We know there is always a hardy bunch around the country who will make the sea their training ground whether it is Summer or Winter.
For us less hardy souls the confines of the pool and sight of the black line below us is a more common occurrence for our training, so here are some little things that you could work on if you are the pool.
Get that burning feel
The kick tends to be one of the more under-utilised weapons for many open water swimmers, especially with your wetsuit on, the added buoyancy tends to create a laziness in the kicking action. So getting your kick re-connected with your stroke can help provide:
- Lift
- Propulsion
- Balance
- Consistency
Get in a few kick only sets (no fins) and feel that burn back in the legs.
Learn more: http://www.boostcoaching.co.nz/kick-technique
Strong but relaxed
Your core position is important to create a level of stability in your swimming position in which everything works from. The core needs to ‘strong but relaxed’ so not so tense as if you are going for a plank pb and not so relaxed that your back arches and your low body fish tails around in the water. Get the right level of activation and it will help you:
- hold length in your body
- keep your kick together
- assist a strong body rotation
Sometimes by focusing on head position (water at the hairline) this can help you hold stability of the core, so that you don’t submarine/ submerge or go up and down as you alternate your arm stroke.
Traditional or Swinger
When you read many online perspectives around arm recovery the most common discussion is around the straight arm recovery vs the high elbow recovery.
In my experience of working and seeing many age group swimmers try to implement a straight arm recovery, what they think they are doing in their action, actually looks more like a ‘haymaker’ or a swinging arm from a brawling boxer – which won’t make you many friends in the lane you are swimming in.
So if you are going to practice a straight arm recovery then make sure your arm movement is always moving forward not swinging from outside in.
The traditional high elbow recovery may not have as higher turnover but will more likely set up most swimmers for a better catch.
Either method that you are working on I do believe the key similarities is to create a high shoulder position that enhances body rotation and reduces the frontal drag component compared to a flat shoulder position.
Drills to help you with this – http://www.boostcoaching.co.nz/zipper-drill
Generating Power
Let’s think a little outside the ‘swimming box’ for a moment and I want you to imagine yourself hitting a tennis ball like Roger Federer.
As he accelerates through the stroke to hit the ball he opens up his hips to help generate power in his tennis stroke. If his arm simply moves at the same speed as his body rotation he will generate very little power at the point of impact with the ball.
Think of this with your swimming – as your arm goes through the water it must move faster than your body rotation in order to help you accelerate you forward and generate power. So think of these as two separate components:
- Body Rotation
- Accelerating arm movement
Your body rotation opens up so your arm can power through the stroke like Federer hitting a forehand winner! Leverage!
Good luck with your swimming over winter and I’d love to help you develop your stroke further, to enhance your next season at the New Zealand Ocean Swim Series, so come and get some feedback on your stroke and book a lesson soon.
