By now you have mastered each of the skills that constitute the crawl stroke—the streamlined body position, the bent-arm S-shaped arm pull, the body roll, the correct breathing technique, and the flutter kick. Now it is time to put it all together (see Figure 7.6). Janet Evans and Matt Biondi: look out!
These are the essentials of the crawl stroke. But, if you want to swim a smooth, powerful freestyle, you need more than good stroke mechanics. You need to develop both a “feel” for the water and a sense of momentum.
Freestyle, former Olympic champion Rowdy Gaines points out, is very much a “feel” stroke. As you practice the basics, he advises, sensitize yourself to the feel of the water on your fingertips, your hands, your arms, your torso, your legs, your feet. “Learn to feel the water,” Rowdy counsels. “Don’t fight against it. Become one with the water.”
You should also learn to maintain constant momentum. This is the best way to overcome resistance. As you swim, imagine yourself moving forward at a constant speed on an invisible conveyor belt. Canadian Olympic coach Cecil Colwin explains: “Momentum never starts, ends, nor is interrupted. The entire freestyle action should be fluent, continuous, and free-flowing.”
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