While visiting the University of Alabama this week, Coach Jonty Skinner shared a method for building better balance and connectivity in freestyle.
Why do it:
In the ever changing environment of water, the internal knowledge of how to adjust your body to achieve constant connection and balance, sometimes takes putting strain on the connection in order to understand how the arms are connected to the legs. How to do it:
1 - Take a sponge and a paddle. Start by overloading the opposing ends by putting a paddle on one hand, and connecting the sponge to the opposite foot. The drag of the sponge will highlight the connection between the two.
2 - Have the swimmer swim a few lengths of freestyle, focusing on the skating/gliding position, extending and gliding, while maintaining their balance and a constant kick. Switch the paddle and sponge for the next round.
3 – Lose the sponge and move on to swimming freestyle with paddles on both hands. Continue to focus on skating/gliding and the depth of the hand as the swimmer rides their propulsion while holding their balance and line in the water. The longer the delay between impulses, the more pressure will be placed on the connection, balance and line on the body in motion.
4 - Drop the paddles, and swim a length focusing on skating, and then move to a smooth swimming rhythm. How to do it really well (the fine points):
Balance; head position; hand extension, direction and depth; constant kick; managing the anchor positions; feeling the extension equally to both sides; just begins digging into the details of this exercise. Consistency of rhythm and a gradual path to maintaining the feeling of balanced flow into swimming also encourage the swimmer to think, and focus on the details. Keep it slow and smooth, and don't power through the pull or kick... but focus on continuous flow even with the sponge putting a strain on the left to right connection on one side.
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