This looks like a nice forum. I'm from abroad (the Netherlands) so Englisch isn't my mother language.
I recently started 'learning' the crawl and I could really use some :help:
I can generate quite an acceptable speed with my arms but I do have 3 big problems with my crawl right now.
1. I swallow way to much water. This often happens right after inhaling air. I am under the impression that I stop inhaling before I turn my head and I start exhaling once my head is back under the water surface.
2. I can't generate any speed with my legs, not even one tenth of a meter per second.:(
Right now I just move my legs up and down, I keep my legs and feet straight with my toes extended. Since I don't get any speed and I have strong legs I must do something wrong.
3. I don't know how the arms and legs should work together. I hear 3 different versions:
- don't pay attention to the legs, you will move them automatically to compensate
- 2 strokes with the legs for 2 strokes with the arms
- 6 strokes with the legs for 2 strokes with the arms
What is indeed the best technique for the crawl?
Thanks to anyone who gives me some good tips.
Parents
Former Member
Swim Tips
1...Did you know many shoulder injuries for swimmers come from stretching exercises before they are warmed up? Some experts say you should not stretch at all, and do longer warm up and cool down swims.
great, my warming up with swimming and running is simply that I start with an easy speed. Usually after 10-20 minutes (depending on temperature, fitnesslevel etc.) I will increase my speed.
I've never experienced stretching to be useful so as long as I don't train in a group I don't stretch. Luckily I don't easily get injured.
2...What I've noticed, is that any movement which causes stress or pain should be eliminated from your stroke.
That's never been a problem for me (maybe I'm not flexible enough to make such large movements that it damages my tendons?). Luckily I'm receiving some training from a teammate who is a licensed swimmingtrainer (highest degree in the Netherlands) so I guess that should guarantee that I will learn the proper technique as long as I follow her instructions. Sometimes I get a cramp when I swim too long or too intensively.
I already have quite a good breaststroke (from a lifeguardcourse), I also wanna learn the butterfly and the backcrawl as soon as I feel comfortable with the breaststroke.
I practiced yesterday and it turned out that I held my mouth in the wrong way while breathing with the crawl, I looked to my side in stead of above me to the left. I don't bend my elbow enough before the push, so that's my first priority. I also started with making turns, now just a roll on my back.
Right now I can't imagine myself to be capable of synchronizing 6 kicks with 1 armcycle but I guess it is gonna be possible as soon as all the rest is an automatism.
Swim Tips
1...Did you know many shoulder injuries for swimmers come from stretching exercises before they are warmed up? Some experts say you should not stretch at all, and do longer warm up and cool down swims.
great, my warming up with swimming and running is simply that I start with an easy speed. Usually after 10-20 minutes (depending on temperature, fitnesslevel etc.) I will increase my speed.
I've never experienced stretching to be useful so as long as I don't train in a group I don't stretch. Luckily I don't easily get injured.
2...What I've noticed, is that any movement which causes stress or pain should be eliminated from your stroke.
That's never been a problem for me (maybe I'm not flexible enough to make such large movements that it damages my tendons?). Luckily I'm receiving some training from a teammate who is a licensed swimmingtrainer (highest degree in the Netherlands) so I guess that should guarantee that I will learn the proper technique as long as I follow her instructions. Sometimes I get a cramp when I swim too long or too intensively.
I already have quite a good breaststroke (from a lifeguardcourse), I also wanna learn the butterfly and the backcrawl as soon as I feel comfortable with the breaststroke.
I practiced yesterday and it turned out that I held my mouth in the wrong way while breathing with the crawl, I looked to my side in stead of above me to the left. I don't bend my elbow enough before the push, so that's my first priority. I also started with making turns, now just a roll on my back.
Right now I can't imagine myself to be capable of synchronizing 6 kicks with 1 armcycle but I guess it is gonna be possible as soon as all the rest is an automatism.
