I’m doing a lot more balance drills. A lot more. I have found that when I kick on my stomach (no kickboard, arms at my side), I am right on the surface from the top of my head to my feet. A light kick keeps me going pretty well. If both my arms are out front, and I take a pull, I accelerate really easily. That must be what you fish feel… speed without having to pulllllllllll hard.
Now, in that same kicking drill with arms at my side, if I rotate say 1/4 turn – the approx position when we are rotated onto our sides – BOOM, I go down a couple inches and slow way way down with the same kick. And I stay down until a few seconds after I flatten back out.
I take this to mean that we are slower when on our sides, and that the bare minimum amount of rotation that still allows for a shoulder-friendly recovery and for the core to be engaged would be the fastest way to swim.
I know I rotate more than I should, creating huge drag and sinking. But I kind of have a catch-22 in that unless I roll pretty damn far, I have to wait a long time for the water to clear so I can breathe, and even then I’m takin’ in a lot of water that way. And of course, holding my head higher means my hips drop.
I’m definately no expert, but I suspect it means that you need to change your body position when rolled on your side, ie you should not sink when you roll.
you should be swimming from side to side. from the face position down with your arms extended, as your start your stroke youo should notice that your body starts to roll. Try this. Face down, relax your right arm, reach forward with the left then pull with the left. As you reach forward your body should roll to that side a bit. Your right elbow will bend as the left extends. As you pull you should roll flat then continue rolling to the other side to set up the right arm pull. Try a 6 kick then roll, 5 kick and roll working down to three kick ann roll drill. Start on your side. Something else, kick on your side bottom hand extended top hand laying on your hip. As you kick raise the top hand until it is straight up. Play with your head and upper body position trying to maintain balance at the surface with out going to far under.
ps - I hope this makes sense, if not I’ll correct it in the afternoon. I’ve had 4.5 guinness for dinner, no breakfast and only a small lunch.
I’m definately no expert, but I suspect it means that you need to change your body position when rolled on your side, ie you should not sink when you roll.
styrrell
No can do. There is no position on my side where I am not significantly lower than when flat. I have decent balance when on my right (not so much on my left), and can get my hips to the surface, but then my shoulder is way under. This is essentially the problem I had with TI when I started late last year… it left my upper body too far below the surface to breathe without a huuuuuuuuuge roll for air.
