmer.

But I just tried doing the fist drill and really felt a big difference when I went to regualr swimming. I was doing 50's - fist drill 25 and regualr swim 25. I guess it promoted a high elbow pull. When I was regular swimming it felt like my hands were huge and my forearms were pulling too.

Anyone know any other drills that they feel are super beneficial?
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Re: Good Swimming Drills [Herschel34] [ In reply to ]
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Different people have problems with different parts of their swim stroke. That said, most below average swimmers have the most trouble with their body position. The drills for this are something like running into the wind...lean forward on your chest while gently kicking. When you need air roll to your side easily, keeping your head in line with your body. At first keep your arms at your side, when you get good at that try to do the same thing with one arm extended in front of you. Again, roll over to your side to breath, with your head in line with your body. I would do these in sets of 50s.

tommy
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Re: Good Swimming Drills [Tommy Nelson] [ In reply to ]
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I am a slow swimmer (learned FS ~3 yrs ago, 4 decades too late) but I like the challenge of improving and I drill some (catch-up, fist, one-arm...) Those balance drills seem completely impossible to me. Maybe one day... but I clearly should not wait to master them before getting "swim-fit." I work on balance indirectly with the one arm thing.
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Re: Good Swimming Drills [Herschel34] [ In reply to ]
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Some good drills are:

1. Long-axis Sweet Spot:
Kick on your side with your bottom arm out, face in the water, and top arm down at your side. You should stay staight and stretch out. Over time, you'll develope a sweet spot where it seems your slicing through the water. Do it on both sides alternating every 25 or 50. This will help you find a good body line in the water. Breathing is done by just rotating your head sideways, but your body shouldn't move at all!

2. Sharkfin:
While kicking in the same position as Long-axis Sweet Spot, bring you top arm(or recovery arm) up keeping your hand about 8 inches away from your side but also having the tips of your fingers draggin the top of the water. You elbow should basically be at about a 90 degree bend. Stop once your hand reaches your armpit, then place it back down at ur side(don't place your hand in the water and pull). Remember: Don't loose your sweet spot which you found in the previous drill, keep your arm reaching far out, your head looking down, and kick.

3. Catch-up:
Start in your sweet spot position, then bring your top arm up just like in Sharkfin but continue moving your hand to a full recovery. The 'catch' is that you keep your bottom arm out until your hand touches it. Then, you begin a pull and rotate onto your other sweet spot. Always have a steady kick and keep your body inline.

For pulling:
4. Doggie-paddle:
Use a pull-bouy for this. It's basically what it sounds like but keep your head up or head down, don't kick, and do a semi-catch up under water. Make sure you finish your stroke by hitting your hips with your hands. Work on rotating your body and reaching out as far as you can. Tip: Don't move your extended arm until your recovering arm underwater is about a foot to 6 inches away from full extension.

5. Tarzan:
Pull bouy again. Don't kick. Your chin is on the surface the entire time looking staight ahead and as still as possible. Basically, you just swim with your head up. Though focus on body rotation and hand entry. Your hands shouldn't be layed into the water. You should slide them iin about a foot from your other hands finger tips. Purpose of your head being up is so you can watch your hands god in and make sure they're not doin' funky things.

Hope this helps.
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Re: Good Swimming Drills [bigd] [ In reply to ]
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Oh yeah, also good advice for those drills

Long axis Sweet Spot: Keep your palms down, which goes for everything else too.

Also, very important. Practice bi-lateral breathing. (breathing to both sides) this helps you keep a balanced stroke which means you go straight. Also, it saves more energy versus breathing every on just one side. Ex. patterns: every 3, 2-3-2 or every 5. But no one really does every 5. But it's good for practice. =)
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Re: Good Swimming Drills [Herschel34] [ In reply to ]
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Definitly agree on the long axis (hip rotation), shark fin and catch up. I get nothing from one armed work. When doing catch up breath on every stoke.
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