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swim pull focus?
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 2006-01-21 9:16 PM |
Extreme Veteran  596   ma |  Subject: swim pull focus?As i was swimming today, i realized, i need a focus, or a visualization, or SOMETHING to help my pull phase of my stroke. I know my arm is not working (directed) properly. I think it might be coming back horizontal. It seems (after having just wrote this), all i need to do is change the angle of my hand. However, I need 'a feeling' to work with. A focus, something to mentally lock onto that will get the mechanics in order. I am able with good success to rotate my body side-to-side, and i can keep the head pointing down pretty well. My kick needs work, I still can't quite get the snap of the rotation to work in harmony with my kick, but i feel my biggest problem is my pull. Any ideas? Thank you! |
| 2006-01-21 9:20 PM in reply to: #329215 |
Champion 11641   Fairport, NY | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? Closed fist drills worked for me. By removing the pull power of the open hand I was forced to concentrate on and maximize the pulling efficiency of my arm. It was tough at first, but lately it's been paying off really well. |
| 2006-01-21 9:34 PM in reply to: #329215 |
Elite 3650 Laurium, MI | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? to get the kick rotation down the thing I found to really help is to do 4 lengths of kick drill, alternating sides length to length (so always face the same side of the pool). If you don't know what they are, you lay on your side so your perfectly horizontal in the water with your lower arm straight ahead and your top arm at your side. Keep your ear planted against your extended arm and kick. To breathe, you rotate a little on your back. Then for 2 more laps, switch sides with every breath and roll face down in the water. To do this I just rolled slightly more then 90 to expose my mouth, went back to being on my side, kicked a while and repeated. It makes more sense once you try it. Forcing yourself to roll from one extreme to the other while balancing in the water really helped my rotation feel more natural. As did making myself touch my hand to my hip before extending for the next stroke during normal free style. If you are looking for water feel, look on the TI site. They sell these gloves that are supposed to work like sensory deprevation suits for your hand. You swim a few laps in them, so that when you take them off and swim, your hands are hyper sensitive to feeling the water and the grip. I haven't tried them, but I know people that swear by them. Edited by vortmax 2006-01-21 9:37 PM |
| 2006-01-22 6:32 AM in reply to: #329215 |
Extreme Veteran 596 ma | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? I have those mittens! I took some basic coaching about 2-3 yrs ago when I first got the bright idea to do triathlons. The coach was TI based, and that is where I learned to be able to swim with some amount of ease. Initially, at that time, swimming was more about being able to maintain composure and 'do the distance', (25 yds was a challenge then). Now, its time to take (much more) serious, technique. I am starting to realize reasons for being so slow. You both have reminded me how important the drills are. I've got a ton of TI drills written on paper here, (umm..filed away). The side drill you spoke of Matt, when you come up for air, you are rotating your whole body to face up, or just your head 180 to breathe? When you use the mittens, do you use them for your entire drills workout, or say for a 400? |
| 2006-01-22 6:47 AM in reply to: #329215 |
Veteran 298 San mateo | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? HI Nikki, I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but in order to "get" the pull feeling I imagin that I am hugging a tree under water as I am pulling myself. In other words, as I am starting the pull portion I bend my elbow slightly, remembering to keep my hands more towards my midline. As my arms move past my shoulders I imagine that I am hugging a small tree and try to visualize feeling the tree all through my arm and not just the palms of my hand. For whatever reason that helps me to feel the pull (or push) of the water against my arm. I hope this helps. |
| 2006-01-22 7:24 AM in reply to: #329215 |
Extreme Veteran 596 ma | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? NJ- YES YES....this is what i'm looking for. Only, can you explain alittle more? Is the tree taller than you? Are you saying that you are holding the tree for the entire stroke, hands moving down its trunk? Which way are you hands facing? Is the tree diameter real wide? I'm sorry to sound so pestering with the details, but I want to get the groove right. Thank you! (i sound like i'm asking the big kids what a first kiss is like, so i can imagine it for the real deal,) |
| 2006-01-22 8:44 AM in reply to: #329310 |
Extreme Veteran 393 Tokyo, Japan | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? A couple of tips. First, I found that using hand paddles really helped with my pull. It exagerates it so much that you can't help but notice. The first time I used them I realised how terrible my pull was with my left arm/hand...it was all over the place. However, after using them for some time I feel like my pull has really progressed. The best way to use them I find is to swim about 50 or 100m with them on, then take them off and swim 50 or 100m again. You can repeat as many times as you like. One set I used to do for example was to actually swim 5 x 100 on 1:40 then followed by 6 x 50 on 1:00 with the paddles. I would repeat this about 4 times...yes, it was a long workout. Another tip I once read, on this site a while back I think, was to imagine you're reaching up and placing your hand FLAT on the top of book shelf. I found just focusing on that really helped me to bend my wrists at the beginning of the pull to make sure you're getting the full face of your hand pushing/pulling back down the pool. Anyway, I hope some of this helps. If you have any questions though you should send me PM as I live in Japan and will be heading off to bed very shortly... |
| 2006-01-22 9:10 AM in reply to: #329302 |
| Elite 3650 Laurium, MI | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? nikki - 2006-01-22 5:32 AM The side drill you spoke of Matt, when you come up for air, you are rotating your whole body to face up, or just your head 180 to breathe? When you use the mittens, do you use them for your entire drills workout, or say for a 400?
The mittens are typically for short sets, say 2x100's or 4x50's. On the side drills, I keep my ear to my arm at all times and rotate my body back 45* to expose my head. There isn't much space to breathe as the water is surrounding your face still, but it does help get you comfortable breathing for the crawl. for the switch, I just roll 225* (180 + 45) to expose my head, breathe, then go back to having my shoulders aligned vertically until the next switch. |
| 2006-01-22 1:08 PM in reply to: #329215 |
Veteran 298 San mateo | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? Don't worry..I am the same way! The more I can picture it the better. I'd say this tree is taller than me and wide enought that the tip of my fingers would touch if I were to hug it with both hands . I grab it as soon as my pull (or push) reaches my face and my entire arm then moves down its trunk. My body is right up against the trunk. The palm of my hands are always pointing towards my feet and my elbows SLIGHTLY bent so that, although hugging the tree, I am also digging deep in the water. Something concentrating on feeling the trunk on my elbow helps me to engage the upper arm. Does this make sense? The point is to pull with both your arm and your hand (from what I understand). Edited by nj newbie! 2006-01-22 1:10 PM |
 2006-01-23 9:42 AM in reply to: #329215 |
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| 2006-01-23 10:00 AM in reply to: #329305 |
| Champion 9407 Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? nj newbie! - 2006-01-22 7:47 AM HI Nikki, I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but in order to "get" the pull feeling I imagin that I am hugging a tree under water as I am pulling myself. In other words, as I am starting the pull portion I bend my elbow slightly, remembering to keep my hands more towards my midline. As my arms move past my shoulders I imagine that I am hugging a small tree and try to visualize feeling the tree all through my arm and not just the palms of my hand. For whatever reason that helps me to feel the pull (or push) of the water against my arm. I hope this helps. I would be careful with this as I am concerned with anything involving swim technique that brings the hand close to the midline. Your focus should be on keeping your elbow high (near the surface of the water) while your forearm bends at about 90 degrees. The two things that I tell my swim team are: 1) pretend you're climbing a ladder - that is reach up, grab the rung (water) and pull yourself up; and 2) you don't paddle under a boat so don't paddle under yourself - you want to look for water that you can grab - i.e. that is not moving and the farther you can reach from your body and still generate power, the better. Shane |
| 2006-01-23 10:23 AM in reply to: #329215 |
| Buttercup 14334 | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? THINK: Power & Propulsion. That's the feeling you're looking for. Edited by Renee 2006-01-23 10:24 AM |
| 2006-01-23 11:10 AM in reply to: #329215 |
| Master 1728 portland, or | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? Try this: Find something in your house that has a rather large top/surface that when you kneel in front of it, the surface is slightly above your head. Kneel in front of the object. Place your hand and forearm on top of the object and bend your elbow 90 degrees. Have the crease of your elbow against the edge of the object surface. Now try to pull yourself up using that arm. Don't lift your arm. Keep contact at the hand and forearm. You should naturally feel your shoulder drive forward and muscle contraction in your upper lats. I doubt you'll actually lift yourself, but you should still feel the effect. Now slowly stand while keeping constant pressure on the the surface of the object with your hand and forearm. This is what you're trying to duplicate in the water. Your hand and forearm drive down into the water; your elbow stays high and above your hand; you pull yourself over your hand and forearm. Swim drills: Fist swimming (you can use gloves, hold racquet balls or tennis balls, or you can just make a fist). You want to feel the water pressure on your forearm. Head-up swimming: Just as it sounds. Swim with your head up. Let your legs drop and use a gentle kick. This is a strength drill. You should feel the pull coming from your lats. Head-up dog paddle: Same as above, but keep your arms under water on the recovery. This will encourage a good catch. Under-water recovery: Swim normally, but keep your arms under water on the recovery. Similar to above, but in a streamlined swimming position. ---A good progression drill is to swim 100's: 25-head-up, 25 head-up dog paddle, 25 head-down under-water recovery, 25 swim. Switch 6-1-6: Kick on side for 6 kicks then take a pull and switch sides for 6 kicks. When you take a pull really focus on the catch and keeping the elbow up on the pull. This is done in slow motion. Try with fins a few times so you can focus on the pull. Switch 6-3-6: Same as above, but three strokes at the switch. Single arm swimming: I would focus on single arm where the opposite arm is extended (like side swimming). Again use fins at first to focus on the mechanics of the pull. I hope some of this helps. scott |
| 2006-01-23 1:40 PM in reply to: #329215 |
| Veteran 267 Washington DC | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? I think your catch and not your pull is probsbly the issue. Concentrate on feeling water pressure on the forearm. If the forearm does what it is supposed to, the hand tends to automatically do what it is supposed to. The opposite is not true, so think about grabbing the water with the forearm and take your attention off the hands. Ken |
| 2006-01-23 5:28 PM in reply to: #329215 |
| Extreme Veteran 596 ma | Subject: RE: swim pull focus? Thank you one and all. Great advice and thank you for responding with care and attention. I will report back with how I'm doing. Next swim should be either tomorrow or Wednesday. I'm not sure i followed the Dolly Parton one. Is that suggesting the "S" stroke? I'm printing out all of the responses to re-read a few times, to be sure.
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