Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

RE: Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

Swimerz54 — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 09:28:03 GMT

When I tuck the head so that I'm hitting with my forehead, there's very little pressure on the goggles. Very slippery. I try and get the top of my head facing the other end of the pool. Rolling the shoulders helps get me into streamline.

RE: Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

Former Member — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 10:48:45 GMT

I received feedback on my stroke from David Guthrie at Summer Nats, that I needed to try and smack my goggles on the water. I was landing on my chin during the lunge instead of forehead and not getting into streamline fast enough. When I execute that well, I'm getting my face looking straight down, goggles at or below my arms, and I don't feel too much of a face plant. However, it's definitely a new sensation, and I'm already swimming faster because of it. As you described, I'm using my body/head to throw the arms forward, seeking the coupling motion with the kick. Is the pressure on your goggles uncomfortable? That's the only thing that bothers me after a while. I feel if I tuck my head too much in order to avoid hitting the water with my goggles, it limits my forward motion.

RE: Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

Swimerz54 — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 09:29:59 GMT

RE: Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

Former Member — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 15:52:20 GMT

A video would help. I'd say you shouldn't "try" to recover your arms over the surface. I often recover my hands above the water at sprint speed, but that is because I am riding higher in the water.Most elite breaststrokers recover their hands right at the surface. You may be having too much up and down movement, or it may be a timing issue.Again, a video would help. I'll have to see if I can get someone to take a video of me... unfortunately at the time I swim (5am), everyone is 100% focused on their own swim understandably, and the lifeguard on duty can't for liability purposes. If I had to guess, I think the times I do a face plant has to be where use my arms to shoot them forward without initiating the action from the body. There's a disconnect between my arms and my head/body when the forward action is initiated from the arms instead of the body and then... face plant. Swam approximately 2500 yards this morning, and didn't feel the impact on my face; I focused on using my body/head to throw my arms forward, instead of shooting the arms out with the shoulder.

RE: Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

Allen Stark — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 04:56:04 GMT

Sounds like that helps. Maybe being aware of that is all you need.

RE: Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

Former Member — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 16:54:50 GMT

OUCH! Have you tried to alter the timing earlier or later for your "face plant?" I think there must be a way to stop the crashing. Maybe it is a timing issue? Is it like butterfly where you drop your head before the arms enter the water? Right now my head(face) drops at the same time my arms land on the water.

RE: Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

orca1946 — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 11:49:13 GMT

OUCH! Have you tried to alter the timing earlier or later for your "face plant?" I think there must be a way to stop the crashing.

RE: Slamming face on water - Breaststroke

Allen Stark — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 01:21:53 GMT