Challenges

SWORDFISH:

1st = , 2nd =

3rd = , 4th =

5th = , 6th =

7th = , 8th =

9th = , 10th =

Times

50 Free L: 

100 Free L:

50 Butterfly L:

100 Butterfly L:

Awards


  • Swim Camp Lloret de Mar, Spain. 

ANALYSIS

Butterfly

Time key frames:


0:00 – 0:07

First of all, you need to work on your synchronization. The first kick is when your arms are entering the water and there you can glide, and the second kick is when you finish your pull. 

When you controle the synchronization put attention that the second kick it is the strongest kick, so you are going to have a more steady stroke.

Exaggerate the movement of your hips, raise them higher when your arms are in front and your head and chest are sunken. 

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. 

Here you are starting pulling almost with your elbows, you need to maintain your elbows up and only then you can start with the pull. 


0:07 – 0:13

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

Have a good extension of the arms on the recover.

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.

Here you can see better how your feet are separated. Keep your feet closer when you kick. Big toes must be touching at all times.


0:13 – 0:20

Your hands are pointing down towards the floor, this is why your head is coming out too much, change the direction of the hands to pull backwards, you want to move forward not up.

The knees should not be separated as much, there is an opening but it is not very width. You can use an elastic band under the knees to keep the legs a little closer together.

Areas to work on, in general:  

  • Develop greater flexibility in the lower back and ankles to facilitate the support of the stroke and the kick. 
  • Keep practicing the dolphin movement, the movement comes from your hips and core. You can practice on your back, front and vertical kick.
  • Work on your coordination of your stroke and then you can start with the other things. Keep practice!

Butterfly examples:

Butterfly

Good

Could be better

Needs work

1. Two beat kick

x

2. Second kick when pull ends

x

3. First kick when arms are in front

x

4. positions of the torso

x

5. Chest down, hips up

x

6. Entry of the hands at shoulder width

7. Good head position

x

8. Hands pulling towards hips

x

9. Bending of the knees on the second kick

x

10. Ankles in plantar flexion

x

11. Big toes touching 

x

12. Bent elbows when pulling

x

13. Pulling forwards, not upwards

x

14. Head entering the water before the arms

x

15. Compact open turn

16. Fast turn

17. Strong push from the wall

18. 5mm finger spread

x

20. Effective hands movement

x

Backstroke

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:14

Your stroke is too low when you begin pulling, your arms needs to be bend while pulling underwater like grabbing and pulling from the lane line, your pull needs to be more close to the surface. 

Remember that when you are pulling you need to 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.  

You are pulling with your fingers too separated and loose, make sure you have them just a bit separated and a bit more tense. 


0:14 – 0:27

Good position of all your body. 

You have a good rotation of your shoulders, take advantage of that and don’t pause with your arms when you finish the pull, when you end the pull bring it up right away, your arms should be like a windmill, opposite from one another all the time.

Sometimes your hips are rotating a bit too much, try rotating less, just enough so it can help you rotate the arms and shoulders.

Remember that you need to extend your legs on the kick. The movement it must be from your hips to your feet. 


0:27 – 0:34

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

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.

When your leg is going down keep it straight. You want to bring your feet closer to the surface, the toes should touch the surface when you kick up. 

Areas to work on, in general:

  • You can go slowly first, you have to concentrate on your corrections and then start swimming with more speed and strong.
  • You can work slowly 2 times a week on your ankle flexibility, here is a video that can help you link 
  • Remember to keep strong your hands aligned to your forearms. This will help you to have a better and efficient pull. 

Backstroke examples:

Backstroke

Good

Could be better

Needs work

1. Elbow bent when pulling

x

2. Continuous movement of arms

x

3. Shoulder rotation

x

4. Hips rotation

x

5. Arms not crossing the middle line

6. Hips close to the surface

x

7. Neutral head position

x

8. Short quick kicks

x

9. Clean hand entry

x

10. Steady head

x

11. Pull and kick well synchronized

x

12. Knees straight when going down

x

13. Ankle plantar flexion

x

14. Freestyle stroke before the turn

15. Strong push

16. Good break out

17. Fast arms tempo

x

18. Stable core

x

19. 5mm Finger spread

x

20. Effective hands movement

x

Other observations:

Breaststroke

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:13

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)

Throw your hands strong to the front with speed, not just put them 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 or a stretch band above your knees. 


0:13 – 0:25

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. 

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.

Good position of your head!

Areas to work on, in general:

  • Work on one thing at the time, start with the synchronization of your stroke, then move to the next point 🙂
  • You can do some exercise like swimming one stroke for two kicks, this will help you to feel your glide. 
  • 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:

 

 

Breaststroke

Good

Could be better

Needs work

1. Correct timing of pull and kick

x

2. Elbows come together

x

3. Shooting arms in from with speed

x

4. Chest down, hips up

x

5. Neutral head position

x

6. Ankles in dorsiflexion

x

7. Open ankles first, not the knees

x

8. Narrow pull

x

9. Narrow kick

x

10. Chest elevation when breathing

x

11. Stable core

x

12. Glide horizontally

x

13. Tight pull out

x

14. Horizontal/up pull out

x

15. Compact open turn

16. Fast turn

17. Strong push from the wall

18. 5mm finger spread

x

19. Effective hands movement

x

Other observations: 

Freestyle

Time key frames:


0:00 – 0:13

Take advantage of your glide, just 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. 

Do not bend your wrist to pull, open your elbow and pull with your hand in line with your forearm.

Good coordination of your kick, try to make it more smaller and focus on having your legs straight and your feet touching the surface. 


0:13 – 0:25

You are pulling with your elbow first, you need to “open your elbow to the side so it gets in the same line as your hand and you pull with your hand/forearm. You might need to work on your shoulder mobility in order to achieve this. Mobility videos

Remember, that you can glide a little longer, make sure that when you are on the recovery your arms needs to enters the water fully stretch to the front before starting the pull.

Your arms are crossing the middle line of your body/head, try keeping it in the same line as your shoulders.

The strength of the kick does not comes from just bending your knees it starts with your glute, hamstring, and a small bend of the knee.


0:25 – 0:50 

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

Much better position on your legs closer to the surface the last day, you can still have them even closer to the surface, try to touch the surface with the sole of the feet.

You are keeping crossing the line of your head, you need to put you arm in line of your shoulder away from your head towards the front. 

Areas to work on, in general:

  • Work short distances keeping the best possible technique, as you improve, increase the swimming distances without changing your technique.
  • Work on one thing at the time. Focus on correcting your pull, then once you correct it go to the next point.
  • Work on your ankle flexibility, do dryland training these videos can help you: videos 

Free examples:

Freestyle

Good

Could be better

 

Needs work

1. Legs horizontal position

x

2. Ankles in plantar flexion

x

3. Arms not crossing

x

4. Correct breathing timing

x

5. Breathing technique

x

6. Legs and hands synchronized

x

7. High elbow above water

x

8. High elbow below water

x

9. 5mm Finger spread

x

10. Good head position

x

11. Steady head movement

x

12. Core stability

x

13. Glide / reach in front

x

14. Elbow bent when pulling

x

15. Hand gliding when breathing

x

16. Relaxed wrist in the recovery

x

17. Knees straight while going up

18. Good rotation

x

19. Clean hand entry

x

20. Fast flip turn

21. Good push

x

22. Compact flip turn

23. Good break out

Other observations: