Swimming Tips

Posts Tagged ‘swim’

Power words are words which if thought about while performing an action, can improve that action dramatically. For example, imagine a golfer lining up to sink a 6 yard putt on the 18th hole. He needs to sink this shot for the win. The pressure on him to perform is enormous.

Now pause for a moment. What do you think a professional golfer would be saying to himself? “HARD AND FAST…HARD AND FAST” or “STEADY…STEADY…”.

The latter of course.

In swimming it is no different. There are two power words which if thought about and repeated while swimming, your swimming will immediately improve. Not only in the way it feels, but in speed, in ease and in smoothness.

These two words are “LONG” and “RELAXED”.

Repeat them when you’re swimming.

“LONG” and “RELAXED”.

When I use this technique with swimmers who are starting out or have little experience, the results are dramatic. It’s common to have swimmers tell me they ‘finally get it’ once they experience swimming long and relaxed.

What do I mean by ‘long’?

Swimming ‘long’ means to be as torpedo like as possible. You should imagine yourself reaching for the wall in each stroke and pulling right back past your hip. The longer you can make your body the less resistance you will create and the faster you will go.

What do I mean by ‘relaxed’?

To go faster in swimming, you need to relax your body. Contrary to what comes natural when we attempt to speed up, you must relax your arms, your shoulders and your legs to increase your speed. Rather than swimming ‘tense’, relax your muscles and allow yourself to power through the water without fighting it. This is absolute key to swimming fast.

During your next workout, imagine yourself swimming ‘long’ and ‘relaxed’ and instantly see the benefits.

How do elite swimmers get so good? Find out at http://effortless-swimming.com

I started competitively swimming last year. As it turns out I suck at freestyle, but am one of the best at breaststroke (technique-wise, not speed-wise yet :/ ). Are certain people built for different strokes? I’ve been swimming after the season with a swim club, and my freestyle is still incredibly slow, even though my technique is great.

Swim regularly. Routine swim practice several times a week helps improve swimming skills more quickly than longer sessions which take place with less frequency.

Use specific swimming drills in your practice sessions. Try to swim the same amount of distance each practice session and utilize the same methods and drills. This should apply to the way you leave the wall and conduct your turns as much as it does the particular techniques of the strokes you want to improve.

Time your swimming with a waterproof watch or by watching the clocks visible at most public swimming pools. Set goals for yourself depending how quickly you can swim a given distance, and then work on improving those times.

Try the Finis Swimmers Snorkel which allows a swimmer of any ability to relax in the water and concentrate on body balance, rotation and alignment by eliminating the complicated breathing motion.

Incorporate flippers in your swim practice. While you shouldn’t use them all the time, they do help perfect your body position and strengthen your leg muscles. When you remove them, try to maintain the body position they give: you’ll find that your speed and technique both improve.

The Finis Wave Monofin and Finis Rapid Monofin are a great source of fun and entertainment while teaching children and adults the correct dolphin / butterfly kicking technique.

Record your swimming with a video camera. It allows you to study your form and identify areas which can use improvement. Some swimming pools (especially those in universities or with serious swimming programmes) are set up to record swimmers, but even if they aren’t, you can still tape your swim training sessions with just a video camera and a helpful friend.

Watch your hand movements as they enter the water while you are swimming. You want to slice them in like knives and drive them in right about at your eye-line, then drive them forward through the water from there. This will improve the efficiency of your swimming stroke. Cupping your hands also allows you to pull yourself through the water–if you leave your fingers spread out, you lose valuable traction.

Zoggs flexi paddles are the first swim paddles created for all swimmers whether recreational or performance and set new standards in product function and safety. The flexible Vylux is not hard or sharp like conventional paddles and is designed to allow the user to create the hands natural contour which improves stroke technique whilst reducing the risk of shoulder strain and injury.

Kick boards are a very handy swim training aid for advanced swimmers and beginner swimmers alike. Typically made from high-density foam, kick boards allow swimmers to use only their legs as they swim. There are many different uses for kick boards and many different ways to use them.

Choose a kick board that fits you comfortably. It should be wide enough that your arms can rest on it comfortably without rounding your shoulders.

Grip the kick board with both hands at the top and hold it just under your chin in the water. Alternatively, you can hold it just ahead of your forehead and keep your face in the water. Some people like to use outstretched arms, but this position is hard to maintain for longer workouts.

Focus on your kick when using the kick board in your work out. Kick boards take your arm stroke out of the equation so that you can focus only on your legs and perfect your kick stroke. Training with a kick board is particularly helpful for perfecting the dolphin kick. Use a kick board to extend your workout beyond the limitations of your arms.

For your gym training sessions try a heart rate monitor to control the intensity of your activity by way of an audible and visual alarm. The unit will bleep when you are exercising too hard, or too lightly. A heart rate monitor will help you to manage a constant effort throughout atraining session, thus vastly improving you total training time and quality.

As a British Gas customer, you can take the family for a dip, without dipping into your wallet. You see, we’re the principal partner of British Swimming, so we’re committed to getting more people in the pool. It’s good for you – and good fun, too. To claim your free family swim go to www.britishgasswimming.co.uk

Wearing the appropriate type of swimsuit for serious swimming is very important for proper resistance, drag and comfort level of the swimmer. Decide on the right kind of style before training with advice from a professional swimmer in this free video on choosing a swimsuit for serious swimming. Expert: Stephen Taylor Contact: www.sTtrainer.com Bio: Stephen Taylor is a professional endurance coach and has won over 25 races, ranging from sprints to iron-distance triathlons, marathons and ultra-marathons. Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

During the finish, or end, of a competitive swimming race, every last bit counts. Learn how to finish strong in a freestyle race in this free swimming lesson video from an expert on health and fitness. Expert: Phillip Toriello Contact: www.PhillTheFlyingFish.com Bio: Phillip Toriello has been a competitive swimmer, a surfer, a lifeguard, a swim instructor and a junior lifeguard instructor. Filmmaker: Patrick Eaves

British swimming set to ‘swim tough’ at Budapest’s European Championships
British Swimming have put down a marker for this summer’s European Championships: swim tough.

Read more on Daily Telegraph

Kick drills are important in swimming because they improve technique and build strength. There are unique kick drills for each of the swimming strokes. Get expert tips and advice in this swimming video.

www.thumbsupswimming.com – This triathlon swimming training drill teaches you the proper way to rotate and keep your stroke out in front of you

The breaststroke is one of the most popular swimming strokes for recreational swimmers. Get an overview of the breaststroke in this free swimming video lesson from a health and fitness expert. Expert: Phillip Toriello Contact: www.PhillTheFlyingFish.com Bio: Phillip Toriello has been a competitive swimmer, a surfer, a lifeguard, a swim instructor and a junior lifeguard instructor. Filmmaker: Patrick Eaves