You can be more efficient and save energy in your swim workouts or races! Here are my top 3 tips for High Quality Freestyle Rotation!
Rotation is IMPORTANT! Rotating side to side while swimming freestyle reduces the amount of drag. Doesn’t it waste energy getting side to side? Yes and no. Rotation does use energy (an extremely small amount) however we are using gravity mostly to get one side to the other. Also, by rotating it sets your body up in a very powerful position to anchor. Thus faster swimming!
How far should I rotate? The most optimal place to rotate is onto your “Rails” (riding the rails) Your rails are the part of your body that begins to curve into and make your sides (about 45degrees). Rotating more/less you just aren’t as efficient.
Catch the Rhythm… What do you think about when you are trying to speed up or slow down? Think about changing your rotational rhythm. Wanna go faster? Increase your rotational rhythm. This way you are using your core and not just flailing your arms and legs.
Bonus Tip- Make sure your hips and shoulders stay connected. This means if your shoulders are rotating to your rails (the easy part) your hips need to move at exactly the same time to your rails (the harder part). For me it works best focusing on my hips rotating to my rails and my shoulders usually get there connected on their own.
Parents
Former Member
Maybe it is timing for a lot of folks. When my left arm is extended out in front of my body just before anchoring, that's when my hips start the rotation to the right and as I start that pull down, my hips are rotating toward the right. I am more on my side than swimming flat at all times. And the same is true for my right arm. The side kicking drill helped me a lot because it is an exaggerated drill. Now it is entirely normal and routine. But I found this hard to do swimming snail-pace, I had to have a little more speed to get the hang of it.
Donna
Maybe it is timing for a lot of folks. When my left arm is extended out in front of my body just before anchoring, that's when my hips start the rotation to the right and as I start that pull down, my hips are rotating toward the right. I am more on my side than swimming flat at all times. And the same is true for my right arm. The side kicking drill helped me a lot because it is an exaggerated drill. Now it is entirely normal and routine. But I found this hard to do swimming snail-pace, I had to have a little more speed to get the hang of it.
Donna
