Breakwater Freestyle 2 - Session 4: Arm Stroke Focus

The first focus for this session is on getting into the setup position (the top photo to the left) quickly.

EVF Drills with a setup focus

• Kickboard Single Arm Drill
• 6-1-6
• 9-3-9
• Shoulder Tap
• Straight-Arm Recovery
• Hip driving the opposite arm - or actually the entire opposite side - to the setup position

Catch and Pull Focus

The second focus of this workout is on engaging the core to perform the "catch and pull" phase of the stroke. Your stroking arm is actually an anchor in the water, and you move your body past that anchor primarily by using your core muscles. One way to do this is by swimming freestyle sets while focusing on progressively "deeper" core muscles. Swim 4 X 50 focusing on engaging the following muscle groups as early as possible during the catch and pull phase of the stroke:

• Shoulders
• Chest
• Upper Abs
• Lower Abs

Note: Continue to practice the dryland EVF strengthening drill on the bottom of the Video Clips - Arms page.

Back to the Freestyle 2 program page.