Hip Rotation Focus
Endurance swimmers use a hip driven stroke. Focusing on
hip rotation can help you to get the most from your whole body, on every
stroke. Not focusing on snapping your hips can get you flat in the water
for too long during the stroke cycle, slowing your hull to a crawl...
Technique Focus Points
- Get your hips out of the way! At the end of your stroke, if
your stroking hand hits your hip or gets stuck under it, you have not
rotated far enough onto your side.
- Use your hips to drive your recovering arm forward. Remember
that the weight of your recovering arm should be traveling directly
forward as it hits the water. Use your hips to toss your arm forward.
Some like to imagine that they are using their hips to throw a heavy
weight forward.
- Snap your hips at the moment you make your catch. This minimizes
the amount of time you are flat in the water. At endurance speeds, and
especially with a wetsuit, it is very easy to get too casual with hip
rotation, slowing it down, not rotating enough, and spending too much
time flat in the water (where you create the most drag).
What to Watch For
- Have somebody watch you. When you have a hip driven stroke, your hips
should be visible very close to the surface, with one side breaking
the surface every stroke.
- Hitting your hip with your stroking hand. This indicates you are not
rotating enough. If you breathe on only one side, this often happens
on your non-breathing side.
- Keeping your upper torso flat while rotating your hips - you will
end up with a sore lower back. Keep your lower ribs and hips connected
by sucking your belly in.
- Do not rotate your shoulders as much as you rotate your hips (one
over the other). Instead, think about shifting your shoulders forward
or back along your spine as you stroke, to minimize your forward facing
profile in the water.
Hip Rotation Focus Workouts
More Information
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