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Print this entryTurns - Tech Suit Turns. The last hurrah!
This drill is sent out to all our friends heading to US Masters Nationals in Atlanta this week. This will be pretty much the last weekend for the tech-suit era and, love 'em or hate 'em, they've made quite an impact on the sport.
For those donning the suits for either the first or last time, remember: There are things you need to do to take full advantage of the suits. When the tech suits are no longer valid, these tips still hold true without the suits, but we wanted to shoot just ONE more drill in honor of them.
Our model, Bill, is wearing his Blueseventy, and is very excited to do so.
Why Do It:
Taking advantage of a sleeker bodyline is a good idea, and using the advantage of the suit's ability to smooth things off means you shouldn't rush as quickly to swimming.
How to Do It:
1. Many swimmers like to look at the wall coming in and, with the suit on, you'll probably be going a bit faster, so we encourage you to keep your head lower as you approach the wall. Sight lower on the wall, which means your body will be in a better position to spin forward and down.
2. Because you're trying to stay under water just a bit longer, try to position your feet a bit higher on the wall. Bill didn't do this, but we won't hold that against him. Habits are sometimes hard to break, and our pool has a metal lip that can get slippery, so he was just being careful to get a good push.
3. Do your best to get in a TIGHTER streamline than normal, and don't rush to air, or allow your head to pop up. Take advantage of the suit's ability to slide you through the water. Getting just a little extra distance or each wall will pay big dividends in the longer races.
How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
Add a dolphin kick to your breakout. Some people think that if one dolphin is good, then two is better, but if you're not used to doing them, you can see that maybe two is too much of a good thing. You'll also must take into consideration that the extra distance you'll be traveling also can mean LESS oxygen. So again, if you're not used to doing them, think of the dolphin, streamline, and lower head position leaving the wall as ways to maintain higher speed from the wall, rather than going a lot farther.
Best wishes to all 2,000 swimmers in Atlanta this week. And... @ swim-technique snobs, take it easy on Bill. He'll probably be going close to 1:50 in the 200 free for the 50-54 age group (no pressure, Bill), and spends most of his time practicing law rather than swimming. When the majority of high school swimmers can do that, and win cases, then you can complain about his swimming technique. :)
camy
Glenn Mills
Ali Farahani
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