How To Achieve The Perfect Freestyle Stroke | Swimming Technique

Arm movement is the most important part of effective freestyle but also the most difficult to get right. In this video, Heather shows us 6 parts of the stroke to shine a spotlight on areas that may need improvement so you can master your front crawl 🏊‍♂️

0:00 - Intro
0:33 - The stroke
1:10 - Extension phase
1:50 - The catch
3:08 - The pull
4:24 - The finish
5:06 - The recovery
6:12 - Hand entry

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What area of the stroke do you do well? Or is there an area you feel needs improvement? 🤔 Let us know in the comment section below! 💬

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Photos: © Triathlon / Getty Images

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#gtn #triathlon #swimbikerun #swim #bike #run #armrotation #stroke #freestyle #freestylestroke #frontcrawl

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[visionaryr]

One of the better techniques I have seen on yt. The pull and recovery are so perfect.

[dthompson]

I am 73 years old and swam in high school and college and we were taught to keep the fingers tight together on water entry. I am looking at the video and it looks so much more relaxing seeing the hand relaxed and fingers relaxed. I am going to start swimming again and wonder how important it is for me to concentrate on relaxed fingers instead of tight fingers on entry. THanks..

[robohippy]

Well, as always, a couple of comments. The power part of the pull happens between about 45 and 135 degrees in the 180 degree arc of the pull. This is where levers and muscles can apply the most strength. You use your shoulder to get your arm down to the 45 degree position, and then the back, lats, and pecs come into play. One mantra I have heard, many times, is that your fingers should be pointing to the bottom of the pool for the entire arm pull. Can't quite do that when your hand enters the water, or until you get to that 45 degree range. The purpose of the catch, which to me means that slight bend in your wrist, like 20 to 30 degrees, is to keep the initiation of the pull from going straight down, which would lift your upper body slightly. As for the finish, keeping with the 'fingers pointing to the bottom of the pool' idea, you want one last wrist 'flick' at the very end. Think of it this way, you are on hands and knees in the sand box. Pile of sand in front of you, and a hole a meter or more behind you. That last little wrist flick sends the sand back into that hole. What this does to your stroke count is, for me, it takes maybe 2 or 3 strokes off of my average stroke count for a length of a 25 yard pool.

[SBoots]

Take away for me is do not rush the pull. Since October I have been in the pool 2 times a week. My swimming has improved big time and your videos do help. I hope to one day swim as smoothly as Heather and Mark. So much technique to think about to be a good swimmer. Cheers

[aaronhewko]

Love the videos, training for my first sprint triathlon. I am not a strong swimmer. After watching a few of these videos I have noticed improvements in form and time. I like the reinforcement of only focusing on one or two at a time. Keep up the good work, I appreciate it.

[gtn]

What area of the stroke do you do well? Or is there an area you feel needs improvement? 🤔 Let us know in the comment section below! 💬

[virginie]

Thank you, I'm training for a triathlon but hadn't been in a pool to train in forever. A coach when I was younger told me to keep my fingers together, I see that this is the first thing to correct in my technique. Everything was very clear in this video!

[Fraser]

I struggle with controlling my kicking. I feel I get nothing from my legs and when I stop thinking about them they speed up, consequently making me breath more. In short, I struggle with my legs and breathing. All advice welcome.

[MyGSL]

Tips for breathing? I feel like Im drinking half the pool each time. Am I not rotating or lifting the head high enough? This was some great info on the stroke and pull!!

[waterwomaninFL]

These videos are so helpful to me I can’t even tell you.

[pinoyhatdog]

Maybe we could have a part 2 to this video where the focus is on how to make an efficient/effective kick? I personally struggle with the kick way more than my pull, so any help there would be great!

[kennethknowles]

Great video. Thank you GTN and Heather! I have incorporated many of these concepts into my weekly swimming sessions. Now…unbelievable to me…others are asking me for advice on my swimming techniques. I simply tell them about this channel and they take note.

[luqmanshahjehan]

Cannot thanks enough you guys especially mark Heather.
Had learnt alot and still using vedios for correction.
Now I'm feel some time like a fish.... 😂

[atlosass]

Very helpful video, thank you. I need to work on every part...

[andrew]

This is awesome. Really simple but practical explanations. Thank you.

[krusch]

🏊🏽‍♀️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼i did and do it and it s like Surfing 🏄‍♀️ !!!What’s wonderful feeling 🥰Txssss🥰

[crcsector]

Very pro video. Now I would like to know more about breathing and leg work

[Rileyyy.]

Thanks for this! I’m starting club swim and will be swimming x4 farther than I’m used to and for x2.5 as long 😭😭 wish me luck

[climbswiththecrew]

You didn’t say a single word about what my legs should be doing.

[chowjianlin]

What I saw other channel right hand and left hand pull timing is different??? ? I need to try which style comfortable for me???