8 Swimming Tips
Here are 8 swimming tips that I tell my swimmers all the time. I have probably said these 8 tips a thousand times so I wanted to write them down to share with everyone.
1.) Always swim relaxed. The more you relax, the more potential you have physiologically to swim fast. Added stress or tension impedes mobility and shallow breathing. Stay calm, loose, and relaxed.
2.) Don’t be afraid to experiment with your stroke. Play with new ideas, whether good or bad. You may find a more efficient stroke or at the very least an understanding of good and bad technique.
3.) When fatigue sets in and all you can think about is wanting finish, try to focus on body position and this alone. Keeping a straight long body with an elongated neck with power you through the end of your swim.
4.) Never do a drill set on an interval. When doing drills always take your time, go slow, and think about how that drill relates to that particular stroke. If you are doing a drill 99% right you are doing it 100% wrong.
5.) Sometimes it is hard to get up early and swim. If you are struggling to find motivation try to think outside the box (or pool). What activities out of the pool directly relate to your strokes in the pool (i.e. boxing, spearfishing, surfing, etc). Varity is the spice of life.
6.) USE YOUR CORE. Coordinate your kick, body rotation, catch and pull to allow your core muscles to do as much of the heavy lifting as possible. Relying too much on your limbs will make you fatigue sooner and more prone to injury.
7.) Avoid “crossing over”. Hands should enter the water shoulder width apart. Imagine a line bisecting your body vertically. Many swimmers, especially when breathing, have a tendency to let their hands cross this line during the pull.
8.) Finish your stroke. Pushing up or down against the water wastes energy and contributes nothing. From the initial catch to the final push of each arm stroke, keep your fingertips pointed toward the bottom of the pool. As your underwater hand moves in front of your head, and then parallel to your body, and then back toward your thigh, your wrist should adjust to ensure that your palms and fingertips pull, then push, the water horizontally toward your feet.
