Curtis

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:03

Go down on the wall then push, point a bit diagonal towards the floor this is to have more time underwarter, then with your butterfly kicks they starts to bring you higher until closer to the surface.

0:03 – 0:06

You need to work on your synchronization, the first kick it is good (when your arms are in front) but you must do the second one, when you are finishing the pull, right now you are making it after the pull. 

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. This way you will synchronize the second kick when you finish your pull and it will help you to have a continuous stroke. 

Exaggerate a bit more the hip movement, the kick comes from your core not only by bending your knees. Remember that the second kick it is always the strongest. 

0:06 – 0:14

When you breathe your head is coming out a bit 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.

Remember to have a relax recovery. Make sure you do not rush your stroke,

Sometimes you separated your knees, keep your feet closer when you kick. Big toes must be touching at all times.

0:14 – 0:18

Make sure you have your hands and fingers just a bit separated and a bit more tense. 

Areas to work on, in general:  

• Work on your synchronization. 
• To help you with the hip movement and the chest down, arms up you are going to need more mobility, do dryland training for shoulders and lower back, these videos can help you: videos 

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:12

Everytime you push of the wall, practice doing it underwater, go down in the wall and push underwater then slowly start to come to the surface, it will make your swim smoother. Make sure to blow bubbles of your nose

When your arm/hand enters the water let it go a bit deeper keeping it straight, then start bending your elbow so you pull the water backwards, it will help you grab more water and have a cleaner pull without many bubbles.

Your lower body is sinking, 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.

You don’t need to kick that wide, make your kicks smaller, and do not move your knees up and down, your knees should not break out of the water, work on keeping them underwater.

0:12 – 0:25

You are moving your knees up and down too much, yes is ok to bend the knee to kick up but you do not have to move it up and down too much.You want to bring your feet closer to the surface, the toes should touch the surface when you kick up.

Think about squeezing your core or flexing your abs while swimming backstroke, this will help keep your body flat.

Make sure to align your hand with your forearm during the recovery phase; your pinky finger should enter the water first. Now, your entire hand enters at once. This adjustment will help you to make a efficient movement. 

You can try to rotate a bit more, this will help you to do a continuous stroke. 

Areas to work on, in general:

• You can also work slowly 2 times a week on your ankle flexibility, here is a video that can help you link
• Work on keeping your kick up and near to the surface. You can make kicks without moving your arms and just feel the movement. 

Backstroke examples:

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:06

Do not rush your pullout, make sure you do every moevement.

0:06 – 0:19

You are doing your kick and your stroke almost at the sametime, it should be your stroke first hands to the front then your kick, so when you begin throwing your hands to the front you should be starting your kick, and when you have them on the front you finish the kick (it will be the fastest part of your stroke).

One of the most important things in your breaststroke is that you learn how to glide, remember that gliding makes your stroke more efficient and faster, you need to stretch and tighten your arms to the front.

0:19 – 0:26

The opening of your knees and the kick is too wide. You are doing 3 movements you open the legs, then you extend them and then you bring them together, instead it should be 2 movements, you open your legs then in one circular movement you bring them together.

When you’re gliding exaggerate your streamline. Keep your hands together when are in front. 

The knees do not separate too much from one another, there is a small opening but not to wide. A good drill is swimming breastroke with a pullbouy on your legs.

Take the momentum from your kick and use it to bring your hips up to the surface when you finish kicking, it will help you have a better body position In the water, glide much as you can. 

Areas to work on, in general:

• You can do some exercise like swimming one stroke for two kicks, this will help you to feel your glide.
• Work on one thing at the time, start with the synchronization of your stroke, then move to the next point 🙂
• Make short distances trying to maintain the best technique possible. Like only kicks or only the arms (with pull).  This will help you to improve all your stroke.

Breast examples:

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:15

Keep your head more steady, rotate breath then come back to a neutral position, you sometime move your head up and down.

The common mistake many swimmers make in freestyle is not leaving one arm in front for a longer time. Instead, they tend to move their arms in opposition to each other without giving enough time for recovery.

Make sure that when your arms enter the water you fully stretch your arms to the front before starting the pull. Open your elbow and pull with your hand in line with your forearm.

Bring your legs straight up so you can keep your legs closer to the surface.

0:15- 0:20

Make sure to compact yourself much more on the turn, try to bring your head towards your knees; it will help make the turn much more efficient.

Put your arms on a good streamline before and after the push.

0:20 – 0:31

When you glide, you are opening to the sides you must glide to the front keeping your hands more tense. 

Remember to keep your head steady and aligned to your spine, only moves when breathing. 

Areas to work on, in general:

• Work on one thing at the time. Focus on correcting your glide, then once you correct it go to the next point.
• Work short distances keeping the best possible technique, as you improve, increase the swimming distances without changing your technique.
• Be sure to practice sets like counting your strokes and reducing them so you start to have a stronger pull and grab more water.
• Good stability of your body on the water, take advantage of that and exaggerate your rotation. 

Free examples: