Kicksticks 1 Freestyle - Teaching Basics

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Here's a quick and easy progression for helping your developing swimmers begin to understand the basics of freestyle.

Step 1 has the swimmer grabbing the kickstick with both hands, holding the arms directly in front of each shoulder, and extending the arms forward.

This is Position 11 flutter kick with the kickstick.

We use the kickstick, instead of a kickboard, so the swimmer is required to hold the stick in position, without any additional buoyancy.

When the swimmer needs a breath, have them lift the head forward and do their best to NOT release either hand from the kickstick. This will throw them out of balance, which will also begin to teach them WHY they should maintain a lower head position with the eyes looking downward.

It's time to drop the Kickstick.

This is a gradual progression, trying to encorporate what the swimmer has learned up to this point.

Start in Position 11 flutter kick.

Have the swimmer start taking one stroke at a time, and alternating arms. Breathing to one side if they're not using a snorkel.

Start by having the swimmer pause to regain their balance, getting back to Position 11 between strokes.

Gradually, over a few lengths, have the pause between the hands reduce.

From Position 11, they'll get to what looks like a traditional "Catch-up stroke".

From there, have them treat the hands as if they were two of the same magnet. When two magnets with the same polarity get close to each other, they repel. They can NOT be close, and one PUSHES the other AWAY from that space. Have them imagine that as the recovering hand gets close to the extended hand, it's PUSHING the other hand into the stroke.

Have the swimmers who aren't using a snorkel take a breath every few strokes, and to take their time on this.

Many of these swimmers are very young, so this progression is simply part of the overall reinforcement and teaching to a proper freestyle.

Step 2 begins to introduce the swimmer to stroking while maintaining extension with the lead arm.

Start with Position 11 kick with holding the kickstick with both hands.

Release one hand from the kickstick and take a stroke. At the completion of the stroke, the stroking hand should again grab the kickstick and pause for a few seconds to regain any loss of balance.

While using snorkels can make this a very focused exercise, if the swimmers are too young for snorkels or don't have them, encourage them to NOT take a breath on every stroke, but to try to at least get a stroke done without breathing.

Alternate arms on each length.

Step 3 is a simple move forward from Step 2.

Rather than only using one arm for the entire length, the swimmers will alternate the stroking arm.

Start in Position 11 flutter kick with the kicksticks.

Have the swimmer release the stick with one arm, and take a stroke.

After returning the stroking arm back to the kickstick, encourage the swimmer to pause and regain their balance. Then, take a stroke with the other arm.

Repeating, it's great to use snorkels on this drill, but if the swimmers are unable to use snorkels at the youngest stage, have them only breathe to one side. Alternate that side on each length so they begin to learn to breathe effectively on both sides.

The focus point when the swimmer is taking a breath, is to have them think about keeping the kickstick HIGH in the water, with that arm still rigid.

In this, the fourth step in teaching young swimmers freestyle basics, we use the kicksticks to make them aware of extension.

Why do it:
Making very young swimmers aware that the extension is more important than the pull, can help you start their development with a longer and more efficient bodyline.

How to do it:
1 - Hold the kickstick with one hand.
2 - Keep the arm with the kickstick RIGID out front, don't let the arm bend.
3 - Start taking strokes with the other arm.
4 - When the stroking arm enters the water, PUSH the fingers PASSED the kickstick.

How to do it really well (the fine points):
The young swimmers may plunge the hand downward to get it under the stick. To make sure they're sending the hand into the proper extension, have them scrape the back of their forearm against the underside of the kickstick.

It's very important that the arm holding the kickstick stays rigid, so the swimmers don't bring the stick back to the stroking hand, but that the stroking hand pushes passed the stick, into extension.

最经典的一句自由泳交叉技术的表述：让他们对待双手就像两个磁铁一样。当两个具有相同极性的磁体彼此接近时，它们排斥。他们不能靠近，一个推另一个远离那个空间。让他们想象，当恢复的手靠近伸出的手时，它将另一只手推向了身体。

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好好学习，提高游泳水平！谢谢悠游游泳网！

谢谢分享，很好的游泳技巧！！

谢谢分享！！非常好的方法！！