Flowing Freestyle: Novice to Pro
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Bad Kicking-SloMo
Good Kicking Kick Mechanics
Follow Through
Kick Mechanics Toes point inward (“pigeon-toed”)
Movement originates from the hip joint (core)
Knee bend sets up the extension/power
Power comes from leg extension (quads)
Lift leg straight
Kick Training
Teach young Continue Teaching!!!
Continuous, Small, Fast, STRONG!
Critical for 12& under (30 – 50% Kicking)
Video Courtesy of Guy Edson Kick Drills
With board face in water (teach exhale)
With board face in water & snorkel K all sides Vertical Kick
Kick In Body Position
Kicking Fast – Nothing Like It
Video Courtesy of Guy Edson
Kicking Fast – Nothing Like It Kicking Fast – “In Position”
Courtesy Blue Ash YMCA
Kicking Fast – Nothing Like It
Courtesy North Baltimore Aquatic Club
Two Ways to go Faster Eliminate Resistance
Body Position (Front to Back Balance)
“Split” the water on “side”
The longer the vessel, the faster it goes
Eliminate Resistance - 1 Front-to-Back Balance (Body Position)
1 x
2 x
Double the resistance 4 times the energy to go the same speed!
Eliminate Resistance - 1
Head to Foot Balance
Head in line with body (neutral)
Extended neck Eyes down or slightly forward Eliminate Resistance - 1
Eliminate Resistance - 2 “Active Streamlining”
Split water on ‘side’
2 surfaces = Faster!
Eliminate Resistance - 3 Active Streamlining - Keep it Long – “Swim Tall” Eliminate Resistance - 1 Front-to-Back Balance (Body Position)
1 x
2 x
Double the resistance 4 times the energy to go the same speed!
Eliminate Resistance - 2 Split water on ‘side’
“Active Streamlining”
2 surfaces = Faster!
Eliminate Resistance - 3 Keep it Long – “Swim Tall” Eliminate Resistance - 3 Keep it Long – “Swim Tall”
Bilateral Breathing Symmetry: Increased balance Shoulder health Seeing the Competition Every 3? Or by 25s?
Bad (Late) Breath (Natural) Good Breath
Good Breath (Front View)
Breath Over-Rotation Breath Over-Rotation (Slo Mo)
Breath Over Rotation
Breathe Behind Bow Wave One Goggle Up, One Under
Good, Bad, Ugly
Breathing Rotate head along spinal axis
Breathe in “trough” One goggle in, one out
Small movement to breathe “sneaky breath”
Get head back quickly before anchor begins
Anchor when head is back in line Breathing Behind the Bow Wave
Breathing Behind the Bow Wave
Breathing Behind the Bow Wave Nathan Adrian How Many Breaths?
Chloe Sutton Training Before & After
Chloe Sutton Training Before & After Breathing Drill 1: Quick, Sneaky Breath (8 year old)
Breathing Drill 1: Quick, Sneaky Breath (12 year old)
Breathing Drill 2 Stroke, Quick/Sneaky Breath, 6 kicks Breathing Drill 2 Strokes, Quick/Sneaky Breath, 6 kicks
Breathing Drill 2 Strokes, Quick/Sneaky Breath, 6 kicks
Free Breath Before Manipulation
Free Breath Manipulation
Free Breath After Manipulation
Arm Recovery Trouble with “Zipper Drill”
Trouble with “Zipper Drill”
Zipper Extension Better “Zipper Drill”
Zipper “Extension
Two Ways to go Faster
Freestyle Power Anchor/Catch (Early Vertical Forearm, Elbow Up, High Elbow, Open Armpit, Medial Rotation)
“Pull” with core – not arms
No Crossover – Power Zone – Railroad Tracks Anchor = Catch
Katie Hoff Jason Lezak
Larsen Jensen
Ian Crocker
Kalyn Keller
Klete Keller
Natalie Coughlin
Anchor/Catch Bend at the elbow/palm and forearm face toward feet
Disadvantage: Advantage: Technically difficult Greatest stroking efficiency
Anchor/Catch
Freestyle Fundamentals Do Not Cross-over Midline – “Train Tracks”
High Elbow Anchor vs. Straight Arm
Klete Keller
Dana Vollmer
Kaitlin Sandeno
Straight Arm The dominant freestyle technique in the US Great acceleration upon entry Easy to achieve high stroke rates
Short course swimming /Disadvantages 50m freestyle Difficult to maintain high stroke rate needed to sustain speed in races over 50 LCM Poor stroking efficiency
Gary Hall Jr.
Straight Arm The dominant freestyle technique in the US Disadvantage Difficult to maintain high stroke rate 50+
Gary Hall Jr.
Body Rotation • Rotation and arm extension can actually hurt ability to get a high elbow • If a swimmer begins stroke while rotated, there are only two places to go… • Down (straight arm) • Across • Key to fast freestyle is being able to rotate/extend AND get a high elbow • Must be aware of rotation timing
More rotation More of a catch-up stroke
Underwater Front View Joyce Vollmer
straight arm high elbow
World Record 1500 Sun Yang First 100
World Record 1500 Sun Yang Last 100
Jason Lezak vs Alain Bernard
Number of Strokes Comparison 25’s Lezak Bernard 1 12 (even) 12
2 17 (-4) 21 3 15 (-3) 18
4 19 (-5) 24 Total 63 (-12) 75
Jason Lezak vs Alain Bernard
Jason Lezak vs Alain Bernard Your Drills 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Small, Fast, Strong, Continuous
Follow Through “Pigeon-Toed”
Quick, “Sneaky” Head back before pull
Breathe behind wave 1 Goggle Up
Two Ways to go Faster
Front – Back Balance
Swim on Side
Swim Tall Two Ways to go Faster
Anchor/Catch “Pull” with core – not arms
No Crossover – Power Zone