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You've
probably got a favourite swimming drill, it feels natural and smooth to
perform and you identify with the reason for doing it.
But
equally we all have drills that we dislike that
feel awkward and difficult, drills that some other swimmers can perform
with ease but never click for us. Whenever you have this experience
don't see it as a negative thing, look on it as a positive. All that is
happening is that the drill is highlighting a weak area of your stroke
technique and something you need to work on.
Here is a list of our primary drills and why you might struggle with each:
Sink Down Exercise
If
you struggle to sink while exhaling then you're definitely someone who
likes to hold their breath underwater. Learning to let go of the air in a
smooth relaxed way is key to ridding your system of CO2 as you swim and
helps bring your legs up higher behind you. Work on relaxing and
letting go of the air to help you sink, it may surprise you just how
much air is in there!
Kick On Side / 6-1-6 / 6-3-6
The
most common reason for disliking this drill is if you have poor posture,
with your lead
arm crossing the centre line in front of your head as you swim. Think
about drawing your shoulder blades together and back during the drill to
bring that lead arm straight and so become much more comfortable on
your side. This improved posture also helps develop better rotation in
the stroke.
Swimmers who drop their lead arm when breathing
(Bambinos) may also find this drill difficult. As you rotate your head
to the side to breathe during the drill, focus on keeping the lead arm
held in front of you to give you support. Don't let it collapse
downwards.
Scull #1
Sculling requires "feel for the
water", meaning your ability to connect with the water at the front of
the stroke. To improve your sculling make sure your elbow is higher than
your wrist, and your wrist is higher than your fingertips as you
perform the drill (the hands may feel lower in the water than you expect
to achieve that). Move your hands in and out, angled so that
you feel the water's pressure on your palm at all times - it's a bit
like mixing hot and cold water in the bath! See sculling in action here.
Doggy Paddle
If
you have poor rotation in the stroke you will find Doggy Paddle
difficult, or just as commonly you could be pressing down on the water
in front of your head with a straight arm. As you perform the drill
think about "reaching and rolling", rotating your hips on every stroke
and pulling through underwater to around your belly button. Also work on
bending your elbow in front of your head so that you can press the
water backwards (with your hand facing the wall behind you) instead of
downwards. Keep that lead hand constantly in motion either extending,
catching the water or pressing backwards. As in your full freestyle the
movements should be smooth and
fluid - never pausing!
Unco
This is quite a tricky
drill that is all about developing your rhythm and timing. If you have
any dead-spots or pauses in the stroke this drill will feel very
difficult, as it will if you press the water downwards with a straight
arm during the catch. Try working on improving your Doggy Paddle and
then return to Unco to feel the improvement. More information on the
Unco drill is here.
Waterpolo
Another
advanced level drill that highlights any weaknesses in your rhythm and
timing. If you struggle with waterpolo remember it's a high-effort
exercise (nearly sprinting!) and you need to keep a really strong rhythm
going. Less advanced swimmer can use a larger pull-buoy during the
drill focusing on maintaining a strong tempo, getting into the stroke
quickly at the
front.
The irony here is that it is the drills we find
hard that we need to persist with and work on improving. The drills you
find easy and enjoy are useful for stroke maintenance but not so
important to move you forwards.
Swim Smooth! |
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Swim Smooth, 12 Davies Road, Claremont Swimming Pool, Davies Road, Claremont, WA 6010, AUSTRALIA
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