How Your Swimmers Can Improve Their Times Without Any Faster

By Coach Buddy Baarcke

Impossible! Makes no sense! But let me explain--- Without swimming at a higher rate of speed, a swimmer can go faster by:

Going straight. Too many swimmers swim in meets just as they do in practice: in circles. A 1650 swimmer who veers 1 2 inches off on each length will go 66 feet too far. A potential time of, say, 1 7:00, will slow to 1 7:1 3.6. In a crowded practice pool, circle swimming is necessary. In a meet, with no one else in his lane, a swimmer must go absolutely straight.

Pushing off immediately. Many swimmers make fast flip turns but do not push off the instant the faster than a poor one, but right 1 988 - With a perfect finish in the 1 00 feet touch the wall. Why? Because at the end of most races, even Fly, Anthony Nesty of Surinam wins by their hands are not ready: up by some 1650s, hundredths count. 1/100th over the USA's the head before the feet touch These are humans racing, not who slightly bobbled his finish. the wall. Our 1650 swimmer has machines. They are watching each wasted probably 1/10th of a other, keying off each other, and second per turn, and so with 65 so, many races are microscopically 2008 - Dara Torres of the USA loses turns the potential 1 7:00 has now close. A good finish is simple the 50 Free by 1/1 00th! slowed to 1 7:20.1 (1 7:00 + 1 3.6 + - really. A freestyler must quit wins the 100 Fly by 1 /I 00th! 6.5). breathing four or five strokes out and keep his eyes on the wall. Maybe the second-place finisher made Viewing underwater film of Kieren Only by not looking away, by a "perfect" finish and still lost, but Perkins and Grant Hackett, both not breathing on those last few probably not. Finishes need to be of Australia, racing in the 1 500 strokes, can a perfect touch be practiced, not just left to chance. Free in the 2000 Sydney Games, made. And proper finishes must it is immediately apparent why also be practiced for the other Perkins lost his attempt to win the three strokes. Too many coaches So, all of these things apply to all Olympic 1 500 three times in a row: do a great job of training their distances - even the 50. he hesitates 29 times(!) before swimmers on all other aspects pushing off. Hackett's hands were of racing but forget to work on up by his head and he pushed off finishes. Swimmers must go absolutely straight immediately each time. Perkins and must push off from turns the caught Hackett between turns instant their feet touch the wall. And, almost every time, but ... REMEMBER THESE EXAMPLES to execute a great touch, freestylers FROM THE : and flyers must quit breathing the last The finish. How many swimmers, 1 972 - Gunnar Larson of Sweden beats few strokes and focus on the wall. no matter what the length of Tim McKee of the USA by 2/1 OOOths the race, do a proper, big-time, of a second in the 400 meter IM. After Goaches, get your whips out and make "professional" finish? Maybe half of that the rules were changed to record everyone on your team consistently do them. A really great finish might times only in hundredths. these simple things to "improve their be only hundredths of a second times without swimming any faster." @

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