Matthew

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:10

You are pulling with your elbow first. 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.  

Here we can see better that 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. 

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. 

0:07 – 0:17

Good head position.

Good rotation of your shoulders but you must keep your arms straight at all times when you are in the recovery phase.

Do not do a 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.

You are bending your hips, try to stretch them more, bring them as close to the surface as possible. Think about squeezing your core or flexing your abs while swimming backstroke. 

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. 

Areas to work on, in general:

• Work on keeping your kick up and near to the surface, putting attention on making a small kick. You can make kicks without moving your arms and just feel the movement.

Backstroke examples:

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:50

Work on your breaststroke kick, here is a good video on learning how to do the kick outside the water: Breast kick video

Good position of your feet on dorsiflexion, make sure to kick strong from out to inside.

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. When you finish your kick try to make it closer to the surface, if you put your head down (on streamline) this will be easier. 

You can try to start the pull. When you pull, the first part is tu open your hands to the sides then you start to change the direction backwards on circular motion and then bring them together. 

Areas to work on, in general:

• I recommend you work on your strength outside the water on your legs and core, will help you to have a efficient kick. 

• We have some dryland and flex exercises for your swimming, you can go to our app/library/dryland/mobility & flexibilty. You can download it here https://skillswimming.com/swimming-app/

Breast examples:

Time key frames:

0:00 – 0:11

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.

Don’t forget you need to finish your pull all the way back, do not bring it out before. 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.

Focus on is bringing your kick closer to the surface and focus on having your legs straight when going up, activating your glutes, hamstrings and lower back. You want your toes to touch the surface every kick.

You are dropping your legs when you breath, try keeping a more constant kick so you can keep your legs closer to the surface.

Remember that your toes must touch the surface when you kick.

CORRECTIONS:

Try this drill to help you kick high: Breaststroke arms flutter kick

Exercise: Grab from the wall, put your head down, hold your breath and bring your legs up and start kicking, make sure you have your legs all the way to the surface, once you master this, try breathing will keeping your legs kicking and high, still grabbing the wall with your hands.

You can also practice this movement laying down on the floor or bed and just bringing your leg up straight.

Another is kick on your back, and having your toes touching the surface of the water when kicking up.

Areas to work on, in general:

• You might need to work on your shoulder mobility in order to achieve your strokes. Mobility videos 

• Work on one thing at the time. Focus on correcting your legs, 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. 

Free examples: