The freestyle swim stroke has several subtle parts that make up
the whole. Each swim coach, program or athlete has a different way
of explaining each of these small parts. Sometimes it’s
confusing when different vocabulary is used to describe one part of
the stroke.
Written by: Sara McLarty
Swimming technique, balance, body position and hip rotation are
important elements of the freestyle swim stroke. A coach might
critique your balance in the water but praise your hip rotation; or
she might try to tweak your body position and ignore your balance.
It is important to understand what each term means so you can make
improvements.
First is balance. Your upper body and your legs should share the
effort of moving you through the water. Specifically, your arms
should make a 50 percent to 70 percent contribution to your forward
propulsion while your legs should account for the remaining 50
percent to 30 percent. Swimmers who drag their legs behind their
body, with almost no visible kick, are missing out on the potential
core power that is derived from the hips. On the other hand, if
your legs are tiring long before your upper body, consider
lessening your kick to conserve energy. By swimming with a two- or
four-beat beat kick (meaning you complete two or four individual
kicks per complete arm stroke cycle), athletes can benefit from the
power in their legs without tiring too quickly.
Balance in the water also
means having the movement of the stroke come easily and naturally.
A swimmer with good balance is not fighting the water; she is
efficiently working with the water, gravity and her own body. Both
sides of her body are making similar movements. And yes, balanced
swimming requires bilateral breathing.
In terms of body position, try to maintain a constant position
during the entire stroke cycle. Strive for a horizontal position in
the water with your face pointing toward the bottom of the pool and
your hips near the surface of the water. You can practice floating
with a snorkel or streamline kicking to become comfortable in this
position. Your position is good if your feet break the surface of
the water with each kick.
Next, try to keep your body position in a straight line. Think
about being “skewered” from the top of your head,
through your neck and down your spine. You can rotate on this
skewer but you cannot move any part of your body laterally. Drag
and resistance are minimized with a streamlined position.
Finally, there is the fine art of hip rotation, which actually
refers to shoulder, torso and hip rotation. To understand rotation
correctly, you must first recognize “disconnect.”
Rotation occurs from the middle of the neck to the middle of the
thigh. The head and legs are disconnected from the rotation. When
the hips, torso and shoulders are maximally rotated 45 degrees to
the left or right in the water, your head and legs should maintain
a horizontal position. This allows your kick to keep a steady beat
at the surface of the water and it keeps your head still at the
front of the stroke.
Your breathing is also disconnected from hip rotation. Breathe
by rotating your neck just enough to get one goggle and your mouth
out of the water. While taking a breath, don’t forget that
you have been “skewered.” Head movement should be
minimal and should not affect your balance, body position or hip
rotation.
Sara McLarty coaches swimming at the National Training
Center in Clermont, Fla. Submit your swimming questions to Sara at
smclarty@competitorgroup.com.
