We were at the Annual Northern California Swim Coaches Clinic this weekend. It is always a treat to spend time with colleagues away from the pool, especially in a learning environment. It seems like many coaches spend so much time honing their craft everyday, on the deck working with kids in the pool that they don't have much chance to listen to peers, interact, ask questions, that type of thing. So when they get an opportunity such as at a clinic to have the luxury of time to absorb news ideas, or fresh ideas about a subject with which they are familiar it is very exciting.
In this space a couple of weeks ago we talked about kicking, its value and how to incorporate more of it into your practice time. It was clear this weekend that everyone clearly understands the need for leg power.
When the subject of drills came up an interesting comment that nearly slipped through the cracks came from Dave Marsh. Coach Marsh is an individual with exceptional results over a long period of time with many different swimmers. He clearly is what we refer to as an advanced thinker when it comes to the approach to faster swimming.
He said he was more in favor of a swimmer really knowing and being excellent at 4 drills than simply having an awareness of a dozen or more. We only swim 4 strokes, not a dozen so why not get really competent at 4 he reasoned. It sure made us think. Each of our swimmers has one or two specific issues with their primary and secondary stroke. Perhaps we need to have a drill portion of our workout and each swimmer do the one that fits the bill for their improvement. We think that is what we will work on beginning Monday!
So, what can you do as a coach or swimmer to help yourself get better and therefore faster, more efficient? While you work on that one, we will again make the pitch for every swimmer having a snorkel. Go to any swim shop, online or otherwise and purchase one. It is the single most important piece of equipment after suit, cap, goggles that a swimmer can own. You can swim freestyle, breastroke and butterfly with it. Your body position will improve, your balance in the water will improve, your body's ability to process oxygen will improve...the list goes on.
There are many sources of drills for the various strokes, including swimcoachdirect.com. There may even be some ideas for new users with the packaging of the snorkel. Be prepared for a week or so of getting used to it, especially doing turns. Bottom line is this - very shortly, as in a number of days - you will notice a marked difference in the way you move through the water. We urge you to give it a try. If we sold them we would offer a money back guarantee; that's how sure we are about them!
Let us know how it goes for you and if we can help, ask away!
Showing posts with label drills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drills. Show all posts
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Sunday, May 3, 2009
More on Hand Position
We have been learning how to use some software about which we are very excited. Dartfish allows us to take video then watch it frame by frame and draw on it. We also are developing the ability to put voice over the video and still frames for stroke analysis.
We anticipate this tool will give us the ability to do technical stroke feedback for any swimmer who sends us video. We will have more to share as we move up the proverbial learning curve. What we know now is that we can demonstrate correct body and hand position if we have the video.
Last week in our blog we discussed hand position, specifically as it relates to forward propulsion. We said that if the knuckles are facing forward (and therefore the palms are facing backwards) your hand is in a more efficient position. We discussed how we use a drill where we pause for 3 seconds, then for 2 seconds, 1 second and then no pause (four laps total). All the time our finger tips are pointing to the bottom of the pool, knuckles facing forward.
Another drill we use is simple sculling. We use the out sweep and the in sweep to get hands in the most advantageous position. Sometimes we scull an entire lap; other times we scull maybe 3 or 4 times and then break into stroke having "warmed up" our hands to the correct position.
In the photos above, using Dartfish, we have drawn some lines to elaborate on the positions we are after. It is a shame that John Madden retired but now we are excited about having the ability to draw on the screen. We don't know enough about football to take his place but perhaps we can influence TV's coverage of swimming to include this exciting and informative aspect of our sport.
Let us know what you think. Send a quick email to swim@swimcoachdirect.com as your comments help us improve our coaching. Thanks!
We anticipate this tool will give us the ability to do technical stroke feedback for any swimmer who sends us video. We will have more to share as we move up the proverbial learning curve. What we know now is that we can demonstrate correct body and hand position if we have the video.
Last week in our blog we discussed hand position, specifically as it relates to forward propulsion. We said that if the knuckles are facing forward (and therefore the palms are facing backwards) your hand is in a more efficient position. We discussed how we use a drill where we pause for 3 seconds, then for 2 seconds, 1 second and then no pause (four laps total). All the time our finger tips are pointing to the bottom of the pool, knuckles facing forward.
Another drill we use is simple sculling. We use the out sweep and the in sweep to get hands in the most advantageous position. Sometimes we scull an entire lap; other times we scull maybe 3 or 4 times and then break into stroke having "warmed up" our hands to the correct position.
In the photos above, using Dartfish, we have drawn some lines to elaborate on the positions we are after. It is a shame that John Madden retired but now we are excited about having the ability to draw on the screen. We don't know enough about football to take his place but perhaps we can influence TV's coverage of swimming to include this exciting and informative aspect of our sport.
Let us know what you think. Send a quick email to swim@swimcoachdirect.com as your comments help us improve our coaching. Thanks!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
The Swim Season Begins Again: Focus on Snorkeling and Sculling
For many swimmers and coaches this is the time of year for a new beginning. High school seasons in the fall as well as all the college programs and most of the US Swimming teams are beginning training again. Our team is no different than yours. We began last Monday, the 25th of August. As we start it is a chance to put all of the past behind us and begin anew. This is the natural opportunity to look forward uncluttered by what has been happening. Even if there is only a two or three week break somehow it symbolizes exactly the kind of separation needed for a fresh start.
We will have a discussion next week about goals but right now we'd like to focus on two things we are developing this season: snorkel use and sculling. You have probably used a snorkel already; we certainly have. Likewise with sculling you have probably used it to some extent already; we too have done so. What is different for us this year is a commitment to making it a larger part of our training program.
When you use a snorkel you take the distraction of the head turn or head lift out of the equation. All of your focus can be directed towards implementing technique that pulls and pushes the body forward, never needing to compensate for the breath. Flyers and breaststrokers keep your ears in the water. Backstrokers get a pass here! - Although some of our kids have fooled around with turning the snorkel such that they can actually swim on their backs with it; crazy but true. There are tons of drills using the snorkel. We do sets of repeats, sometimes with drills and others just normal swimming. And at this time of year we regroup on our technique and do not worry about the amount of yardage, just the quality of what we do.
Then at the same time we are doing this we add in sculling - lots of it. Think of the power those synchronized swimmers need to develop in their hands, wrists, forearms and shoulders to be able to do what they do. They seem to be sculling all the time! We scull with the hands out in front, down under the torso and back at the thighs. We do laps using all three positions. We work on relaxing the neck, allowing the head to rest in the water. This is where the snorkel is invaluable. We look for a long flat spine. We tighten the transverse abdominals, activate the glutes and hamstrings, put the heels and toes together (make sure you point the toes) and drag a long flat needle of a body behind the power of the scull. Start with widths of the pool if you need to, then progress to lengths, then to repeats of 25's working your way up from there. You won't get as many yards as regular swimming. You will get swimmers with elevated heart rates and strong wrists and forearms that have feel for the water and strength to catch it. They will also have an increased awareness of the need for proper body position and the value of it as it translates to the full stroke.
Many of you out there have numerous drills and technique items you are using effectively today. Why not share your knowledge with the greater swimming community? Drop us a line! See you at the pool, maybe tomorrow?!
We will have a discussion next week about goals but right now we'd like to focus on two things we are developing this season: snorkel use and sculling. You have probably used a snorkel already; we certainly have. Likewise with sculling you have probably used it to some extent already; we too have done so. What is different for us this year is a commitment to making it a larger part of our training program.
When you use a snorkel you take the distraction of the head turn or head lift out of the equation. All of your focus can be directed towards implementing technique that pulls and pushes the body forward, never needing to compensate for the breath. Flyers and breaststrokers keep your ears in the water. Backstrokers get a pass here! - Although some of our kids have fooled around with turning the snorkel such that they can actually swim on their backs with it; crazy but true. There are tons of drills using the snorkel. We do sets of repeats, sometimes with drills and others just normal swimming. And at this time of year we regroup on our technique and do not worry about the amount of yardage, just the quality of what we do.
Then at the same time we are doing this we add in sculling - lots of it. Think of the power those synchronized swimmers need to develop in their hands, wrists, forearms and shoulders to be able to do what they do. They seem to be sculling all the time! We scull with the hands out in front, down under the torso and back at the thighs. We do laps using all three positions. We work on relaxing the neck, allowing the head to rest in the water. This is where the snorkel is invaluable. We look for a long flat spine. We tighten the transverse abdominals, activate the glutes and hamstrings, put the heels and toes together (make sure you point the toes) and drag a long flat needle of a body behind the power of the scull. Start with widths of the pool if you need to, then progress to lengths, then to repeats of 25's working your way up from there. You won't get as many yards as regular swimming. You will get swimmers with elevated heart rates and strong wrists and forearms that have feel for the water and strength to catch it. They will also have an increased awareness of the need for proper body position and the value of it as it translates to the full stroke.
Many of you out there have numerous drills and technique items you are using effectively today. Why not share your knowledge with the greater swimming community? Drop us a line! See you at the pool, maybe tomorrow?!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Have You Snorkeled Lately?
Many of you already know about swimming snorkels. If you don't, or don't know where to get one check out your favorite swim shop or try www.finisinc.com. Snorkels do a number of things for your workouts and racing if that's your thing as well. They also get you incredibly fit aerobically.
When you swim with a snorkel first thing to remember is to hold it in your mouth; do not grip it hard or you will end up with tight jaws and that's no fun. It is easy to hold onto this training aid without overdoing so.
When you order one also get a "cardio cap". This is a device that you can eventually slip over the opening thereby reducing the size of the breathing hole. Wait a while before you do this...always move in progressions. If you have never snorkeled begin with a few laps and work your way to perhaps a 1000 yards or so comfortably. That may take some time and we all have time!
We will offer a number of different drills soon but for today let's just do this much: see if you can swim freestyle with a steady six beat kick the entire lap. A common stroke fault is that when you breathe you drop your kick, or do a cross over kick. Either of these is usually a result of your legs compensating for your head rotation. Without getting too technical in this forum we'd suggest a lap of freestyle with a steady six beat kick and pay attention to when you breathe through the snorkel and see if your legs stop when you breathe.
Sooner than later we will have video clips on our site showing some of these drills. And of course, we can always do video analysis of your strokes should you so desire. Give this a try and let us know what you notice about the relationship of your breath to your kick. See you soon...at the pool!
When you swim with a snorkel first thing to remember is to hold it in your mouth; do not grip it hard or you will end up with tight jaws and that's no fun. It is easy to hold onto this training aid without overdoing so.
When you order one also get a "cardio cap". This is a device that you can eventually slip over the opening thereby reducing the size of the breathing hole. Wait a while before you do this...always move in progressions. If you have never snorkeled begin with a few laps and work your way to perhaps a 1000 yards or so comfortably. That may take some time and we all have time!
We will offer a number of different drills soon but for today let's just do this much: see if you can swim freestyle with a steady six beat kick the entire lap. A common stroke fault is that when you breathe you drop your kick, or do a cross over kick. Either of these is usually a result of your legs compensating for your head rotation. Without getting too technical in this forum we'd suggest a lap of freestyle with a steady six beat kick and pay attention to when you breathe through the snorkel and see if your legs stop when you breathe.
Sooner than later we will have video clips on our site showing some of these drills. And of course, we can always do video analysis of your strokes should you so desire. Give this a try and let us know what you notice about the relationship of your breath to your kick. See you soon...at the pool!
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