I've heard a lot of stories about how if you don't know how to do fly properly you could seriously wreck your shoulders.
One story one of my friends told me that a friend of hers dislocated her shoulder in the middle of a race.
I do want to try it but I'm a bit intimidated to tell the truth. Plus, I'll look ridiculous the first time I try :blush:. Total embarrassment I'd predict.
Any tips to get over the fear?
Parents
Former Member
there have been some very good suggestions in this thread.
you may want to check out the articles by Coach Emmett Hines at:
www.h2oustonswims.org/articles_whole.html
especially:
Slip-Slid’n’ Away
and
Vive le Papillon!
i have major mobility issues w/ my shoulders and have managed to learn to do a pretty decent fly. i look at it this way:
you need a good kick. the power comes from the body motion. learning the timing takes a lot of patience (for most average folks) and/or good coaching.
think "forward"... not "up"
keep the hips as high as you can throughout the whole stroke.
learn to relax into the recovery as much as possible.
for a good practice and distance technique... try to incorporate a glide into your stroke. the glide comes at the end of the recovery.
learn to engage muscles in the core of your body... not just the extremities. fly is more of a whole body stroke than any other. i was amazed at what i learned about using core body strength in swimming once i learned to do a decent fly stroke.
one-arm fly will help with the timing. i prefer breathing to the side, inactive arm out front. this drill helps a lot to get you to stretch-out your stroke. you can alternate sides (and full strokes) in any combination you can imagine... just keep it balanced.
make yourself long in the water. visualize it.
what is frequently referred to as a 'pressing down of the chest' is really more of a 'opening of the chest' (ask a Yoga teacher about this term). the better your flexibility in the shoulders/spine, the better you will be at this.
breathe as early as possible... and make it quick.
the kick basically comes at the water entry and exit of the hands. the actual timing is a bit more refined than this, but this is where you want to start till you find your stroke.
do a lot of dolphin kicks on your back... arms out front. when people start complimenting you on this skill, you'll know you are pretty much there.
i never used fins for years, partly to be a purist, mostly because i never had them around. when i finally got around to trying it i used diver type fins and it threw off my timing in a big way. something to keep in mind if you use fins. i've never tried training fins (like 'zoomers'), but i'm guessing they would work better. i think fins would be a good idea to start, but don't get dependent on them, or your stroke probably won't ever really work without them.
play with the amplitude of your stroke. long, slow, deep 'diving' strokes can help till you build up endurance... and give you something to fall back on if you get fatigued and want to 'stay legal'. the more you can flatten your stroke, the faster you can get.
for practice... try just letting your legs sort of drag behind you as you fly... using very small kicks.
when you can start doing fly from a dead stop, floating stretched out in the water, you will know you are on your way to becoming a good fly swimmer.
enjoy it. make it fun.
:)
there have been some very good suggestions in this thread.
you may want to check out the articles by Coach Emmett Hines at:
www.h2oustonswims.org/articles_whole.html
especially:
Slip-Slid’n’ Away
and
Vive le Papillon!
i have major mobility issues w/ my shoulders and have managed to learn to do a pretty decent fly. i look at it this way:
you need a good kick. the power comes from the body motion. learning the timing takes a lot of patience (for most average folks) and/or good coaching.
think "forward"... not "up"
keep the hips as high as you can throughout the whole stroke.
learn to relax into the recovery as much as possible.
for a good practice and distance technique... try to incorporate a glide into your stroke. the glide comes at the end of the recovery.
learn to engage muscles in the core of your body... not just the extremities. fly is more of a whole body stroke than any other. i was amazed at what i learned about using core body strength in swimming once i learned to do a decent fly stroke.
one-arm fly will help with the timing. i prefer breathing to the side, inactive arm out front. this drill helps a lot to get you to stretch-out your stroke. you can alternate sides (and full strokes) in any combination you can imagine... just keep it balanced.
make yourself long in the water. visualize it.
what is frequently referred to as a 'pressing down of the chest' is really more of a 'opening of the chest' (ask a Yoga teacher about this term). the better your flexibility in the shoulders/spine, the better you will be at this.
breathe as early as possible... and make it quick.
the kick basically comes at the water entry and exit of the hands. the actual timing is a bit more refined than this, but this is where you want to start till you find your stroke.
do a lot of dolphin kicks on your back... arms out front. when people start complimenting you on this skill, you'll know you are pretty much there.
i never used fins for years, partly to be a purist, mostly because i never had them around. when i finally got around to trying it i used diver type fins and it threw off my timing in a big way. something to keep in mind if you use fins. i've never tried training fins (like 'zoomers'), but i'm guessing they would work better. i think fins would be a good idea to start, but don't get dependent on them, or your stroke probably won't ever really work without them.
play with the amplitude of your stroke. long, slow, deep 'diving' strokes can help till you build up endurance... and give you something to fall back on if you get fatigued and want to 'stay legal'. the more you can flatten your stroke, the faster you can get.
for practice... try just letting your legs sort of drag behind you as you fly... using very small kicks.
when you can start doing fly from a dead stop, floating stretched out in the water, you will know you are on your way to becoming a good fly swimmer.
enjoy it. make it fun.
:)
