Hi all,
I finally got a short video made of me swimming freestyle, and it is a major disappointment with a multitude of issues :( I am in my late 30s and usually swim alone at least 2 - 3 times a week, sometimes more. My breaststroke has improved, so the last 9 months or so I have been trying to learn freestyle on my own.
The thing is, I have been really focusing on drills and making sure that I keep my head low with one goggle in the water when breathing. The drill I use the most is kicking on the side with one arm in front. I have to use short fins, since without, I find it quite difficult. When doing this drill, it all feels easy. It feels like I always manage to go straight, keep the head low and one goggle in the water. But then again maybe you can still rotate quite much and believe that one goggle stays in the water. It is of course more difficult without fins, but I thought I had at least some proper head rotation in line with the spine. Another drill I use is single arm freestyle.
Now that I look at the video, it all falls apart :( It seems that I both over-rotate and possibly move the head to the side when breathing. I think I am lifting my head too? I thought I had a bit better rotation to my left side, but it seems as crappy as to the right. Not sure if my arm entry is wide enough either, might be slight cross over there too.
Yes, my posture is not perfect either. I work a lot in front of a computer, but swimming has done wonders for me.
From lurking around, I know people here are very knowledgeable. Thought I would take a chance and ask for some advice on how to improve. I do have plans on doing some one on one sessions with a coach later on. My main focus is technique first, since improvement is my primary passion and it really feels great! My goal is to achieve good swimming technique with some time, even if it requires a lot of work.
Here is a link to the somewhat embarrasing video:
www.youtube.com/watch
Hmm, look for your elbow. Like looking at it when it is passing by underwater and during the recovery? Or just to emphasize to look a bit behind, since the elbow is there just when the mouth breaks the surface?
No, look behind you while breathing.....mouth out of the water. You'll see your elbow it is most bent position. Think about it this way. Imagine streamlining, no pulling at all. Right now, your eyes are ending up looking where your elbow would be. To the side, but even slightly forward. You are picking up your head a little, which puts a hitch through your whole body. If you breathe properly, that hitch will likely go away.
You might try holding a tennis ball between your sternum and your chin while you swim to get a feel for where your head needs to be. You want to be looking down, not ahead. When you breathe, you want that chin to stay tucked down by your chest. Getting back to the first paragraph, when you breathe, you want for your eyes to be looking at your shoulders (again, streamline, no kick). That is to say behind you. Doing that will keep the chin down where it needs to be.
When you add the pull into things, the timing of the breath and the recovery is such that you should see your bent elbow coming up fromm the water. Also, another tell-tell sign. Your mouth will be out of the water before your lower eye. Right now, you have to get both of yoru eyes out of the water before you can breath. When you look rearward, your chin will lead your head out. Right now, it appears that your forehead seems to be leading everything out, and you have to get both eyes dry before your mouth gets that way.
And again, REACH on your pulls. Get your forward shoulder into your ear when you reach. Right now, it is kind of the back of your bicep. Reach as far as you can, really stretch. You'll feel it in your core later that day....you might even be able to tell while working. Your stroke count will also drop precipitously. Mine went from 19 to 15 when I stared putting it all together (I'm 5'8" for reference).
Hmm, look for your elbow. Like looking at it when it is passing by underwater and during the recovery? Or just to emphasize to look a bit behind, since the elbow is there just when the mouth breaks the surface?
No, look behind you while breathing.....mouth out of the water. You'll see your elbow it is most bent position. Think about it this way. Imagine streamlining, no pulling at all. Right now, your eyes are ending up looking where your elbow would be. To the side, but even slightly forward. You are picking up your head a little, which puts a hitch through your whole body. If you breathe properly, that hitch will likely go away.
You might try holding a tennis ball between your sternum and your chin while you swim to get a feel for where your head needs to be. You want to be looking down, not ahead. When you breathe, you want that chin to stay tucked down by your chest. Getting back to the first paragraph, when you breathe, you want for your eyes to be looking at your shoulders (again, streamline, no kick). That is to say behind you. Doing that will keep the chin down where it needs to be.
When you add the pull into things, the timing of the breath and the recovery is such that you should see your bent elbow coming up fromm the water. Also, another tell-tell sign. Your mouth will be out of the water before your lower eye. Right now, you have to get both of yoru eyes out of the water before you can breath. When you look rearward, your chin will lead your head out. Right now, it appears that your forehead seems to be leading everything out, and you have to get both eyes dry before your mouth gets that way.
And again, REACH on your pulls. Get your forward shoulder into your ear when you reach. Right now, it is kind of the back of your bicep. Reach as far as you can, really stretch. You'll feel it in your core later that day....you might even be able to tell while working. Your stroke count will also drop precipitously. Mine went from 19 to 15 when I stared putting it all together (I'm 5'8" for reference).
