Swimming technique
These are my notes about proper swimming technique, with the important aspects and what to keep in mind.
This document is arranged in order, starting with the essential fundamentals. Each section build upon previous sections, so it’s important to make sure technique is solid before moving on. If adding new elements causes something to regress, it may be worth stepping back to strengthen good habits.
Phase 1: A horizontal body
The goal
Maintaining a horizontal balance in your body makes everything easy. The horizontal position reduces drag and allows you to move forward easily. Having high feet and a lower head counterintuitively makes it easier to breathe, as your mouth will be closer to the surface of the water.
Your upper body should sit low, completely supported by the water. Your body will naturally sit at around 90% submerged, and leaning in slightly will create leverage to keep your legs up.
Your instinct may be to use your arms and legs to push your body higher in the water, but this is counterproductive. Learn how it feels to be at rest in the water. This way your arms and legs can be used entirely to propel yourself forward.
Focal points
Head and neck: Release your head’s weight until the water is holding it up. Neck should be long, in line with your spine, with your chin slightly tucked. Look straight down at the bottom of the pool.
Chest: Proud posture with an open chest. Your chest should be the lowest point of your body.
Core muscles: Engaged with tension to keep your body firm, not floppy.
Arms: Shoulder-width apart, parallel to each other. Don’t let your arms cross your nose.
Legs: Extended, with glutes tight, toes pointed, and heels near the surface of the water. Don’t try to pull your legs up if you feel them sinking. Instead, lean on your chest more and let the leverage lift your hips.
Drills
Superman Glide
- Push off of the bottom or side with arms extended forward.
- Maintain a horizontal position, and see how far you can glide.
- Stand when you stop moving or your legs sink.
Superman Flutter
- Do the Superman Glide, and start kicking just enough to maintain a slow speed.
- Maintain a light kick, with legs contained within the space behind your torso.
Laser Lead Flutter
- Do the Superman Flutter with your arms at your side.
- Imagine a laser beam coming out of the top our your head, and keep it pointed at the opposite side.
- Keep your body long and maintain a solid head and body position.
Phase 2: Body rotation
Reduce drag
Reducing drag is the single most effective way to make swimming easier, and to let you swim faster and farther.
Spear your arm forward
Having an arm extended in line with your shoulder reduces drag for your entire body. Imagine opening a hole with your front hand, and having your body squeeze through that hole after it.
Having an arm in front your body also shifts your center of mass forward, making it easier to keep your legs up.
Rotate your body
Roll your body (do a barrel roll!) so that your front arm’s shoulder is lower in the water, and your high shoulder barely clears the water. As you bring your other arm forward again, your body rolls to establish the same position on the other side.
The role of the arms
Your arms are not paddles to pull you forwards through the water. Use them efficiently to shift your weight and create natural propulsion.
Recovery
As you lift your back arm out of the water and forward, this moves your center of mass forward. Dropping your arm into the water creates momentum that you can utilize to push ahead, and the full-body motion of your rotation increases the force. Reduced drag allows your body to move further.
Your arm should enter the water near your ear at around shoulder width. It should then spear straight forward without crossing your nose, because crossing over creates excess drag.
Catch
As your front arm moves to the back, use your hand (pointed down with flexed wrist) and forearm together as a wide surface to catch water and act as an anchor. Then the momentum from your forward stroke and weight-shift moves your body forward past the anchor.
Keep your elbow high and forward near the surface while your forearm and hand drop to vertical. This lets your hand and forearm act as a unit, letting you anchor effectively.
The role of the legs
Kicking your legs is very tiring. Rather than trying to push yourself forward with your legs, just use them to help rotate your body and keep your legs up.
Light kicking
The only role of kicking is to keep your legs up and help to rotate your body. Kicking too strongly will create turbulence, which increases drag.
Two-beat kick
The two-beat kick (two kicks per stroke cycle, or one kick per arm stroke) is the most efficient motion. As your arm enters the water, kick down with your lower leg (will be the opposite side) to lift that side of the body. High arm entering, low arm anchoring, and kick rotating your body should work together as a fluid, full-body motion.
Breathing
Lifting your head up to breathe will cause your legs to drop. Instead, breathe naturally within the rolling motion.
Follow your shoulder up
When you are swimming, your head is held straight and steady, detached from the rolling motion of your body. Each shoulder will take turns approaching your chin as it drives down. When you need to breathe, re-attach your head to the rolling motion. As your shoulder rolls up, follow it with your head until it naturally clears the water at a sideways position. Your forward motion creates a low-pocket beside your head, so your mouth will clear the air below the apparent waterline. There is plenty of time for a quick sip of air, after which you roll head down again with your shoulder. Once you are facing straight down, detach your head from the rolling motion and keep it straight and steady.
Exhale!
Most people who struggle with breathing aren’t exhaling enough. You need to empty your lungs before you can take in more air. Built up CO2 is what makes you feel hungry for air. If it’s difficult to push all of your air out at once, it’s fine to breathe out steadily as your head is down. But holding air in your lungs does help with buoyancy, so try to find a balance that works for you.
Relax your body
The goal is to swim efficiently, using as little energy as possible. Excess tightness is wasted energy, so be as relaxed as possible.
Let the water hold you up
As long as you are able to keep good balance in the water, you can just let the water hold you up and be at whatever depth is natural for your body.
Your head and neck should be relaxed, with all of your weight being held up naturally by the water.
Lead your arm with your elbow
Arm strokes should also be done with minimal tension. Raise your arm by opening up your armpit, and lead the rotation with a high elbow. Your hand and forearm should hang from the elbow, barely clearing the water. Entry into the water should also be relaxed and quiet, sinking naturally into the skating position.
Constant motion
Holding the glide position for too long is a trap to be aware of. Aim for perpetual motion to maintain momentum.
Body is always rolling
Your body will always be rolling back and forth, and your movements should support this rhythm. Don’t remain stationary on one side.
Back arm is always moving
As you catch and anchor your arm, don’t pull it all the way back past your hips. Begin the recovery early, so that you can re-enter in time with the rolling of your body.
A patient front arm
Your front arm is one body part that does stay stationary for some time. It should stay extended until your other arm is ready to enter, so that you always have one arm forward in front of your head.