Bobble head during free style stroke

Sure! Upload your video to Youtube and post the link on this thread.

Sure! Upload your video to Youtube and post the link on this thread. Thanks Elaine... Here the YouTube link... https://youtu.be/JVfCdDr46-o

I think his pull looks pretty strong. The element he needs to work on is his kick. The amplitude is far too great and that's causing a lot of up and down motion in his body. Perhaps a good drill would be to have him start in a streamline position and just kick and then slowly adding the pull in. Kick should be initiated from the hips. Right now he kicking more from the knee.

Ahhh, good point about the kick, knelson. Perhaps I jumped the gun on my reply. An underwater side view video of his freestyle would be very helpful. Gswimm, do you have a waterproof camera you could dunk several inches below the surface to shoot some video?

Thanks Elaine... Here the YouTube link... https://youtu.be/JVfCdDr46-o Thanks, G! I'm no expert, but I think I can speak accurately about this stroke flaw, because I used to do the same darn thing myself! My coach told me the reason for my bobblehead was because I was pushing down on the water during the beginning of my pull rather bending at the elbow and pulling back. (Pushing down on the water causes the head to go up.) I would recommend both of you sitting down at the computer and watching some Youtube videos to see how the freestyle pull should be done. Here's one for starters: www.youtube.com/watch Good luck!

Thanks for your insights...Elaine and Knelson ! I will get some underwater videos to look at this issue.. Any specific drills for the flutter kick initiating from hips rather than knees... He is 8 years old, kinda hard to explain with words... Appreciate your feedback! Here are a couple of good kicking videos that could help: www.youtube.com/watch www.youtube.com/watch

Thanks for your insights...Elaine and Knelson ! I will get some underwater videos to look at this issue.. Any specific drills for the flutter kick initiating from hips rather than knees... He is 8 years old, kinda hard to explain with words... Appreciate your feedback!

Both of you make valid points that should help, no question. However, go back and look at the video again. Specifically the still shot you see before the video begins. In the still shot I see the swimmer taking a breath with most of his head out of the water. Both goggles are out of the water as is his entire mouth. Now watch the video and watch his head. He essentially ducks his entire head below the surface. So his head is moving up and down 6 to 8 inches on each cycle. Thus the bobble. He needs to begin to be aware of where his head is when he takes a breath. That is difficult for such a young child. It takes time to develop a kinesthetic sense of where your body parts are in space. The ideal head position of course is with one goggle above the surface during the breath and the mouth essentially below the surface and in the trough created by the head and nose as a swimmer turns his head to breathe.

You've received some good advice from the forum, but I would suggest addressing your concerns first and foremost with your son's coach. Given that he's only 8 years old, it would ultimately be up to his coach to provide him with the best advice on his stroke technique and goals for the swimming season. Your son is obviously a very determined swimmer and has a lot of potential - and hopefully a very long and successful swimming career ahead of him ! :) Wish you the best of luck.

With the help of the his coaches and your recommendations, we have seen improvement.. My intention of the question was to correct the fundamental mistake "early". With the kicking drills and kicking more during the swim stroke has helped him. He still has the bobble little bit but the magnitude has reduced. I'm sure that he will improve. Thanks again for your response and recommendations.