Question for swimmers and coaches out there -
Can Clockwise swimming help improve your stroke?
Quick background: My coach has implemented clockwise swimming (swimming on the left side of the pool) for warm-up and has received a lot resistance from longtime swimmers.
My coach explained that a lot of the swimmers are shortening up the right arm to make a turn during normal counter clockwise swimming. We also swim in a extra wide lanes in a 25 meter pool (the pool has individual lanes and we move the lane lines over to allow for circle swimming); which the coach thinks for the reason of shortening and crossing over the right arm.
For myself, I find that I have learned to flip turn on the opposite side but I find that I get so confused during warm-up and worried about the swimmer behind me running into me because they moved over too far (we have had some close calls in the water).
Anyone had any experience with swim practice that changes directions (swimming clockwise then counter clockwise)? Any advantages/disadvantages?
Thanks, John
Parents
Former Member
I coach in the UK. In a six lane pool, lanes 1, 3 and 5 swim clockwise and lanes 2, 4 and 6 anti clockwise.
This way, as Geochuck says, all swimmers swim next to the lane rope in the same direction so there's no clash of hands.
The freestylers who breathe on their left always swim clockwise and those who breathe on the right choose to go in the anti-clockwise lanes. This avoids bashing the lane rope with the elbow on the non-breathing side.
Sound like common sense to me.
I coach in the UK. In a six lane pool, lanes 1, 3 and 5 swim clockwise and lanes 2, 4 and 6 anti clockwise.
This way, as Geochuck says, all swimmers swim next to the lane rope in the same direction so there's no clash of hands.
The freestylers who breathe on their left always swim clockwise and those who breathe on the right choose to go in the anti-clockwise lanes. This avoids bashing the lane rope with the elbow on the non-breathing side.
Sound like common sense to me.
