I could use some advice from experienced breaststrokers on the proper pull technique. I have a naturally good breaststroke kick, which probably makes up 90% of my propulsion at this point. I know that breaststroke is the stroke with the most potential for me, but I seem unable to get the right feel for the pull. Every once in a while I have one of those really smooth swims where I can feel myself riding the wave, but I cannot recreate that at will.
I've tried the hand paddles drill where I swim BR with the paddles on backwards so they are not attached to my hands at all. I can keep the paddles on pretty easily. I think I'm using the right basic technique, at least based on all the descriptions I've been able to find. Yet when I swim ***, my coach says that my arms look "stiff", like I'm not turning them in enough.
I would like to understand what the proper pull should look like and feel like, before I start increasing my yardage and intensity.
TIA
Parents
Former Member
I was just watching a video of Hansen posted in another thread, and I noticed it was very obvious he was ending the recovery with his palms turned up. I know that most of the best breaststrokers do this, but I don't understand the rationale for it. Why is turning the palms up good? What happens between the catch and the end of the stroke that results in upturned palms?
To me whenever I do it I feel like I'm missing some of the propulsive part of the pull. It just doesn't feel like I'm getting the most out of the arm stroke. I know that must be wrong.. obviously it's good to turn up your palms, if that's what Hansen is doing. But why?
I was just watching a video of Hansen posted in another thread, and I noticed it was very obvious he was ending the recovery with his palms turned up. I know that most of the best breaststrokers do this, but I don't understand the rationale for it. Why is turning the palms up good? What happens between the catch and the end of the stroke that results in upturned palms?
To me whenever I do it I feel like I'm missing some of the propulsive part of the pull. It just doesn't feel like I'm getting the most out of the arm stroke. I know that must be wrong.. obviously it's good to turn up your palms, if that's what Hansen is doing. But why?
