Swim Video Clip

need headshot...

norman m

Notes

Adult Open Water Swim Program - Initial Evaluation - June 13, 2011

Click here for instructions on how to use the video player. Use the Turn Comments On or Off buttons for voice-over comments. Note that you can play the clips one frame at a time or in slow motion using the player control buttons. Play the clips with and without comments, and then see the Drill Clips and Stills pages (above) for suggestions on how to deal with the issues mentioned.

Summary: Your stroke is looking pretty smooth, but you should try to make minor adjustments to your head position, breathing and kicking.

Priority

Recommendation

Posture. You are looking forward, which arches your back and drops your hips. You begin your breathing cycle by tilting your head forward more, and this makes the problem worse. Try to look straight forward except when breathing. See the Head Position topic for more information.

Breathing. As noted above, when you breathe you take too much of your head out of the water. Have a look at the first video on the Video Clips - Breathing page (from SwimTherapy). It is long but very well done. This may go away when you correct your head position.

Kicking. You have two problems with your kick: too much knee bend, and the rotational kick is not connected with your core rotation. Practice your kicking technique out of the pool - lie on your belly, and practice lifting your heels using your glutes instead of your hamstrings) - see Dry Kicking for Freestyle and Backstroke. Practice vertical kicking in the pool, focusing especially on the rotational kick. Use the Single-Arm Kickboard drill to focus on coordinating the catch with the rotational kick on the same side - for example, just as you begin your catch and pull with your right arm, perform a rotational kick with your right leg. Then when swimming freestyle, focus on using the rotational kick to drive the opposite arm into the water.

Links

MIT Tri Team

Open Water Swimming

Norman M Videos