GoSwim Live Zoom Meetings

Important Note to the Viewer

LESSONS: 204 VIDEOS

Mar 3, 2026 - Developing DPC - Tempo - Hand Speed

"Faster hand speed only helps up to the point where the water can resist it. Beyond that, you're spinning your wheels — the hand slides through the water rather than holding it. Elite swimmers don't pull harder, they pull smarter — accelerating the hand through the catch and mid-pull where the angle of attack is optimal, then finishing before the hand outruns the water's ability to push back." Are we really still thinking about distance per stroke? You betcha! Join us on Zoom as we continue to explore the relationship between stroke rate (tempo) and distance per cycle. Monday Freestyle Drill: Building a Longer Stroke Glenn demos how to get your swimmers to gradually adopt a longer stroke, using the FINIS Tempo Trainer. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1710-freestyle-building-a-longer-stroke Tuesday Masters Tempo Trainer Workout Glenn describes how to use a Tempo Trainer to help a triathlete home in on their best, sustainable stroke rate. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1694-masters-tempo-trainer-workout Wednesday Breaststroke Drill: Playing with Rate An Endless Pool offers interesting ways to explore the relation between stroke rate and distance per cycle. The swimmer in the video is learning to go the same speed with the least amount of energy. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1535-breaststroke-playing-with-rate Thursday Discovering Freestyle Efficiency Step 2 Glenn demos a short set that helps swimmers understand how to increase speed while maintaining stroke count (distance per cycle). https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1008-freestyle-discovering-efficiency-step-2 Friday FINIS Smart Goggles Stroke Rate Feature Glenn helps a high-level triathlete explore stroke RATE in the Endless Pool using FINIS Smart Goggles. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3313-finis-smart-goggles-stroke-rate-feature Saturday Freestyle Drill: Reduced-Stroke 100s Understanding your stroke rate/length, how much effort you’re putting into every stroke, and a complete knowledge of what you’re doing in the water will serve you well as you try to compete at higher levels. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1881-freestyle-reduced-stroke-100s Sunday Brendan Hansen: Lane-Line Rhythm Check out Brendan Hansen swimming cross-pool breaststroke. Then imagine what you could learn about your stroke by doing this with a Tempo Trainer at various rates. You will automatically maintain distance per cycle, while increasing (or decreasing) your tempo. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/265-lane-line-rhythm AI in Sports Performance Analysis Glenn discussed the current situation in Iran, expressing concern for friends affected by the conflict and noting the potential for internet disruptions. He then shifted the focus to the role of AI in sports, emphasizing the importance of engagement and learning over mere data presentation, particularly for young athletes. Glenn shared a personal swimming experiment involving different stroke counts to analyze the impact on performance, capturing data to better understand the results. He highlighted the challenges of capturing accurate data in real-world scenarios and the need for purposeful teaching opportunities in sports. Swimming Efficiency and Speed Analysis Glenn presented data analysis from a swimming session, demonstrating how he achieved a 9-second improvement in his 100-yard time while maintaining consistent stroke cycles and distance per cycle. He identified that the key factor in his faster performance was increased hand speed, which allowed him to maintain higher tempo and better underwater velocity despite similar breakout distances. Glenn emphasized that swimmers should focus on explosive power off the walls and maintaining consistent speed throughout the race, rather than relying solely on acceleration. Optimal Hand Speed in Swimming Glenn discussed the importance of hand speed and body alignment in swimming, explaining that optimal hand speed is 2.1-2.5 times the swimmer's forward speed. He emphasized the need for a balanced approach, avoiding both too slow movements (which generate no power) and too fast movements (which can cause cavitation and slipping). Glenn also referenced a recent discussion about how swim velocity increases with tempo rather than stroke length, aligning with his own findings about the importance of hand acceleration through the catch phase. Swimming Performance Optimization Techniques Glenn discussed swimming techniques and data analysis, explaining how swimmers can improve their performance by focusing on push-offs, turns, and underwaters rather than just distance per cycle. He demonstrated improvements in his own swimming times from 122 to 111 seconds while maintaining the same stroke count, attributing the faster tempo to better force recruitment and explosive power. Glenn also briefly mentioned new features of the Tempo Trainer, a swimming tool he was testing, though he couldn't provide specific details about upcoming product releases. Swimming Technique and Push-Off Optimization Glenn and Monty discussed the optimal point to begin swimming after a push-off, emphasizing the importance of individualized coaching and counting exercises to teach proper technique. Glenn explained that swimmers should aim to start the push-off just before slowing down and highlighted the significance of underwater velocity and turn finish times in improving overall performance. He advised maintaining high speed through the turn and push-off, even when planning to slow down later in the race, as gliding does not incur energy costs. Swimming Performance and Traction Insights Mark shared insights from Ian Crocker about how swimmers can sense their performance in the first few strokes of a race, emphasizing the importance of maintaining traction and tempo. Aleks discussed the relationship between underwater kicking, hand speed, and overall swimming velocity, highlighting how elite swimmers use faster underwater kicking to maintain traction and increase hand speed. The group agreed on the significance of data collection and testing to understand individual performance peaks and optimize swimming techniques. Swimming Techniques and Performance Analysis Glenn demonstrated the importance of understanding and experimenting with swimming techniques, emphasizing the unique nature of each push-off and the need to focus on velocity and maintaining a straight line after starting. He showed a comparison between his 50-meter swim and Rachel's swimmers' 100-meter performance, highlighting the differences in data and the challenges of comparing individual results to Olympian-level performance. The group discussed the significance of basic swimming techniques and the need for consistent practice, with Barbara suggesting a focus on push-offs and breakouts in the next session.

Feb 24, 2026 - How to Analyze Age-Group Team Data

Monday https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2321-all-strokes-stroke-count The secret to holding great technique when things get tough? Count your strokes. 💪 SwimTips SwimmingTraining SwimLife PoolWorkout SwimCoach AthleteTraining Tuesday https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3423-ep-lesson-tempo-and-loping Great technique isn't built overnight — it's built rep by rep. 💪 SwimTraining StrokeWork SwimCoach FreestyleTips SwimSmart AthleteTraining Wednesday https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3012-increase-freestyle-stroke-rate Stop swimming harder. Start swimming smarter — find the rate that lets you just flow. 💧 SwimTips FreestyleSwimming SwimCoach OpenWaterSwimming Triathlon SwimFast Thursday https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1710-freestyle-building-a-longer-stroke Want to build better strokes in your age group swimmers? This long-term tempo trainer approach is a game changer. ⏱️ SwimCoaching TempoTrainer AgeGroupSwimming SwimTech CoachTips SwimFast Friday https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1009-freestyle-discovering-efficiency-step-3 Stroke count + speed + heart rate = the ultimate measure of swimming efficiency. 📊 SwimmingTips SwimEfficiency SwimCoach HeartRateTraining SwimFast TrainSmart Saturday https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1007-freestyle-discovering-efficiency-step-1 Fewer strokes doesn't always mean more efficient. Here's what actually matters. 🏊‍♂️ SwimmingEfficiency FreestyleTips SwimSmart StrokeCount SwimCoach SwimLife Sunday https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2986-drop-and-push-angled Small adjustments off the wall can make a big difference in the water. 💧 SwimmingTips WallTechnique SwimCoach FreestyleSwimming SwimFast SwimLife

Feb 17, 2026 - Anatomy of a Length of Swimming

1) Start set-up (on the block / in the water) 2) Flight & entry (hands/arms/head line, then body line) 3) Underwater streamline (glide phase) 4) Underwater propulsion (kick + rules) 5) Transition to breakout (first surface breath + first stroke timing) 6) Surface swimming (strokes + breathing + tempo/DPC) 7) Approach & finish (last 5m / last stroke decision) 1) Start set-up (on the block / in the water) Job: create the best launch angle + tightest shape possible. Measure: reaction time, stance consistency, head/hip alignment. Common breaks: “jumping up” instead of out, loose core, throwing the head. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2041-start-first-move 2) Flight & entry (hands/arms/head line, then body line) Job: enter with minimal splash + immediate streamline. Measure: entry distance, splash profile, time to streamline. Common breaks: wide entry, pike at hips, separation at elbows, late streamline. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3603-lili-start-above https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1302-super-slow-starts-reference-video https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2307-preview-backstroke-start 3) Underwater streamline (glide phase) Job: protect velocity you already have. Measure: speed decay (how quickly you slow), posture (spine neutral), depth consistency. Common breaks: loose ankles, bent knees, “banana” posture, head lifted. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3604-lili-start-under https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2279-starts-bruno-dive-glide 4) Underwater propulsion (kick + rules) Job: add speed without adding drag. Measure: underwater distance, underwater time, speed to breakout, depth control. Common breaks: kicking too deep/too shallow, kicking “hard” but slow, poor toe/ankle line. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/281-flow-the-kickout https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/216-aaron-underwater-dolphin https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/411-think-like-a-dolphin 5) Transition to breakout (first surface breath + first stroke timing) Job: surface without losing speed or body line. Measure: breakout distance, breakout speed, time to first clean cycle. Common breaks: breathing during the rise, lifting the head, starting strokes too early or too late. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1978-butterfly-breakout-practice https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/941-underwater-dolphin-and-breakout https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2089-freestyle-andi-murez-stable-head-breakout https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2042-backstroke-tennessee-breakout 6) Surface swimming (strokes + breathing + tempo/DPC) Job: turn speed into sustainable speed. Measure: Tempo + Distance Per Cycle (your GoSwim pillars), plus velocity consistency. Common breaks: tempo spikes, DPC collapse, breath disrupts line https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2232-single-focus-sprint https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1762-vertical-kick-sprint-25s 7) Approach & finish (last 5m / last stroke decision) Job: “arrive” at the wall at speed—no hesitation. Measure: stroke count into the wall, last breath timing, finish speed. Common breaks: extra glide, last-second lunge, shortening strokes early. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/662-get-your-hand-on-the-wall https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2163-freestyle-finishes https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/988-breaststroke-the-last-stroke

Feb. 10, 2026 - Secrets to Faster Freestyle: Balance and Basics

One thing we learned from Jonty Skinner’s visit to the Zoom was that the world’s fastest freestylers know the importance of slowing down and working on balance and basics. Join us this week as we do just that. Monday Brad Tandy: Freestyle balance - Stationary Front Float It all starts here. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2934-stationary-front-float https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2968-stand-up-from-a-front-float Tuesday Free Drill: Building the Stroke Here’s a version of Ball to Line to Kick to Swim. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1980-freestyle-building-the-stroke https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3172-andi-position-11-balance 1:05 Wednesday Free Drill: Building Core Balance Making sure your bodyline is balanced can help build a faster and more efficient freestyle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2213-freestyle-building-core-balance Thursday Brad Tandy: Head-Lead Rotation If you can master balance and rotation without the use of your arms, you’re on the way to a faster, more connected freestyle https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2940-head-lead-rotation Friday Free Drill: Freestyle Eval – Timing the Hands and Hips Here’s a close-up and slow-mo look at how to swim with the entire body, connecting hand and hip…catch to core rotation. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1924-freestyle-eval-timing-the-hands-and-hips Saturday Kara Lynn Joyce: Balance Three-time Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce attributes her speed to the constant honing of balance. Here’s her favorite drill progression. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/656-balance Sunday Andi Murez: UP Kick 2 Israeli Olympic sprinter Andi Murez shares one of her speed secrets: working on the power of her UP kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2065-freestyle-up-kick-2

Feb 3, 2026 - Solving Technique Issues from the Legs with Jonty Skinner

Solving Technique Issues from the Legs with Jonty Skinner Jonty’s World Record https://youtu.be/Ig4dJiVNxVs?si=5Uypi57yGy-6TTqR&t=143 Monday - Vertical Flutter Kick A strong kick sets the foundation for everything that follows. Keep your toes pointed, legs long, and remember — it’s a straighter leg, not a locked one. A small knee bend is exactly what you want. Use flotation if needed and focus on control. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2974-vertical-kick Tuesday - Advanced Freestyle 10: Freestyle Sprint Kick A strong freestyle sprint starts with a steady 6-beat kick — six downbeats per stroke cycle that drive rotation, rhythm, and speed. When the arms move correctly, the kick often falls into place naturally. Fix the timing, add force, and watch your sprint take off. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1822-advanced-freestyle-swim-lesson-10-freestyle-sprint-kick Wednesday - Auger Drill for Kick The Auger Drill teaches swimmers how power comes from connection — not just kicking or pulling alone. By creating a strong body twist and linking the catch to the kick, you generate instant forward momentum and learn how to sync the 2-beat kick with full-body rotation. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3246-auger-drill-for-kick Thursday - Loud Synced Kick Turn up the energy and feel the connection. This phase emphasizes a dynamic two-beat kick by pairing opposite arm and leg movements to create powerful hip drive. Start slow, focus on coordination, and use big, splashy movements to understand how cross-body timing builds a more connected freestyle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3247-loud-synced-kick Friday - The Kick Drives the Rotation Elite sprinting starts from the legs. ⚡️ Roland’s explosive 6-beat kick fuels his rotation, hand extension, and tempo — proving that a relentless, connected kick is the engine behind world-class speed. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/449-the-kick-drives-the-rotation Saturday - Constant Continuous Kick A strong freestyle — especially a galloping sprint stroke — demands a constant, continuous kick. Keep it small, tight, and driven from the hips to maintain body position and generate forward momentum. Build ankle flexibility, train the kick within your full stroke, and remember: the legs should always be moving. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/352-constant-continuous-kick Sunday - Matt Targett - Sprint Flutter Kick Speed starts with the kick. Matt’s narrow, consistent 6-beat flutter kick stabilizes his hips and creates the foundation for high-speed freestyle. With elite ankle flexibility and a snapping finish on each downbeat, every kick delivers maximum propulsion. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1769-matt-targett-sprint-flutter-kick Session Chat: 12:02:20 From John McGowan : Congratulations on your 200th session 12:02:33 From Barbara Hummel : Thank you, John! 12:06:36 From Glenn : Jonty’s World Record https://youtu.be/Ig4dJiVNxVs?si=5Uypi57yGy-6TTqR&t=143 12:13:03 From Coach Dan . : yes 12:15:41 From melinda wolff : so the "closed joint" is when the foot goes into a flexion vs. a "pointed" position? 12:16:21 From Coach Dan . : half acrobatic turn 12:16:34 From Barbara Hummel : yes, melinda I believe that’s what he means 12:17:58 From erinne guthrie : Can we see it not in slow mo 1 x? 12:18:34 From erinne guthrie : thanks 12:18:42 From erinne guthrie : Super flat 12:20:51 From Milorad Cavic : Kicking down with the right foot should force his right hip down to go up, yes, but are 50 freestylers rotating much from the hips? 12:21:00 From melinda wolff : So, what is the cue you would give Matt to address that? 12:22:23 From Milorad Cavic : Every 3rd kick is supposed to rotate the hip, then the shoulder, then the arms. “Ground-> Up Approach,” but is that equally true for 50 freestylers which are more shoulder driven? 12:22:57 From erinne guthrie : Are those waves going over him as well? 12:23:01 From Beth Baker : Have a good drill to work on that? 12:23:45 From Robin McQuinn : I think Sarah Sjoestroem is also really flat in Free. I think Free needs flat hips to get faster than Hull Speed (motor boat mode) 12:24:03 From Zach Mertens : His kick appears to be pretty quad dominant with a more passive upkick. Could the overpowering downbeat with a lack of upkick help explain the lack of hip rotation because the lack of downkick? 12:24:19 From Mark Hesse : Reacted to "His kick appears to ..." with 👍 12:25:13 From Zach Mertens : Is it easier to generate lift with flatter hips? 12:25:28 From Zach Mertens : Or, at least, maintain lift on the exit of the breakout? 12:27:42 From erinne guthrie : Do we get to see someone doing it well? 12:28:38 From Milorad Cavic : I’m clearly not smart enough to find a flaw in Roland’s Foot-Hip-Shoulder-Pull sequence. Could you try to resummarize the timing or sequence that we’re trying to achieve? Maybe a drill sequence? 12:33:13 From erinne guthrie : This guy also has better balance his hips are much higher and his legs are straighter. Is ankle flexibility ever assessed? 12:33:14 From melinda wolff : seems to me that swimmer should probably not "flick" his foot at the end of the kick in order to avoid "closed joint"? 12:35:17 From Zach Mertens : that hydro-freestyle entry 12:39:23 From Mark Hesse : upkick is one of the least taught skills in swimming 12:39:35 From Zach Mertens : Reacted to "upkick is one of the..." with 👏 12:40:49 From Mark Hesse : it's because you're a breaststroker Glenn 12:41:09 From Glenn : Reacted to "it's because you're ..." with 😃 12:43:35 From Coach Dan . : do you have similar timing videos for Fly and Back? 12:54:14 From Kate Le Fevre : Thanks! Kate 12:57:11 From melinda wolff : His L foot is flexed at the upkick-to-downkick, isn't it?? 13:05:02 From Mark Hesse : foundational skill development. If you skip steps you have to go back at some point or you create a performance ceiling 13:05:13 From Glenn : Reacted to "foundational skill d..." with ❤️ 13:06:14 From Bron Hill : Brilliant, thanks very much 13:06:18 From Nicole Linn : This was fantastic 13:06:25 From Glenn : Reacted to "This was fantastic" with ❤️ 13:06:35 From Glenn : Replying to "This was fantastic" Give Jeremy a big hug from us! 13:06:49 From Zach Mertens : The deeper the leg gets, the more it has to kick against! 13:06:53 From Nicole Linn : Replying to "This was fantastic" ☺️will do!!! 13:07:03 From Milorad Cavic : Reacted to "The deeper the leg g..." with ❤️ 13:07:04 From Mark Hesse : Reacted to "The deeper the leg g..." with ❤️ 13:08:05 From Coach Dan . : Reacted to "foundational skill d..." with ❤️ 13:13:40 From Nemanja Colic : What are the closed joint positions you look for in BR? 13:13:59 From Jim Crampton : Thank you Jonty and Glenn. Jonty, always great to learn from you. Thanks for your time. 13:14:10 From Nemanja Colic : Exactly 13:14:14 From Karen Rose : Free kick drill with a board, heels under the entire time to train? 13:14:46 From Ellie Abihider : Fabulous!!! Please…more of this depth…!!!! So enlightening!! 13:14:53 From helen naylor : ballerinas would make good breaststrokers! 13:14:59 From Coach Dan . : If you do pidgin toed kicking, does that make it harder to do that flexing? What are the drawback with pidgin toed kicking? 13:15:01 From Barbara Hummel : Thank you Jonty. I learned so much. And much to think about 13:15:24 From Mandi Bell : Thank you! 13:15:26 From Dave Allen : Thank you! Awesome info! 13:15:49 From Nicole Linn : Thank you!!! 13:15:54 From Coach Dan . : thank you 13:15:55 From FW : Thanks from Kuala Lumpur.. 13:15:55 From Robin McQuinn : Thanks~

Jan. 27, 2026 - What do officials look for?

Jan. 27, 2026 - What do officials look for? We’ll take a close-up look at some of the primary things officials look for: two-hand, simultaneous touches on the breast and fly; the head breaking the surface before the first insweep during the underwater pullout; toe placement on the backstroke start; and the sequencing of the underwater pullout. Join us for this unique opportunity to speak with an elite-level official. Monday Denniston Turns & Pullouts: Step 1 – The Approach How do officials differentiate between a legal and non-legal touch in breaststroke? https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/880-step-1-the-approach Tuesday Open Turn Work: Progression Summary What keeps an open turn legal? https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2686-progression-summary Wednesday Martin Liivimagi: Breaststroke Underwater Pullout At what exact moment does the first arm pull officially begin? https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1788-martin-liivamagi-breaststroke-underwater-pull Thursday Brendan McHugh: Turns – Hot-Hand Open Turn How to develop a fast – and legal – touch in breaststroke and butterfly. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2187-turns-hot-hand-open-turn Friday Denniston Turns & Pullouts: Step 5 – The Breakout For a legal pullout, the head must break the surface before the start of the insweep of the first stroke. Here’s what legal looks like. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/892-step-5-the-breakout Saturday James Guy: Butterfly Turn How to have a lightning-fast and legal butterfly turn. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2607-butterfly-turn Sunday Conner Oslin: Backstroke Wedge Start How do officials interpret “toes must be below the surface” on the backstroke start? https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2755-backstroke-wedge-start

Jan. 20, 2026 - Magic “W” in Your Breaststroke Kick

Searching for the Magic “W” in Your Breaststroke Kick Dave Salo 5 Time Olympic Coach GoSwim Athletes Coached by Dave Salo Amanda Beard Dave Denniston Staciana Winfield Jessica Hardy Jason Lezak Scott Tucker Eric Shanteau Ricky Berens The trend in breaststroke is toward a narrow kick. There’s variation in how far the feet extend outside the body cylinder, but there’s agreement that the knees should be narrow, with the feet extending wider than the knees, and the legs forming a “W” in the water. This week we discuss how to develop a narrow, powerful kick. Monday Amanda Beard: Finish Your Kick Even though the chapter focuses on how well Amanda finishes her kick, there are plenty of instances that point out how amazing she is at getting into the W style of kick set up we’re looking for in today’s style of great breaststroke. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/527-finish-your-kick JUMP TO KATE - 43.09 JUMP TO ZAC - 43.25 - 11560 (compare) - 15050 Video 3 Dave and Staciana Tuesday Glenn: Breaststroke Kick Width Glenn demonstrates four variations of the breaststroke kick, ending with “knees narrow, feet wide” – the classic “W” shape. He shows how to use a pull buoy to train knees, narrow, feet wide. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3267-breaststroke-kick-width Wednesday Davo Drills: Wall Kick By holding your body close to the wall, your knees automatically stay narrow and in line with your shoulders, and the kick happens behind your body, forming the magic “W.” https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/183-wall-kick Thursday Glenn: Grab the Heels Kick After practicing breaststroke kick with your belly against the wall, try this next: breaststroke kick on your back, grabbing the heels with your hands. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2925-breaststroke-grab-the-heels-kick Friday Drill: Breaststroke Kick on Your Back with Pull Buoy From grabbing the heels, progress to not grabbing the heels but recovering the legs BEHIND the body. Check yourself on the fine points: not stopping and surging and not bobbing up and down. Think about the legs forming a “W” shape. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2179-breaststroke-kick-on-back Saturday Haufler Breasatstroke: The Problem – Knees Too Wide Steve Haufler has a huge bag of tricks for correcting a too-wide breaststroke kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1500-the-problem-knees-too-wide Sunday PDF Fins Breaststroke Kick – Annotated We love using PDFins to help swimmers reduce resistance in all areas of the breaststroke kick – from the setup to the delivery. Check out the overhead footage for this swimmer’s narrow knees and wide feet. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2588-pdf-fins-breaststroke-kick-annotated

Jan. 13, 2026 - Favorite Drills of World-Class Breaststrokers

Favorite Drills of World-Class Breaststrokers Anita Nall 1992 Olympic Team Gold Medal 400 Medley Relay Silver Medal 100 Breast Bronze Medal 200 Breast Jeremy Linn 1996 Olympic Team Gold Medal 400 Medley Relay Silver Medal 100 Breast Roque Santos 1992 Olympic Trials Champion Susie Jones Roy 1968 Olympic Team - Swam prelims on the relay which won the Gold We’ve heard there’s some debate about whether breaststrokers are the best looking and the smartest. But there’s no debate: Breaststrokers have all the best drills. This week we turn to GoSwim’s world-class breaststrokers to learn their go-to drills for honing technique. Join us! Monday Jessica Hardy: Breaststroke Fists Swimming breaststroke fists takes away the catch element of your hands and puts the focus on your forearms to catch water. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1305-fist-drill-breaststroke Tuesday Roque Santos: Pull-Buoy Kick Pull-Buoy Kick imprints narrow knees in breaststroke kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/497-pull-buoy-kick Wednesday Dave Denniston Drills: Pulse Breaststroke Besides being FUN, Pulse Breaststroke helps you develop a flowing and propulsive hip movement in breaststroke. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/191-pulse-breaststroke Thursday Brendan McHugh: 2 Down/1 Up Brendan McHugh uses 2 Down/1 Up Breaststroke to discover and understand the bodyline needed for effective breaststroke. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1989-breaststroke-2-down-1-up Friday Carlos Almeida: Vertical Scull and Pulldown Carlos Almeida goes vertical to work on his breaststroke scull, timing, and explosive power for his underwater pulldown. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1251-drill-vertical-scull-pulldown Saturday Brendan Hansen: Head-Up Breaststroke Brendan Hansen uses Head-Up Breaststroke to develop fast hand speed and overall breaststroke timing. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/260-head-up-breaststroke Sunday Amanda Beard: Drills Amanda shares her four favorite drills for improving feel for the water. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/543-drills

Jan. 6, 2026 - Teaching Breathing

How to Teach Breath Control and Rhythmic Breathing This week we pay homage to the late Pierre Gruneberg, one of the world’s most innovative and successful swimming instructors, who encouraged his students to blow bubbles, hum, and sing to overcome their fear of the water. If you teach beginners of any age, don’t miss this one! Monday Breathing in the Water: Humming in the Water Two common reasons people are uncomfortable putting their face in the water: They don’t like getting water up their nose…and they’re not aware of how long their exhale can last. Humming can help! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3227-humming Tuesday Breathing in the Water: Singing in the Water Singing in the water, helps beginners control their exhale and helps them control the sinuses and nose. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3228-singing-in-the-water Wednesday Early Concepts & Skills: Inhale through the Mouth…Exhale through the Nose Basic but not always obvious to beginners: Air comes in through the mouth…out through the nose. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2971-inhale-through-mouth-exhale-through-nose Thursday Early Concepts & Skills: Standing Bobs Holding the Wall Once beginners master in through the mouth…out through the nose, make it rhythmic with standing bobs. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2970-satnding-bobs-holding-the-wall Friday Early Concepts & Skills: Hanging Bobs For beginners, breathing progress comes in small steps! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2972-hanging-bobs Saturday Early Concepts & Skills: Streamline Jumps Streamline jumps will lead beginning swimmers to mastery of breathing…and will teach other important skills such as streamline and proper pushoff position. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2973-streamline-jumps Sunday Haufler Progressions: Freestyle Breathing – Bubbles and Breathe After beginners have mastered air control and air exchange, and are comfortable floating, don’t rush right into “swimming.” Teach them how to breathe by turning the head to the side. Steve Haufler uses the mantra “bubble arm…breathing arm.” https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/435-freestyle-breathing BONUS Haufler Free: Breath Control & Rhythmic Breathing https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1775-lesson-1-breath-control-and-rhythmic-breathing We used this video last week, but it contains really useful drills and progressions for teaching breath control.

Dec. 30, 2025 - Top-Viewed Athletes of 2025

Top-Viewed Athletes of 2025 This week, we feature GoSwim’s most-watched athletes of 2025. It’s a selection chosen by YOU, and we hope the videos remind you of key themes from our weekly webinars. Thanks for joining us and supporting our work. We wish everyone a happy holiday and great swimming in 2025! Monday Kara Lynn Joyce: Stun Gun It would be a most-watched list without three-time Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce. Here’s Kara Lynn showing how to apply an Olympic level of focus and control to an everyday drill. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/668-bonus-stun-gun Tuesday Steve Haufler Backstroke: Strapless Paddles Strapless paddles are not just for breaststrokers! Steve shows how they can be used to teach a bent-arm pull in backstroke. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1274-strapless-paddles Wednesday Denniston Drills: Karla Karla combines one stroke of right-arm fly…one stroke left-arm fly…and three stokes breaststroke. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/192-karla-drill Thursday Steve Haufler Freestyle: Freestyle 1 – Breath Control and Rhythmic Breathing Steve’s progression for teaching how to breathe with a relaxed, steady rhythm. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1775-lesson-1-breath-control-and-rhythmic-breathing Friday Kim Vandenberg: Streamline Kick There’s kicking on your back…and kicking on your back with the technique of an Olympian. This is Kim’s first time on our year-end list, and we wanted to highlight her mastery of the basics. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1519-backstroke-streamline-kick Saturday Jason Lezak: Head On This clip has no sound. Watch Jason’s technique (narrow bodyline, head/eye position, rotation, massive catch) as he swims straight toward the camera. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/982-lezak-head-on Sunday Steve Haufler Butterfly: Butterfly Breathing Our most-watched video of 2025 was Steve Haufler’s Butterfly Basics. In this video, Steve shares his secret for teaching butterfly breathing: teaching “the two befores.” https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/143-butterfly-breathing

Dec. 16, 2025 - Improve Your Speed into the Wall

Improve Your Speed into the Wall How do you handle the last 3 yards into each wall (and into the finish)? Are you drifting in, losing speed and momentum? Are you maintaining your speed? Are you accelerating slightly, gaining momentum and getting maximum speed and advantage on each wall? Join us for a discussion that could be your game changer for 2026. Monday Denniston Turns & Pullouts: Step 1 – The Approach Speed in equals speed out. It’s the key concept for improving your walls, and no one demonstrates it better than Dave Denniston. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/880-step-1-the-approach Tuesday Open-Turn Sequence: Open-Turn Sequence Step 1 One secret to maintaining speed into the wall is to hold your LINE. The easiest way to imprint this is to start with open turns -- in freestyle, backstroke or when kicking on your back. This progression will help you learn proper line as you approach the wall. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1010-turns-open-turn-sequence-step-1 Wednesday Turn Drill: Eyes Down Keeping your eyes down into the turn allows you to maintain more momentum. Here’s what that looks like in all four strokes. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2191-turn-eyes-down Thursday Freestyle Drill: Eyes Down Flips To gain momentum into the wall, avoid looking for the wall. Here’s how to get your cues without looking forward. The difference can be dramatic! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2032-turns-eyes-down-flips Friday Freestyle Drill: Waterfall Flips 2 To increase speed into the wall, learn how to FLOW into your flip turns -- as if you were standing under a waterfall and letting the water push you into your tuck. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1259-freestyle-waterfall-flips-2 Saturday Turn Drill: Mid-Pool Flips Many swimmers drift to the wall in order to turn on their favored arm. Midpool flips can help you learn to turn equally well on BOTH arms. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1374-turns-mid-pool-flips Sunday Freestyle Drill: The Finish Are you drifting -- or accelerating -- into the finish? Here’s how to shape your body for the fastest finish into the final wall. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1459-freestyle-the-finish

Nov 18, 2025 - Teaching Back and Free Together

Teaching Backstroke and Freestyle Together Where to look. How to hold the head. How to initiate the catch. Join us this week as we explore the similarities between back and free, and how teaching both strokes together can enhance learning and help swimmers “get it.” Monday Better Backstroke Concepts: Where to Look – Backstroke To get the hips riding high and to avoid getting water up the nose, try lying back with the eyes looking up and slightly back – as if looking at the ceiling or sky above where your feet are. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3046-where-to-look Tuesday Freestyle Drill: Freestyle – Head Position Great head position in freestyle has just a bit of the back of the head showing above the surface, with the eyes looking just a bit ahead of you. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1918-freestyle-head-position Wednesday Better Backstroke Concepts: Cup on Forehead – Backstroke World’s best drill for developing a steady, stable head in backstroke – and for helping swimmers find the ideal positioning of head, neck and eyes. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3047-cup-on-forehead Thursday Haufler Freestyle: Advanced Freestyle 8: Correct Head Position While Breathing Avoiding excess head movement is just as important in freestyle as in backstroke. Teaching guru Steve Haufler uses a Styrofoam head and a pencil to create a memorable teaching visual. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1805-advanced-freestyle-swim-lesson-8-correct-head-position-while-breathing Friday Better Backstroke Concepts: Kick on Back with Goggles Under Water This drill takes core control, and takes the skill of a steady head to a new level. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3048-kick-on-back-with-goggles-underwater Saturday Better Backstroke Concepts: Backstroke Scull This drill helps swimmers isolate the small, simple movement of the hand and forearm that initiates the backstroke catch. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3049-backstroke-scull Sunday Better Backstroke Concepts: Freestyle Scull for Backstroke Teach this sculling drill at the same time as Saturday’s Backstroke Scull. Start to think of backstroke as being freestyle on your back; the two pulls are very similar! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3053-freestyle-scull-for-backstroke