SC Week#1--Balance, Alignment, Rotation for Free and Back

STROKE DEVELOPMENT PROGRESSIONS

BALANCE…ALIGNMENT…ROTATION

Freestyle/Backstroke: Long Axis Strokes

 

Balance, alignment and rotation progressions for the four competitive strokes are beneficial for eight and unders through national qualifiers.

The progressions below are based on observations and copious notes taken at a week-long Stanford University Age-Group Swim Camp conducted by Coaches Richard Quick and Skip Kenney, several two and three-day long clinics conducted by Bill Boomer, weekend Total Immersion Camps with Terry Laughlin--as well as conversations and coaching with Judy Busse (Express Swim Team), who worked with several consecutive summer Auburn University swim camps.

Glenn Mills and Barbara Hummel of Go-Swim visited our team for two days and generously share ideas on their awesome Internet site; both have influenced our stroke development program. Numerous coaches, at clinics, online and on deck, also contributed to the progressions.

Most importantly, these progressions work. They were used with large groups of age-group swimmers many of whom became Illinois USA Age-Group Champions and went on to immensely successful high school and university swimming. No matter the swimmers’ talent level, these stroke development drills resulted in improved performances.

The principles and drills for balance, body alignment, and rotation are used at great swimming universities such as Stanford and Auburn. The theories (Boomer) and their practical application (Laughlin/Mills/Marsh/Hines) are no longer a secret, yet many age-group coaches (and parents) are surprised that they contribute to championship age-group swimming. The epic struggle between high yardage and skill development is still very real.

I used the following stroke development progressions (primarily 9-12 year-olds) while coaching with the Naperville Riptides as well as the Fox Valley Swim Team, both USA Age-Group Champions.

Whenever possible, I use Total Immersion terminology because it is clear and descriptive. I highly recommend coaches attend a four-stroke Total Immersion Camp with Terry Laughlin or purchase Terry’s CDs.

We used stroke development progressions for 80 percent of age-group workouts in the first two weeks of the short course and long course seasons. The remainder of the first two weeks is allocated to streamlines, turns and finishes, starts, sculling, and highly energetic dolphin kicking on front and back, both above and underwater.

Conditioning occurs during skill development, but we use dolphin kicking to ratchet up heart rates and strengthen back and leg muscles. Sculling introduces swimmers to the concept of seeking the path of most resistance and provides conditioning similar to dolphin kicking.

Nearly every day after the first two weeks of a season, we incorporate some portion of stroke development drills in large practice sessions and have special skill camps on weekends and holidays to rehearse skillful swimming.

THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF STROKE DEVELOPMENT PROGRESSIONS

·      Age-group coaches should focus on skill development, aerobic capacity/basic swimming endurance and speed, general fitness including range of motion, an extensive and creative variety of pool and dry land activities, and enjoyment of being a part of a special sport, group and team.

·      In this program there is no conflict between skill development and conditioning. Both occur every day.

·      Swimmers make faster progress if coaches consistently spend time on intelligent stretching (range of motion development), core strengthening exercises and technique (mechanical skills).

·      Drills contribute directly to either increasing or minimizing resistance in the water, the two major means for increasing speed.

·      Long, fluid strokes in practice translate in races to fewer strokes and heartbeats “going out,” and allow swimmers to change gears to maintain or increase pace “coming home.” (Laughlin)

·      Drills must be done 100% correctly or we “imprint” the wrong information on the nervous system.” Don’t be impatient. The benefits are immense. (Laughlin/Sweetenham)

·      If you are concerned about starting to condition your athletes from day one of a season, throw in many 25s of vigorous dolphin kick during the two weeks you start to learn these drill progressions.

·      Tell your swimmers: “if you learn to drill effortlessly your speed will improve dramatically when we ask you to swim fast, but if you try too hard now or attempt to go fast you will not improve as quickly or as much.” (Laughlin)

·      Constantly offer feedback—mostly positive.

·      When introducing a new skill, have your group watch someone who does the drill correctly.

·      Do not underestimate the ability of young swimmers to understand the reasons for balance and body alignment as well as positive and negative resistance. Quiz them often until they know the names of the drills.

• At the outset try to learn the drills without fins. For those having great difficulty, put them in fins or take another approach. Later we do sets of drills with fins and then without, or the reverse.

• Present problems and puzzles for swimmers to solve everyday (Laughlin).

                        

STEP ONE: LEARNING TO BALANCE BY PRESSING THE “T”

Pressing the “T:” on the front an area from the chin to sternum and from shoulder to shoulder; imagine a circle that encompasses the lungs and press it down against the water; on the back the “T” extends from the back of the head to midpoint of the shoulder blades.

VERTICAL BALANCE 

(For nine years of age through seniors; we do not introduce this to most eight and unders)

• Float vertically like a pencil (Quick), chin in a neutral position (look straight ahead), arms and hands relaxed but pressed against legs. Some float with the mouth above the surface, others at various depths under the surface. 
• Keep a straight spine line from crown of the head to end of the spine, from head to toes.
• Take an initial deep breath with the mouth near the surface; do not lift the body up because you then sink further than necessary.
• Try to stay in vertical balance for up to three minutes, breathing only when necessary.
• Once pencil float is mastered, have swimmers “play” with the body as a teeter-totter tipping slightly forward (the entire body head to toe; don’t bend at the hip) and back by pressing the “T” (on the front an area from the chin to sternum and from shoulder to shoulder; imagine a circle that encompasses the lungs and press down against the water; on the back the “T” extends from the back of the head to midpoint of the shoulder blades).
• Try vertical balance with one or two pull buoys inserted between the legs. (Boomer)
• Try vertical balance and slowly, gently kick up to horizontal (front and back). (Quick)

BASIC HORIZONTAL BALANCE --HEAD LEAD

(This is the starting drill for swimmers of all abilities of all ages and especially age-group swimmers; next to gliding on front and back, basic horizontal balance with a soft, gentle flutter kick is the way to start beginning swimmers)

Head Lead: your head moves down the pool first, arms at your sides. (Laughlin)

Hand Lead: arms extended and hands lead you down the pool. (Laughlin)

·      Identical to vertical balance, but swimmers are horizontal with the chin neutral and when on the front the face is toward the pool bottom and most of the head underwater; or while on the back looking straight up with water touching the chin, forehead and sides of the goggles. (Laughlin) Learning on the back first is easier.

·      Start with a gentle push off the side rather than a streamline and kick in order to spend more time on the drill. 

·      One’s natural buoyancy dictates how much one presses the “T” to achieve horizontal balance using a very soft, gentle flutter kick. (Quick)

·      On the back, press an imaginary “T” from the back of the head to midpoint of the shoulder blades.

·      For FR and BK the common image is that of swimming through a tube without side-to-side motions.

·      Chant: press the “T” to raise your hips and legs.

·      Teach: arms, legs and feet are used for propulsion and rotation, not for balance and alignment.

·      Basic balance on the back is easier than on the front because of breathing. Tell swimmers to make balance on the front effortless (soft flutter) and fewer breaths are needed.

Coaching Cues:

·      Hide the head—water should touch top of forehead, bottom of chin, and edges of goggles.

·      Head neutral—like while standing and looking straight ahead.

·      Straight line from crown of head to hips and toes (spine line idea)

·      Arms relaxed next to or touching your sides

·      Kick gently/softly on back (no white water/noise from the kick)

·      Keep kick inside a small pizza/inside your shadow

·      A small dry area of thigh shows on each kick

·      Shoulders slightly rounded, but not pulled up toward ears

·      Goggles/forehead/chin horizontal to the surface (lower than midpoint of lane lines, an image our swimmers readily understand)

·      Keep knees/toes just under surface

·      Press down on back of head, upper spine and upper back to get hips up

·      Feel your hips/thighs rise to the surface

BASIC BALANCE ON THE FRONT—HEAD LEADING

The second starting balance drill is more difficult than basic balance on the back because to breathe one must lift the head (swimmers must rebalance after taking a breath). Swimmers tend to kick too hard in an attempt to move more quickly down the pool. Teach them to perform the drills slowly and smoothly.

Chant: work on balance and body alignment not speed. If possible, first execute drills over shorter distances, e.g. across the pool. Find someone who can model before you have swimmers try it.

Use your judgment re 8 and unders. Some have sufficient breath and body control to perform this and subsequent drills; others do not. Never “force” drills on swimmers who are not physically and intellectually ready.

Coaching Cues:

·      Face down/arms press lightly against sides, soft/gentle flutter kick

·      Press chest/face (“T”) into water to raise hips/legs

·      Buns of your “bottom” touch the surface

·      Press/lean on chin or an imaginary ball over lung area; maintain the spine-line

·      Push 90% of head under water

·      Water washes over the back of your head

·      Breathe by extending chin...easy kicking means fewer breaths

·      Play/adjust/experiment to get hips up pressing the “T” not kicking

·      Make it effortless; speed is unimportant

·      Hips float to the surface

BASIC BLANCE FRONT: PRESS THE “T” AND RAISE BOTH ARMS

(Boomer/Quick and Kenny)

Coaching Cues:

·      Review vertical balance.

·      While balancing vertically, hands/arms to sides, gently tip forward by pressing your “T” and gradually/gently bring arms into a flying “superman” pose with a four-inch separation between your arms. (Boomer, Quick)

·      Raise arms slowly while you press the “T”

·      Try for horizontal or nearly horizontal hips even if legs are slightly downward

·      Balance your legs up

·      Chant: “press the ‘T’ and raise arms to get hips/legs up”

BASIC HEAD LEAD BALANCE WITH ROTATION

(For all ages and abilities. Even with 11-12 year-old state champions, we do most of our flutter kick using these drills. Laughlin calls this active balance head lead focusing on learning to roll the torso as a unit.

If you’ve been patient to this point, this drill should be fun to do and watch. Notice how smooth your swimmer’s look and their terrific body position.

Coaching Cues:

·      On the back: head perfectly still, neutral or slightly negative chin and eyes aimed directly up. or to ceiling above the kick (Mills).

·      On the front: head still, eyes/face to pool bottom.

·      Arms against your side, hands on outside of thighs.

·      One shoulder/hip pointed to the bottom, the other shoulder/hip to the ceiling.

·      Watch from the end of the lane. While on the back, the face is not visible since it is lower than the upper shoulder. On the front, you will see just a sliver of the back of the head (Laughlin).

·      Don’t rush these steps.

·      Back:

o      (1) Start with basic head lead balance on the back for 2-3 breaths, then rotate smoothly/quickly to one side and kick a length;

o      (2) Switch sides at mid-pool;

o      (3) Switch after six kicks or 2-3 relaxed breaths.

·      Front:

o      (1) Start with basic head lead balance on the back;

o      (2) Rotate to side kicking face out;

o      (3) Now rotate the face so it points to the bottom;

o      4) Switch sides at mid-pool;

o      (5) Switch after six kicks.

·      The hip/torso switch is quick but smooth.

·      Roll without using the arms to help and without disturbing the water; focus on shoulder/hip and an anchored head (Laughlin)

·      Make sure the head doesn't get ahead of sternum, shoulders, or hips

·      On the back round your shoulders (but don’t pull up toward ears) when moving from one shoulder/hip to the other (Quick, Boomer).

·      When side kicking face in or out, the shoulders are relaxed. If they jerk, the kick is weak and must be strengthened. (Quick)

ACTIVE BALANCE: HEAD LEAD ROLLING TO THE SWEET SPOT

 (For all ability levels. This is primarily a Total Immersion description of the drill (as I understand it). Laughlin’s use of the term “sweet spot” refers to the most relaxed position you can achieve while executing the drill. Stanford calls it freestyle balance shoulder roll drill.)

Coaching Cues:

• Keep your kick soft and gentle
• Start with basic back balance and smoothly switch to head lead sidekick face out
• Maintain sidekick and gently roll face in looking directly down
• Wait 3-4 counts
• Gently roll face back to sweet spot—look up at ceiling
• Now face in…count 3-4…now roll to sweet spot on opposite side
• Roll like a log or pencil
• Head/torso/hips move together
• Roll to the air; only your mouth needs to be out
• Absolutely no head lift
• Imagine rotating in a narrow tube
• Practice rolling clockwise and counterclockwise
• Quick says the keys to this are to anchor the head position, press the “T”, and rotate on the spine. Stanford (when I observed) varied the drill slightly.
• Roll to each side three times, then breathe.
• Keep hips near the surface.
• Don't raise the head to breathe, rather the swimmer's mouth exchanges position with the ear and ends up facing the side of the pool. This is how I teach swimmers to breathe in FR—mouth and ear exchange positions in the water.

ARM/HAND LEADING DRILLS

After mastering head lead balance drills, Boomer, Quick, Laughlin and others move to arm/hand leading drills and teach that longer vessels are faster than shorter vessels. Once again, I will use Total Immersion terminology.

ARM/HAND LEADING SIDEKICK IN SWEETSPOT: FACE OUT

(A key drill for all swimmers (who are ready!) to master at the beginning of the season and practice throughout the year. Stanford calls it the “face drill.”

I have seen very young swimmers in swim lessons at a local fitness center struggle with these drills. They simply are not ready and would be better off learning to swim dog paddle with their faces in as my 3-year-old grandson does for 20 yards at a clip; he also jumps or flips forward off the board and swims to the ladder or end of the pool).

COACHING CUES:

·      Lengthen your body—your most sleek, arrow-like position; straight, long bodyline from top of head to toes—slip through the smallest hole possible; you are a needle/arrow/spear...

·      Try the position on deck (standing or laying) to get the feeling

·      Start by slowly changing from basic back balance face out to sidekick face out position

·      Roll until the top arm is dry from shoulder to knuckles (maintain contact on side/hip)

·      Goal: water touches the sides of your goggles

·      Goal: no effort, no struggle or disturbed water

·      Now sneak your left arm to full extension (left used as example)

·      Left arm fully extended, right arm extended to side/hand on hip

·      Leading hand an inch or two below the surface—palm up, down, or sideways (Quick teaches palm down; Laughlin demonstrates with palm sideways; another possibility is with the little finger highest to create an elbow higher than wrist position)

·      Extended hand/arm below head

·      Try to remain dry from shoulder to knuckles, but do not lift the arm

·      Upper shoulder in line with chin, but entire body relaxed

·      Pretend you are balancing a cup of water on forehead & shoulder; have everyone try it!

·      Narrow the gap between back of head and leading arm but avoid tension or discomfort

·      Get in Sweet Spot—compact kick, inside a small pizza; the kick can be more vigorous than basic balance on front or back

·      Do not lift head, even a half inch, to breathe

·      Hide head and show a dry arm

·      Check for a line from the extended fingertips to toes (See Jeff Rouse in Go-Swim’s video for perfection)

·      Alternate sides across pool widths or 25s

·      No struggle or discomfort; if so, return to Head Lead Sweet Spot face out and get the position right before sneaking the arm to full extension

·      As you coach from the end of the pool, you should not see the swimmers’ faces; you will see the shoulder and dry arm; have someone model and others watch from the end of the pool

·      Recently I learned that Quick does this drill with the one hand forward, but the other is bent with the hand on the stomach and elbow up to the ceiling. It is worth trying.

HEAD LEAD SIDE KICK ON THE BACK WITH “FALSE LIFT DRILL”

(For advanced 9-10s through seniors, a helpful backstroke drill…Quick, Mills-Hummel of Go Swim.)

Coaching Cues:

·      Move slowly from basic balance on the back to head lead sidekick face out.

·      Water touches chin/forehead and edges of goggles.

·      No struggle or discomfort.

·      Long bodyline from crown of head to toes.

·      Look directly over the trailing shoulder; slowly and smoothly lift the arm and hand (thumb leading) out of the water about 12 inches.

·      Maintain small, fast sidekick under water.

·      The false lift is not quick or jerky; make it smooth and rhythmic...a little like synchronized swimming.

·      Try for 12.5 yards on one side and then switch.

·      Hummel of Go Swim teaches false lift (head and hand lead positions) with a snap of the hips to pop the hand/arm out of the water. This is more advanced, valuable drill.

·      In teaching backstroke, we often use the “lane-line” drill. With the shoulder next to the lane line stroking (the other arm at your side), try to get each shoulder, in turn,  to “pop” out of the surface. As you stroke, the opposite shoulder “pops”; as you complete the stroke, the stroking shoulder “pops.” Good for all ages. This drill also teaches bent arm backstroke.

HEAD LEAD SIDEKICK FACE OUT: FALSE LIFT WITH ROTATION

(For all abilities 9 and above; 8 and unders can do four counts while side kicking face out and then take one stroke and return to sidekick face out; this drill was taught at the Stanford Summer Camp I observed.)

COACHING CUES:

·      Same as above but perform two false lifts while on the side; on the third allow the arm to complete a full stroke entering one inch outside of the shoulder.

·      Finish the rotation to the opposite side BEFORE the switching arm’s fingers enter.

·      Chant: hip drops before the fingers enter. Hips cause the switch—arms follow.

·      Head anchored in the backstroke position with face horizontal and as near to surface as possible.

·      Variations:

o      Two false lifts, then switch with quick hips. 

o      One false lift, and a hurry-up hip rotation.

o      Two false lifts on each side...then one on each side...then one full stroke. Repeat for 25s or 50s depending on swimmers’ abilities.

o      One false lift on each side with hip-switch, then one full stroke.

o      Chant: ROTATE THE HIPS NOT THE STOMACH

HAND LEADING SIDEKICK: FACE IN

Total Immersion calls this balance in the skating position...It is a key drill for all swimmers who are ready. This is the starting position for all switching/rotation drills below. THIS IS THE BEST POSITION FOR FREESTYLE KICKING PRACTICE. We rarely use kickboards, although many outstanding programs do.

COACHING CUES:

·      Start in basic back balance, smoothly roll to sidekick face out, sneak an arm out, now face in; don’t rush transitions

·      Each position should feel tension free and relaxed

• This is the same as hand lead sidekick but now your face is in the water with 90% of the head under the surface
• Point nose to bottom; look directly to bottom
• Narrow the gap between your jaw and extended arm—extended arm is below your head approximately 4 inches below the surface;
• Don’t forget to press the “T” (face/armpit of extended arm)
• Only a sliver of the back of head is above the surface
• Try for dry arm/hand on the hip, but don’t lift your arm
• Maintain straight line from fingers to toes
• Pinkie higher than thumb on leading hand to get elbow higher than thumb (Coach Sweeney’s suggestion; try it, but also try with palm down or to the side)
• Stay in hand lead and roll face/belly button back to sweet spot face out to “get” a breath
• Take 2-3 casual breaths and return to hand lead balance in the skating position
• Rotate the head without affecting the sidekick body position. 
• Finish all rolling motions at the Sweet Spot face out
• Hand leading sidekick face in teaches swimmers to rotate head and neck without displacing hips (Stanford)
• Chant: ROTATE YOUR HEAD SEPARATELY FROM YOUR SPINE/BODY.
• While “getting” a breath, stay in perfect alignment with the hip near the surface.
• Richard Quick’s latest video (2006-7) shows this drill with the non-leading arm bent with hand on stomach and elbow out of the water; skating with a shark-look; try both. Later, in th workouts, you will note a scull drill in this position (Sweetenham).

HAND LEAD SIDE KICK LEAN ON THE SIDE OF THE FACE DRILL

(A Stanford drill. Appropriate for all abilities, it reinforces a change in the location of the “T” to the cheek of the face and the armpit of the extended arm; you continue to press down for balance when breathing in FR)

COACHING CUES:

• Transition from basic balance on the back to sidekick face out to face in and arm extended.
• Hold your face in a freestyle breathing position, one ear pointing to the pool bottom, one ear to the sky/ceiling; one goggle under the surface, the other above
• Chant: Pressure on the cheek of the face, the extended arm and on the armpit of the extended arm.
• Extended arm with palm facing downward to help maintaining body balance.

SHARK FIN OR “RAISE YOUR SAIL”

For swimmers of all abilities, it is another step in the Total Immersion FR progression. Swimmers often rush this drill and few get their elbow in the incorrect position. It should be calm, slow, smooth and effortless. You can do this drill head leading or arm leading.

Auburn avoids the “classic” high elbow FR recovery favoring a more circle-throw over approach that I find makes good sense. Younger age-group swimmers can learn high elbow first and circle-throw over later. Sometimes swimmers do a natural circle over and I point out this ideal recovery when I see it (Yes, April at Fox that’s you!)

COACHING CUES:

·      Start with basic back balance, switch to sidekick face out, then switch to sidekick face in head or hand leading

·      Don’t rush transitions

·      Bring your thumb/wrist/forearm slowly up an imaginary line from hip to armpit—like pulling a zipper

·      This is the classic high elbow position for freestyle (however, see Coach Marsh at Auburn re circle/throw arm pattern recovery); if you try high elbow recovery standing on deck you will feel your shoulder impinge, a good reason to teach the circle-throw recovery

·      Eliminate all tension in arm and hands; use a gentle kick

·      Elbow straight toward ceiling

·      Don’t hurry; balance by pressing the “T” under your armpit!

·      Strive for a slow and smooth shark fin or raising of sail

·      If your swimmers are balanced, this will be effortless and beautiful

·      Alternate sides for 25s, then switch at mid-pool, then after 2-3 unhurried breaths

At this point in the FR drill progressions, Stanford (when I was observing) takes the arms above the water for rotation; Total Immersion takes the arms underwater. We follow the Total Immersion sequence because it teaches the kinetic chain, the feel of linking the timing of arm switches with torso rotation. We incorporate the Stanford above the water switches when Total Immersion moves to over the water. 

The following drills—as I understand them-- demonstrate Terry Laughlin’s genius at taking Boomer’s theories and making them practical for any level swimmer.

UNDERWATER SWITCH

A key drill at the start the season and throughout the year; it’s a crucial step in learning FQS (front quadrant swimming) and the kinetic chain. Here’s the time to talk about positive resistance; seek the path of most resistance on the hand and forearm. It is good to review how we balance, by pressing down with the “T,” a target that moves (chest, back, armpit e.g.) depending on the body’s position.

COACHING CUES:

·      Sequence: start with back balance, rotate, face in, extend arm

·      Sneak/slide the trailing arm under water along your body toward your belly button

·      When your hand is under your nose switch hands/arms and roll torso smoothly/swiftly to the Sweet Spot on the other side, face out

• Take 2-3 casual, relaxed breaths balanced in your Sweet Spot pressing down along your armpit; roll your face down and repeat in other direction
• Small, compact kick inside a small pizza
• Do 25s or across the diving well or pool; focus on one thing at a time
• 1)      Switch when you see your hand under your nose
• 2)      Switch too far...roll your belly button to the air
• 3)      As you switch concentrate on moving arm, head, and torso as a unit
• 4)      Switch through the smallest possible hole in the water
• Do the drill silently; don’t disturb the water

We often have our age-groupers swim dog paddle to increase feel for the water (positive resistance). Sometimes we ask them to glide while performing dog paddle. Next put the face in and glide. Then glide with an extended arm.  Then glide, extend arm and get on the side pressing the “T” under the armpit. These actions also teach the kinetic chain.

TRIPLE UNDER SWITCH

A key drill as a step to rhythmic swimming and moving from drills to full stroke swimming. Several goals are presented simultaneously: 1) steady, rhythmic core-body rotation; 2) balancing (press the “T”) in the Sweet Spot; 3) preparation for over the water switching; 4) feel resistance on hands and forearms. See Total Immersion videotapes.

COACHING CUES:

·      Familiar sequence: back balance, show arm, sneak arm out, face in

·      Do three smooth Under Switches (full body rotation) without breathing/interruption, then roll to the Sweet Spot on the other side

·      Hide your head, keep it absolutely still, look directly to the bottom

·      On each Under Switch, extend hands/arms fully, front and back, then glide for just a moment before the next switch

·      Seek out resistance on the hands/forearms to help with the rotation and to produce glide

·      As you glide, lean on the “T” and feel the water support you

·      Gradually reduce the glide and increase rhythm; smooth, calm, sleek, elegant!

DRILL:      Zipper Skating

Another imaginative drill from Coach Laughlin of Total Immersion.

Perhaps THE KEY balance drill for all swimmers from start of season through championships!

Perfect balance (achieved by pressing the “T”) allows a relaxed, unhurried recovery.

COAHCING CUES:

·      Start with basic back balance, show arm, extend arm, face in, skating, under skating

·      While in skating position, instead of recovering underwater, drag your hand slowly along your side (as if pulling up a zipper) with your hand under water

·      Lead with the elbow as long as possible until your hand is alongside your ear (this is similar to wrist drag free drill)

·      Don’t rush; you are balanced because of leaning on the “T”

·      While still on your side, slide the hand back to your side and roll all the way back to the Sweet Spot

·      2-3 casual breaths and repeat

·      See if you can, skate/glide a few seconds as your arm comes forward with your elbow motionless above your shoulder

If you agree with Coach Marsh’s circle-throw recovery, instruct your swimmers to allow the hand to naturally move out away from under the elbow.

ZIPPER SWITCH

All who are ready do this drill to work on a relaxed, compact, unhurried recovery.

COACHING CUES:

·      Back balance, show arm, extend arm, face in, skating position

·      Zipper recovery, hand under water, elbow leads as far forward as possible

·      Feel the water resistance against your hand; don’t struggle; relax your arm/hand and keep them close to the shoulder and ear

·      When your hand catches up to the elbow, slice it down and into the water as you switch and roll to the Sweet Spot on the other side

·      Relax and glide 2-3 unhurried breaths, then repeat in the opposite direction

·      Focus on one thing at a time

·               1)      A compact and unhurried recovery; switch through the smallest possible           space above and below the surface

·               2)      Exaggerate an early/steep hand entry; drive it down alongside your ear             to avoid over-reaching on entry

·      Look for the optimum place during recovery to make your switch

TRIPLE ZIPPER SWITCH

This Total Immersion step helps swimmers transition from skillful drilling to efficient swimming.

COACHING CUES:

·      Establish balance (“T”), timing, an unhurried, relaxed recovery then try Triple Zipper.

·      Hide your head, don’t hurry core-rotation, and be consistent in timing the switches.

·      The recovery is relaxed/soft; your hand wet throughout; feel water resistance against it.

·      Slice your hand down and forward when it approaches your ear.

·      Relaxed swimmers can do up to 5 switches before returning to the Sweet Spot

At this point in the progression, you should:

·      Review all steps frequently.

·      We often warm-up with drills of some sort.

·      Laughlin takes a day and one-half or more to reach this point in weekend TI camps; if you spend 10 days with your age groupers that is not too much!

·      Patience in teaching balance, alignment and smooth, quiet swimming pays off in speed later.

·      We take breaks from lots of mental concentration and satisfy those who demand “conditioning,” by generously sprinkling in 25’s of fast dolphin kick and/or Stanford jumps (stand in water about waist deep; place hands on top of head; submerge to the bottom; explode off the bottom as high as possible for 10-20 or 30 repeats).

·      Teach on deck what Total Immersion terms the “archer”—one arm extended, the other like an archer drawing back a bow, elbow high and hand dangling just in front of your nose in preparation for the Triple-Over and whole-stroke entry. (If you buy into Coach Marsh’s circle-throw recovery, you can easily introduce and transition to it; purchasing the Auburn tapes is worth it).

OVER SWITCH

This TI drill reinforces FQ (front quadrant) timing and effortless power from core-body rotation. Coaches can gain confidence in the time allocated to learning/practicing these progressions by reading about how Popov trained. There are descriptions online; use Goggle and type in Popov swim training methods.

COACHING CUES:

·      Instead of dragging your hand thru the water on recovery take it out and put it back in immediately.

·      Slice your hand in right in front of your goggles and extend it forward as if putting your arm into a sleeve. Don’t dip down and out; go directly out. (Entry point during full stroke will differ)

·      As you enter make an opening in the water with fingertips; sneak your arm cleanly through that opening.

·      Continue to observe balance and rotation as well as recovery and timing.

·      Coaches may want to review the dreaded dropped elbow in FR and insure your swimmers aren’t ingraining that habit.

TRIPLE OVER-SWITCH

For 9-10s through national level swimmers. This drill teaches how FR with balance and aligned rotation feels; you swim between pauses in the Sweet Spot.

COACHING CUES:

·      Start with one cycle of Triple Zipper; on the second cycle, lift your recovery hand so it just clears the water and immediately re-enters. Do three more “switches” on each cycle before breathing 2-3 times in the Sweet Spot.

·               Keep head hidden and anchored; watch the bottom of the pool (some coaches   advocate looking slightly ahead on the pool bottom) on the switches. Water       should flow over your head much of the time.

·               Be patient on the switches; wait for the recovering arm to pass your ear.

·               Make the entry right in front of your goggles. Cut an opening with your fingers   and slip the arm cleanly thru that opening.

·               Gradually shift focus from the timing of your switches to your core body            rhythm.

·       Linking to full freestyle swimming.

·      Use Triple Over-Switch as the basis for the transition.

·      Add 4-5 switches, before going to the Sweet Spot and a breath. Since this is effortless, do not struggle to hold your breath.

·      Extra switches allow you to establish rhythm and observe stroke components.

·      Find good models/demonstrators to reinforce what you are teaching.

·      Hide the head: water goes over the back of the cap consistently.

·      Recovering hand (or fist glove) barely clears the water on recovery.

·      Cut a hole with the knuckles (fist glove) or fingertips and slip the arm through cleanly with the hand extending to a fairly deep place—same spot as when in skating position...4-5 inches below the head.

·      Lengthen your body-arrow. Feel the hand just extend out in front with no hurry.

       Take out the Sweet Spot and Introduce Rhythmic Breathing

·      Focus on the weight-shift rhythm of the switches. Fit the breath into that rhythm with no interruption.

·      Start several lengths with 4-6 switches, then fit a breath into the rhythm. Breathe by rolling to the air.

·      If the first breath goes smoothly, continue. If the swimmer loses control, go back to the Sweet Spot on the next breath.

·      Whole stroke swimming:

·               Hide head; swim downhill. Water s flows over the cap most of the time.

·               Lengthen your arrow-body...fit arm into sleeve, fit arrow through smallest         possible hole in the water.

·               FQS and rhythmic weight shifts.

·               Silent swimming.

·               Watch for excessive movements and gliding

ADVANCED FACE DRILL:

Hand Lead Face in with switches, a critical drill at Stanford when I observed. Aids in front quadrant FR.

COACHING CUES:

• Execute in hand lead sidekick position; face remains in the water (minimize breaths without getting uncomfortable).
• As the stroking hand slowly presses fingers toward the bottom and rotates the elbow forward (thus elbow is higher than wrist), the non-stroking arm slowly/deliberately recovers elbow high.
• When the non-stroking hand approaches the ear, briskly switch sides rolling hip/torso together.
• Rotate when the stroking hand is about 1/4 of the way through the pull; hesitate the non-stroking hand at the ear.
• Focus on an anchored head and rotating body.
• WATCH that swimmers don't move the hand (elbow is always higher than hand) from the hip directly to the forward position on the hip/switch, but that they hesitate at the ear so that the switch can be brisk in the hips. Swimmers often eliminate the hesitation stage. Don’t allow it; because it prevents a speedy hip/torso rotation.  Find someone doing it correctly and have them model for the group.

Expect and accept only perfect drills. At the Stanford Swim Camp, Coach Quick took the swimmers through this drill for over twenty minutes insuring they understood and were doing it as near to perfection as possible.

When your swimmers have learned this drill, alternate lengths of face-elbow drill with full FR. Instruct the swimmers to: BRING THE DRILL INTO THE FULL STROKE. Have them repeat this phrase several times, especially when moving from drill to full stroke.

Keep in mind Coach Marsh at Auburn advocates a circle-over FR recovery. As if swimming in a “narrow hallway.” If you agree, you must modify or eliminate some of the above high elbow drills. We often teach the progressions as written, then teach the circle-over recovery into entry at age 11-12.

Summary: Steps to develop FR/BK, the long axis strokes.

1)      Learn/practice basic balancing drills

2)      Add rotation drills to the balanced body positions to insure                                 swimmers rotate flawlessly around the long axis of the body and remain                balanced via proper pressure on the “T.” Remember, the “T” moves during            rotation switches.

3)      Once alignment, balance and rotation are excellent, move to drills that                  utilize hands and feet.  Minimize resistance via body alignment, balance, and          rotation. Use legs, feet, arms, and hands to create propulsion rather than            balance or rotation.

4)      Spend some time each day (often during warm-up) on these stroke                      development drills.