Photo: Shutterfly
Learning to swim and swim efficiently can be a frustrating and difficult task.
When swimming, you really can only focus and work on one or two things at a time. This really isn’t any different than anything else. Like learning to read or write, you have to start with step 1, master that, then move to step 2. Becoming impatient and skipping steps just doesn’t work. With the endurance swimming, this just results in less efficiency and more “work” you have to do, leaving less energy for the bike and run later. And perhaps leaving you frustrated with the whole swimming thing and maybe not putting in the time that you need to.
The below swim skills ladder will help you to understand the priority of the skills needed become an efficient endurance swimmer. Start at the bottom of the list and make your up. Ask yourself, yes or no. Stop at your first no. This is wear you need help.
An aside …. if you don’t know the answer … this is the time that you get your phone out and have someone video your swim. Then send my way. Having someone else look at your swim form can be very helpful. I have seen great improvements from just a change or two.
Go through the list of skills below, notice where you answer “no” or are unsure. If you are trying to improve a skill become a skill that you haven’t mastered, you will not be learning efficiently. Working on the drills that go with the specific skills, really slowing down and paying attention, can greatly improve your swimming. This means that you become more EFFICIENT and faster. Don’t go into the swim drills thinking you are just going to get them over with. Study them. Pay attention to how they feel and work to replicate that feeling in your swim stroke. Doing this will change your stroke permanently and help you to proceed to the next skill.
START at the BEGINNING (bottom of the ladder)!!!!
Pull: Do fingertips point down and elbow stays high?
Catch: Does the wrist stay unbent? Do you feel the water under your hand/wrist/forearm?
Reach: Do hands extend forward above the shoulder and slightly down?
Entry: Does the fingers enter slightly down?
Recovery: Are you leading with the elbow on the recovery?
Finish: Does your hand exit the water past your hip? Is your elbow dropping?
Center line: Do you avoid crossing the center line with your hands?
Rotation: Are your shoulders and hips together, rotating on each stroke?
Bilateral breathing: Can you breathe to both sides? (Either every 3 or 2 strokes.)
Head position: Do you look down at the lane line?
Balance: Are your hips near the surface when you swim? Can you feel your heels touch the surface of the water?
Kicking: Can you kick / propel yourself down the lane with a kick board?
Breathing: Are you exhaling under the water? Are you gasping on the inhale?
Floating & relaxing: Can you float forward and streamlined like Superman?
START HERE!!!!
If you are unsure if you are doing any of these skills, I offer swim analysis virtually. Connect with me! Check out this example!
