A little background. I swam competitively for over a decade starting at age eight. So, for as long as I can remember, I've known how to do all of the strokes and glide in the water. I've recently re-joined a masters team and am swimming regularly again.
My husband is 6'5" and played college basketball, so he's got a stockier build. He's recently decided that he is interested in swimming for fitness as he doesn't want to gain muscle bulk but wants to get fit. I'm trying to help him learn to do actual strokes. He is capable of not drowning, but is getting frustrated because this is not "easy" and he is not naturally "good at it". I, of course, think he would love swimming (as I do) once he gets the hang of it.
Our biggest issue right now is getting his body position parallel with the surface of the water. He tends to drop his hips and legs which makes breathing a challenge for him. I am having a hard time instructing him as to how to bring his hips up, in part, because it's been twenty+ years since someone taught me that.
So, are there good drills I can have him do or techniques that I should be advising him about? Help!
A little background. I swam competitively for over a decade starting at age eight. So, for as long as I can remember, I've known how to do all of the strokes and glide in the water. I've recently re-joined a masters team and am swimming regularly again.
My husband is 6'5" and played college basketball, so he's got a stockier build. He's recently decided that he is interested in swimming for fitness as he doesn't want to gain muscle bulk but wants to get fit. I'm trying to help him learn to do actual strokes. He is capable of not drowning, but is getting frustrated because this is not "easy" and he is not naturally "good at it". I, of course, think he would love swimming (as I do) once he gets the hang of it.
Our biggest issue right now is getting his body position parallel with the surface of the water. He tends to drop his hips and legs which makes breathing a challenge for him. I am having a hard time instructing him as to how to bring his hips up, in part, because it's been twenty+ years since someone taught me that.
So, are there good drills I can have him do or techniques that I should be advising him about? Help!
FIRST, what kind of a suit is he wearing?
Probably Board shorts?
a Jammer would allow him to slide through the water with less resistance.
When he swims, he needs to:
+ Put his FACE in the water and look at the bottom of the pool.
turn his head to the side to breathe & not lift it UP
+ Relax, take long smooth strokes and use small efficient kicks
+ Push off the wall HARD, streamline well & glide FAR
Corrections should be: few, short and simple
It does NO good to tell swimmers what they are doing wrong,
tell them what they need to do to correct what they're doing wrong
instead of saying:
Don't lift your head up so high, it sinks your hips
or
you really suck it this there's no hope
say:
when you swim free
look at the bottom of the pool
point the top of your head at the other end
turn it to the right to breathe
He's probably trying too hard
try swimming with fins
try swimming with a pull bouy
Have him watch videos of efficient swimmers and copy them.
here's a few:
Total Immersion Swimming Freestyle Demo by Shinji Takeuchi - YouTube...
Total Immersion Freestyle Ultimate Demo - YouTube
Total Immersion Freestyle Demo by Shinji Takeuchi - YouTube
Make a video of him swimming so he can see what he's doing,
shoot:
from the side
head on swimming towards and away and
underwater if you have an underwater camera
Put his vids on youtube and
post a thread here asking for feedback
Get him one on one swim lessons from a great swimming coach or instructor
It's probably best to get yourself out of the teacher swim role
what's his goal? what does he want to accomplish?
in his own words
good luck hope this helps
Ande
A little background. I swam competitively for over a decade starting at age eight. So, for as long as I can remember, I've known how to do all of the strokes and glide in the water. I've recently re-joined a masters team and am swimming regularly again.
My husband is 6'5" and played college basketball, so he's got a stockier build. He's recently decided that he is interested in swimming for fitness as he doesn't want to gain muscle bulk but wants to get fit. I'm trying to help him learn to do actual strokes. He is capable of not drowning, but is getting frustrated because this is not "easy" and he is not naturally "good at it". I, of course, think he would love swimming (as I do) once he gets the hang of it.
Our biggest issue right now is getting his body position parallel with the surface of the water. He tends to drop his hips and legs which makes breathing a challenge for him. I am having a hard time instructing him as to how to bring his hips up, in part, because it's been twenty+ years since someone taught me that.
So, are there good drills I can have him do or techniques that I should be advising him about? Help!
FIRST, what kind of a suit is he wearing?
Probably Board shorts?
a Jammer would allow him to slide through the water with less resistance.
When he swims, he needs to:
+ Put his FACE in the water and look at the bottom of the pool.
turn his head to the side to breathe & not lift it UP
+ Relax, take long smooth strokes and use small efficient kicks
+ Push off the wall HARD, streamline well & glide FAR
Corrections should be: few, short and simple
It does NO good to tell swimmers what they are doing wrong,
tell them what they need to do to correct what they're doing wrong
instead of saying:
Don't lift your head up so high, it sinks your hips
or
you really suck it this there's no hope
say:
when you swim free
look at the bottom of the pool
point the top of your head at the other end
turn it to the right to breathe
He's probably trying too hard
try swimming with fins
try swimming with a pull bouy
Have him watch videos of efficient swimmers and copy them.
here's a few:
Total Immersion Swimming Freestyle Demo by Shinji Takeuchi - YouTube...
Total Immersion Freestyle Ultimate Demo - YouTube
Total Immersion Freestyle Demo by Shinji Takeuchi - YouTube
Make a video of him swimming so he can see what he's doing,
shoot:
from the side
head on swimming towards and away and
underwater if you have an underwater camera
Put his vids on youtube and
post a thread here asking for feedback
Get him one on one swim lessons from a great swimming coach or instructor
It's probably best to get yourself out of the teacher swim role
what's his goal? what does he want to accomplish?
in his own words
good luck hope this helps
Ande
