Swim - Engaging Lats

Three things that helped me with this-

1.Reach as far as you can before your pull, you want to get a good stretch and catch water right away and once you catch the water keep it all the way back to your hip.

2.Keep your elbow up during pull, your pull will be stronger.

3.Totally relax your arm when you bring it forward during recovery, dangle it like a noodle. This will save energy and strength, this is one thing that helped me allot.

Yep...it's all about rotation...when you pull on your side, you use your lats. When you pull flat on your stomach, it's mostly upper arms. To visualize, try this:

Next time you're at the pool, try pressing yourself out of the water with your hands at shoulder width (this simulates pulling flat on your stomach). Then, move your hands out about a foot on either side and press yourself out again. Now you're simulatiing pulling on your side.

Which is easier, and why?

As mentioned, rotation and high elbow are excellent. 

One thing that really works too is the fist drill with a pull buoy.  By using the fist and keeping the elbow high, you have to use the forearm as your paddle.  To make it work, you have to engage the lats.  Grab the water on the catch and pull with the lats.  Works for me.

Hi Chris

This is tough to explain via email, but as you swim, think about grabbing 'still' water while using your arm/forearm/hand as a paddle. That is a lot of surface area and once you can engage your lats you will a lot more power.

So, how do you engage the lats more - it takes a lot of practice, but focus on not letting your hand 'slip' through the water as you are in your 'catch' phase. Once you are into the 'catch' phase you should be able to engage the lats - give that a shot and let us know how you make out.

Mike

Heck, we all do!

Bent elbow and rotation is key to getting the power from the lats. In the water, it's kind of like the same motion you'd use to pull/push yourself out of the pool.

You also employ more triceps and lats extending the arm as far back as possible on the last part of the stroke when the arm surfaces. My coach has had me do wrist flicks to be sure to follow through and add that last bit of power to the stroke.