Freestyle body rotation/getting power from the hips
Former Member
First of all, I don't know if these concepts are directly related. But I finally got some coaching tips and realize that I am plowing through the water like I am swimming like I am stroking with my belly on a surfboard. I have learned to get the high elbow recovery and now I feel the rotation of my body, or at least the potential for it to rotate.
So my question is, do I force my body to rotate more, or is this a natural consequence of doing other things correctly? I can especially feel it on my left/non-breathing side where I can force myself to over rotate beyond which I am doing.
The power from the hips part, I was told I need to do that, but I have no idea how to execute it.
Parents
Former Member
Power comes from two forces. The primary force is a drag force or pushing the water straight back. You can't keep a straight line backward because a vortex behind the hand reduces drag force, so the hand must move to and away from the midline of the body. Hip rotation is indeed important but it helps lift forces but it is a secondary force. Front quadrant, upper body, hip stroke, surfboard swimming, TI, EVF, and whatever, a coach who knows something about swimming will tell you that the fastest swimmers in the world share common denominators. Every world record holder doesn't drop their elbow, they have in one way or another, an early vertical forearm position (straighter or more bent but it's early none the less). Every world record holder gets in a streamlined position and uses their hips to release or finish their stroke (again to greater and lesser degrees). If you want to go fast you must follow certain rules. Get a good coach that knows something about stroke mechanics and try to improve upon those mechanics. Good Luck, Coach T.
Power comes from two forces. The primary force is a drag force or pushing the water straight back. You can't keep a straight line backward because a vortex behind the hand reduces drag force, so the hand must move to and away from the midline of the body. Hip rotation is indeed important but it helps lift forces but it is a secondary force. Front quadrant, upper body, hip stroke, surfboard swimming, TI, EVF, and whatever, a coach who knows something about swimming will tell you that the fastest swimmers in the world share common denominators. Every world record holder doesn't drop their elbow, they have in one way or another, an early vertical forearm position (straighter or more bent but it's early none the less). Every world record holder gets in a streamlined position and uses their hips to release or finish their stroke (again to greater and lesser degrees). If you want to go fast you must follow certain rules. Get a good coach that knows something about stroke mechanics and try to improve upon those mechanics. Good Luck, Coach T.
