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Tip of the Week
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Tips of the Week on Swim Stroke, Distance and Stroke Rate 0 0 none
get back to your good technique; style will always get you further than speed in the long run! A fun drill that can help both SR and DPS is "Golf" (no caddy needed). Swim a 50 (or any distance that you can do 18 more times). Count your cycles and get your time for the swim. Add these numbers together for your "par" score. Now swim 9 x 50 with :15 to :30 rest. Add your count and time for each 50 to get your score for that "hole". Compare each hole to your "par" and add or subtract as you go - 1 over, even, 1 under, etc. Take a break after the first 9, then do it again, using the counting method. How did you do? even? under? over? Try this once a week - you will get a feel for ways to maximize your DPS while holding the same time.
Tips of the Week on Butterfly Stroke 0 0 none
Butter Fly Drill Helping young swimmers develop a forward-moving butterfly (instead of a more vertical stroke) starts with the right kick. This drill builds from kicking into full butterfly in a series of steps. Swimmers can do several 25s of each step and coaches should watch to make sure swimmers comprehend each movement before progressing to the next step. Step 1. Start off butterfly kicking with a board, head out of the water. Swimmers rest their hands on top of the bottom of the board, without gripping. This prevents their arms or head from being involved with the kick (they’ll lose control of the board if they do so). By preventing head or arm movement, swimmers learn to isolate their kick from their chest down. Step 2. Next, kick without the board, head underwater, arms hugging ears and hands separated. Swimmers practice the kick they isolated in the previous step and mimic the moment in butterfly between kicking and starting the next pull movement. By separating the two steps (pull vs kick), swimmers learn to create a flat stroke. Step 3. Add arms by drilling four kicks to one pull, and eventually three kicks to one pull. Watch swimmers to see that they finish their pull before starting their kick and make sure their legs aren’t bending too far. This helps them maintain body positioning and eventually will let swimmers develop the second butterfly kick naturally. Step 4. Begin full butterfly swimming at a relaxed pace, working on rhythm. If swimmers struggle, have them put on fins and repeat the steps.
Tip of the Week on All Four Strokes 0 0 none
Divide the four competitive strokes into short axis (butterfly and breaststroke) and long axis (freestyle and backstroke), it is easier to identify exercises that will affect these strokes. For Short Axis Strokes (Butterfly and Breaststroke): Knee Tuck: Using a gym ball, start in a push-up position with the ball under your shins. Tighten your abdominals by trying to pull in your bellybutton, and then pull your knees up toward your chest, letting the ball roll under your lower legs and returning to the starting position. Front Pike: Start this exercise in the plank position with the ball under your ankles. Keep your back and your knees straight and bend at your hips, raising your buttocks up into the air, pulling your toes onto the ball. Hold and then return to the starting position. For Long Axis Strokes (Freestyle and Backstroke): Torso Twist: Start in the push-up position with the ball under your shins. Twist your hips to roll the ball in one direction, and then back the other direction. Control the motion using your abdominal muscles and do not bend your hips. Keep your spine in line and your eyes and chest facing the ground. Side Bridge/rotation Exercise: Start in the push-up position. Keeping your body in line, turn your body to the side, holding yourself up with the bottom arm and stretching your top arm straight into the air. You should look like a “T” leaning on its side. Hold this position for several seconds, return to the start position, and repeat to the other side.
 

Tip of the Week on Breathing
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Tip of the Week on the Butterfly Stroke
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Tip of the Week on Swimming Distance and Stroke Rate
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Tip of the Week on Breathing 0 0 none
Good breathing technique and timing is so important to an efficient freestyle. Breathing “late” typically means your breathing interferes with the rhythm of your arm strokes. Late breathing can also affect how your arm pulls underwater. If you start pulling water while your head is still turned for a breath, it will likely lead to a poor catch, and then that arm may eventually cross underneath the body at the finish. Here are some things to think about: 1. Start turning your head to breathe BEFORE the recovering arm (on the non-breathing side) hits the water. Most people wait for that arm to enter and extend before turning to breathe. 2.Take a quick breath with your head low, trying to keep one goggle in the water. Don’t lift your head to breathe. 3.Begin turning your head back into the water while the arm in the water (on the non-breathing side) is starting the catch.
 

Tips of the Weeks on Swim Stroke, Distance and Stroke Rate
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Photo's at UCLA
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