Continuing Technique Education

In the original drill descriptions I included a number of focus points, each of which bring together two or more skills and feedback tools in a short, easy-to-remember phrase. These are intended to direct your thinking to important areas while swimming or drilling. You’ll see them mentioned often in the workouts. As you progress through the levels and as your skills improve, I will introduce more focus points. Following are a few you are likely ready for now.

 

FOCUS POINT ➤ Downhill Swimming

 

When you are organized in a tight-line posture, maintain enough buoy pressure to keep your hips and legs at the surface. It should feel as if your entire body is tilted slightly downhill. You really want to be horizontal, but if your habit is to be in a somewhat uphill position—head and shoulders a bit higher than your hips and legs—then when you are in a horizontal position, it will  feel like you are tilted slightly downhill.

 

 

FOCUS POINT ➤ Side Skating

 

As you take strokes, you should turn all the way onto your side, or nearly so, with each rotation of your body, so that your navel is pointed toward the side wall. Try to “skate” on that side with your bottom arm extended at a slightly downward angle. Continue skating in that position while the recovering arm moves forward past your head to the laser-beam rotation-trigger point.

 

 

FOCUS POINT ➤ Hand Swapping

 

This is one step short of the glove focus point. The idea is to keep your extended arm in front of your body until your recovering, or entering, hand is ready to take its place. Always use one of your hands as the front of your moving vessel; never use your head as the front. This is another way to think of front-quadrant swimming. See chapter 5, page 50 for a more complete description.

 

 

FOCUS POINT ➤ Stroke Count

 

One indicator of technical proficiency and swimming efficiency is the distance you travel with each stroke. Counting the number of strokes it takes to swim each length of the pool gives you excellent feedback about the distance you are traveling with each stroke—the fewer you take, the further you travel with each one. Count one for each hand as it enters the water. The last hand entry at the end of the pool counts as well, even though you touch the wall instead of taking another stroke.