Ana Filipa Borges

Time key frames:

0:05 – 0:18 The head should enter the water before the arms, make sure you put in your head before the arms, right now both head and arms are entering at the same time.

When you breathe your head is coming out too much, remember that you should use the power of your arms to pull you forward not up, when you pull forward it will be enough for your head to come a bit outside and take a breath.

Do not put bring your arms too deep when you have them in front of you, keep the arms closer to the surface but your head and chest does go deep.

The first kick is when your arms are entering the water you do not have to bend your knees too much on this kick.

Your kick and your pull should finish at the same time, when you finish your pull and the 2nd kick. 

0:17 – 0:25 Your hands are too close to each other, the arms should enter at the line of your shoulders, right know the arms are entering almost touching each other.

Areas to work on, in general:

• Your butterfly is on a good path, work on one thing at the time, first focus on is the kick pull Synchronization, then on bringing your chest and head deeper, and so on.

Time key frames:

0:12 – 0:15 You are filling your lungs with air, trying to maintain your head out of the water, this is making your legs sink, try not having as much oxygen as possible on your lungs.

You need to grab and pull the water strong every time, the more strokes doesn’t mean you will go faster on the contrary, you will go slower and get more tired.

Your lower body is sinking a bit, engage your core and bring your hips and legs closer to the surface. This will help you have a more efficient stroke. Your toes should touch the surface.

Your kick frequency is too high, you are kicking too much, slow down a bit your kick, and make sure your legs are higher closer to the surface, your toes should almost be breaking the surface.

0:16 – 0:23 Be sure to practice your backstroke turn, so when you turn your feet are well position for a strong push and underwater dolphin kicks.

When you do the flip turn turn your hands to do a curl with your arms so it helps you turn better and land better.

0:31 – 1:01 Your hips are now closer to the surface, keep working on your kick, flip turn and the rotation. 

Areas to work on, in general:

• Work on one thing at the time. Focus one day on one thing, then the next day another point, do not try to correct it all at once.

Backstroke examples:

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:13: You are looking to the front too much, your head position should be in the middle between down and the front.

Make sure that when your arms enter the water you fully stretch your arms to the front before starting the pull. 

0:14 – 0:21 When you turn use your arms to do a curl so you can flip better and have a better position to get into a streamline faster.

Do not do the turn with both arms in the front, keep on arm on the side finish the last stroke keep both arms by your sides and with your head towards the wall do the turn,

When you push of the wall after the turn, make sure you push a bit deeper, then with the dolphin kicks you start to come closer to the surface.

0:22 – 0:29 Try to keep your elbow higher and your wrist less tense on the recovery phase, use your big muscles such back, breast and core to help you rotate better in order to glide more.

0:30 – 0:1:05 When your arm goes in the water, try to glide more with your arms and do not drop your arm, when your hand enters the surface, rotate and glide it as much as you can to the front, right now you are gliding diagonal down and front (specially your right hand).

Areas to work on, in general:

• Overall your freestyle is good. Be sure to practice sets like counting your strokes and reducing them so you start to have a stronger pull and grab more water.

Free examples:

Sprint: