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Print this entryTurns - Pushoff Target
We can never stress enough, the importance of good streamlining and push offs. Here's a quick trick to demand focus from your swimmers, both in and out of the walls.
- Dave Denniston's Breaststroke Turns DVD shows this skill!!!
Why Do It:
Watch any swim meet on TV, and you'll see that the unifying factor in all swimmers is a great push off. Learn it early.
How to Do It:
1. Take your stretch cord, usually used for resistance training, and stretch it across a few lanes just a bit outside the flags (vary this distance by age-group and ability).
2. Require that all swimmers get past this mark on all push offs.
3. As the speed of the swims increases, the swimmers should be scraping their backs on the cord to make sure they're coming up at a shallow angle, not too steep.
4. You don't have to limit these swims to 25s either... as you'll see.
How to Do It Well (the Fine Points):
In every stroke, building acute awareness for the flags can help swimmers understand where they need to start setting up their turns. As swimmers get more accustomed to where the cord is, they will get better at timing their strokes to make a smooth pass under the cord. . Make a game out of it, and imagine the mental demands you'll be placing on the swimmers (or yourself) by making them always pay attention.
Hank Webb
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