Can using LESS Effort Make You Swim Faster?

Latest video: "I ANALYSE MY OWN STROKE"

Is it possible to try too hard when swimming? Yes...
In today's Feedback Friday episode #22 see how one swimmer can apply less force during the catch to improve his freestyle.

[Cheekymukka]

Congratulations on the new member of the family Brenton.

I wanted to add a comment to this video because it instantly made a big difference to my swimming.

Why, because my forearms and tendons in my left (weaker arm) occasionally hurt whilst in the swim and as soon as I understood this video it helped me swim easier and oddly enough faster too.

Two days ago I swam 100 lengths (25m pool) in 51:41 but yesterday I swam 108 lengths (lost count) in 50:22 and could've easily kept going.

I'll never be an elite swimmer but I love the overall workout from swimming and the challenge of trying to master any of the four strokes.

Keep up the great videos and as odd as this sounds you could have a donation button for all us swimmers who appreciate your help and would like to give back.

[jojijosette]

Ive watched so many of your tutorials, theyre all excellent. Thank you so much.

[gengar]

I would take the following approach for achieving the 35 to 45 degrees rotation and to counter overrotation.
1) focus on posture. Be 'Taut' (might be misspelled). This is what Gerry Rodrigues talks a lot about, another great swim coach.
2) Do one arm drills, focusing on keeping the lead arm and shoulder up as a support for the breathe. This will help to counter overrotate.

[bluerose]

Congratulations on the new addition to the family. You didn’t tell us if it’s a boy or a girl, wishing him/ her a very happy healthy life. Amen.

Your videos are outstanding, very well explained and very educational for us all.
Thank you so much Brenton.

[cynthrobify]

The catch up, catch setup and zipper drills. Congrats on your bundle of joy!

[action]

Thanks Brenton, and congrats. Catch up to focus on slowing the first part of the catch then clipping the top of the leg with the thumb to keep the palm facing rearward.

[FSDinNYC]

Congratulations on your new addition, and thank you as always for the very helpful videos.

[nicoroman]

Great channel man, thanks for sharing!

[diogoalmeida]

1 - over rotation: from what I see, he's overrotating due to poor body alignment (his legs are sinking so he needs to turn backwards (up) in order to bring the mouth out of the water) - so power kicking with a shorter amplitude kick (he's reaching for core balance with those spread legs on the breath) - probably with a medium/long chord (I use the Finis one) limiting his knees (if he can engage the core to hold it) - but this may result in him starting to bend the knees so be carefull with it. If he does, remove it immediately. After he gained that extra piece of balance, then the drill I woulld recomend is one arm in front kicking with fins, starting with the chest facing down and rotating just enough to bring the head (mouth) out whilst maintaining the arm on the train rail, and back;
2 - pressing back too wide and far from the hip: he probably got into the high elbow catch (from 3 to 5 o'clock) and paid no more attention to what happens from the 5 o'clock 'till 9 (say we're seeing him swim to the right in this 12 o'clock stroke). like you said, he must work on closing that window. It's like trying to arm wrestle with an extended arm. I recomend starting off with the underwater recovery drill (with snorkel - to keep from rotating) and concentrating on the high elbow and then bringing the hand to the opposite groin (don't worry, when he rotates the body he won't be crossing over) and then pushing back normally. The key lock shape. The angles of this shape will depend on swimmers strength and shoulder flexibility. Extra points if he feels the disturbed water from the hand in his feet.
3 - apply power too early in the catch: the high elbow, drop the hand drill and back - side kicking (well, around 30/45degrees) and the hand in front simply drops with gravity and the drag of water to the catch position. Don't pull the water, don't scull... just let it drop. Then hold it for about 3'' feeling the drag on the back of the arm and hand as the fingers point to the bottom of the pool. Then, just bring the hand back up, like breaststroke and repeat. It helps using a snorkel, For poor kicking strength, use finns (it will also help you feel more drag on the back of the arm from the extra speed). Some may even use a pool-buoey also. But just concentrate on letting the arm drop and not on bringing it to the catch point.

Sorry for not naming the drills correctly we have different names for them in Portuguese and don't know the english names (many don't even have a name in portuguese) - I hope I made a good explanation though, and you guys get the picture. Mostly I hope it helps.

[PhotographieTB]

Congratulations Brent on the birth of your second child!

Thank you so much for your tips and videos, I always look foreword to the next episode to get myself working on my freestyle.

I had a question on the comment you made about the times your swimmers do and you mention 1 minute 20 seconds, 1 minute 40 seconds up to 2 minutes 10 seconds. These are the times per 100 meters I imagine? Is this a time taken at their maximum speed (so full out) or is this day cruising speed in a 500 or 1000 meter. I’ve always wondered how and where I stand compared to others...

Thank you! I’m enjoying your channel, would love to follow one of your clinics but live in Quebec

[NickSmit]

Congrats on the second kid. Love these videos. Keep it up

[mikebaker]

To reinforce the single arm work and be able to give attention to proper form, put the swimmer on a pull buoy and snorkel. This then gives the swimmer the opportunity to concentrate on what the arm is doing specifically. The drill to conduct with these parameters is a single arm stroke and glide. The swimmer sets off the wall with lead arm extended and keeps in place until the other arm has completed the stroke and met up with the lead arm. Then the arm that was the lead does the stroke. This will reinforce the length of the glide as well as the entry, catch, and follow through with the working arm. Perhaps some verbal cues to correct form at the same time, I.e. “close the window”, “recovery” if too wide or high, and “swim flat “ to stop the over-rotation. Once muscle memory is attained and correct feeling noted, then remove the buoy and keep on snorkel, repeat drills over time, then reassess with training aides.

[concas]

He could relax more during beginning of the catch and power through the end with proper hand form.

[jawshua]

This guy knows what he is talking about.. he knows his stuffs.. no comments ...

[tinasulphate]

I like going back to basic head lead drill and zipper drill when I feel my power and stroke is lacking. This tends to bring me back on track though I want to try that long dog paddle drill.

[EffortlessSwimming]

To win the EneyBuoy2 - LIKE and COMMENT below with your best drill for fixing any of the following errors:
1. Over-rotation
2. Pressing back too wide and far away from the hip
3. Apply power too early in the catch
Winner announced on the next Feedback Friday episode.🏊💪

[madeleinenantze]

Good video. I’m not an athlete; just someone who loves swimming and has tried to improve. I am not great with the proper terminology, but hopefully this makes sense. I read a book a few years ago that suggested that by rolling more to one’s side for each stroke, a more hydrodynamic effect in the water occurs. If I’m understanding your approach correctly, you’re saying that the hip rotation creates drag. Can you explain whether it’s possible for the first theory to be true? For the giveaway, you asked about drills. I’ll suggest that he do the one with the exaggerated elbow lift out of the water (the one that requires extra kicking) to close the gap. Thanks for your videos.

[rjzlwop]

Excellent video I like it a lot, a drill that I feel would be one that you’ve talked about a lot and that is holding the kit ford between your thighs and that will keep you from rotating too much because the kickboard moves awkwardly

[lblizartz]

Drill for deveolping catch to power - start in streamline position (no. 11 or 'train tracks' with arms). 1 arm at a time 25m, press 1 hand in catch position 3 X (hand movement approx 30 cm) then 1 X single arm full stroke (work power phase). Back to streamline (no. 11) same arm repeat 3 X catch press then full stroke power phase.

[burakhorata]

Congrats Brenton! I would suggest the swimmer in the video to do swimming with clenched hands so that he con focus on how to pull correctly without being able to apply too much power