Go Swim Starts, Turns & Finishes with Cullen Jones

Important Note to the Viewer

LESSONS: 12 VIDEOS

Breaststroke Breakout from the Blocks

Rule update on the timing of the underwater pullout: SW 7.1 After the start and after each turn, the swimmer may take one arm stroke completely back to the legs during which the swimmer may be submerged. At any time prior to the first Breaststroke kick after the start and after each turn a single butterfly kick is permitted. The head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke. As we look at Cullen’s breaststroke start, pulldown, and breakout, we’ll focus on all the component parts, and how to stay LEGAL as you do them. Every great start begins with a clean entry at the front end. Cullen’s hands are locked into a tight, hand-over-hand streamline as he enters the water. Shoulders are held tight against the head. Feet are together with toes pointed. This tight streamline allows Cullen to maintain his momentum from the dive. Step two is the pulldown. Cullen maintains his tight streamline until the moment he’s ready to separate his hands for the pulldown. The hands separate, anchor, and pull all the way back to the hips. Cullen’s body travels in a straight, direct line during the pulldown. He looks straight down...does not tuck his head...and keeps his feet together. After the pulldown, Cullen shrugs his shoulders slightly and holds everything tight to the body to make himself as “small” and streamlined as possible. The current rule for the breaststroke pullout is that you’re allowed to do one downward dolphin kick, and that the hands must separate before you deliver this single downward kick. Is Cullen legal? Yes. The hands separate as the legs rise slightly to set up for the kick. The legs deliver one downward kick as the hands and arms pull back. The body straightens and stays tight and level. Step three is the recovery, and the goal is to stay SMALL and minimize resistance. To do this, Cullen recovers the arms first...then the legs. Notice how he keeps his hands and arms close to the body. And that he waits until he can almost SEE his hands before he starts to set up his kick. Arms first...then the kick. Minimize drag. Step four is kick into streamline, and again the goal is to minimize drag. Cullen stays small by hiding his feet and ankles behind his thighs. He keeps the kick small to maintain his speed into the breakout. And notice that after the kick his head his still tight between the arms, with eyes look just slightly forward. Step five is the breakout. Cullen looks up slightly as the hands separate and the head leads up to air. To be legal, the head must break the surface before the hands begin the INSWEEP for the first stroke. Is Cullen legal? YES. Before we move on, let’s do a quick review of the basics for a breaststroke breakout. Step one is the entry. Tight streamline. Head locked between arms. Slight downward push with the feet to level out and send everything forward. Step two is the pulldown. The hands separate. Set up the kick. Deliver the downward dolphin as the hands pull back to the hips. Slight shrug of the shoulders to stay compact. Body travels straight. Step three is the recovery. Hands first. Sneak them up the body. See the hands before you set up the kick. Step four is the kick. Keep it tight and hidden. Stay streamlined at the front end. Step five is the breakout. Lead up to air with the head as the hands sweep out. Head breaks the surface before the insweep begins.

Freestyle Breakout from the Blocks

If you want to split 47.65 for your leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay, you need a breakout that looks like this. In this lesson, we’ll go under water and slow things down so you can see the little things Cullen does...that add up to a world-class breakout. The secret to Cullen’s breakout starts at the top -- with his HANDS. In this clip, let’s focus JUST on Cullen’s hands. They’re locked into tight, hand-over-hand streamline as he enters the water...and they STAY locked until he’s ready to start his first, powerful arm stroke. As he takes that first pull, the other hand STAYS in streamline, with fingertips pointed straight ahead. From the side, the hands look like this. Notice how they stay locked together until Cullen takes his first pull...and how the non-pulling hand continues to drive FORWARD, with the fingers pointed straight ahead. Cullen generates a lot of energy with his kick, and sends all of that energy right through his fingertips and into the breakout. In this clip, let’s focus on Cullen’s head and arms. Cullen uses his locked hands to pull his upper arms TIGHT against his head and into super streamline. Cullen’s head is RIGHT between his arms. His eyes are looking DOWN. And the eyes CONTINUE to look down right into the breakout. From the side, watch how Cullen’s head remains stable and constant, right into the breakout. He leads into the breakout with the top of his head, and not with his forehead. This helps him shoot forward, rather than UP, through the surface. Keeping the head steady and low is so important to a good breakout that we’ll watch Cullen again from another angle. Notice Cullen’s eyes, and that his head barely moves from where it was during streamline. He directs all of his energy forward through the fingertips. In this clip, let’s focus on Cullen’s legs and kick. He starts with three to four dolphin kicks, then makes a smooth transition into flutter kick. He uses flutter kick to POWER into his first pull and into the breakout. How many dolphins should you take? Should you take ANY dolphins? This is something every swimmer has to decide, based on how effective you are at underwater dolphins. Cullen likes to start with three or four dolphins, but how many he takes depends on how deep he is in the water. Different starting blocks will give you a different trajectory, so you have to base this on feel...each time you dive in. Before we move on, let’s do a quick review of the basics for a freestyle breakout. • A great breakout starts with a tight streamline. Eyes down. Head locked tight between the arms. • Start with a few quick dolphins and transition immediately into flutter kick. • Maintain a direct line with the extending hand, sending all your energy right through the fingertips. • Don’t look up! • At the exact moment of breakout, the head should be in the same position it would be in if your hands were in streamline. • Don’t breathe until at least your second stroke.

Breakouts from the Blocks

In a swimming race, you are at maximum speed when you hit the water after your start. The key to a fast swim and a gold-medal performance is MAINTAINING that speed into your breakout and first few strokes. Remember: Races are not always won by the person who SWIMS the fastest, but by the person who slows down the least. The key to maintaining momentum is something your coach tells you every day, and that Cullen practices every day: STREAMLINE. Notice how Cullen gets BOTH ENDS of his body into streamline. His hands are in thumb-lock, with one hand on top of the other, and the top thumb wrapped around the bottom hand. And notice how he points his toes and keeps his feet TOGETHER to make his body streamlined from point to point. To work on his streamline from the blocks, Cullen likes to dive in, get into streamline from fingertips to toes, and then do NOTHING but hold streamline until he rises to the surface. If we slow it down, we can see the components of a great streamline. One hand locked on top of the other, eyes looking down, shoulders tight against the head, feet together, and toes pointed. From the side, you can see how Cullen’s tight streamline -- fingers to toes -- helps him MAINTAIN the momentum from his dive. By maintaining momentum, he’s setting himself up for a forward-moving breakout and better speed on his first few strokes. If we slow it down, you can see another way to maintain momentum AND to help direct your energy FORWARD rather than down after the start. Notice that as Cullen’s legs enter the water, he uses a slight downward dolphin motion, which straightens his body and starts sending him FORWARD. Here it is again at full speed. The legs push down JUST as they slip through the water, and this sends Cullen forward into his streamline. Before we move on to the freestyle breakout from a dive, let’s review the basics for all forward entries. • STREAMLINE is the key. • Hands should be in thumb-lock from the moment they enter the water. • Feet should be together with toes pointed. • Maintain streamline and send your energy FORWARD as you enter the water.

Dryland - Sideways Hops

Sideways Hops are an intense workout for the glutes, thighs, and support structure for the knees. Wear appropriate shoes, and set up a low hurdle on a non-slip surface. Start at one end of the hurdle, with feet not quite shoulder width apart. Focus your eyes on the spot where you want to land. Jump up and sideways, landing softly and squarely on both feet. Then crouch and spring immediately into your next sideways jump. These hops are intense, so practice for short distances with great focus on achieving good height...and a soft landing.

Dryland - Broad Jump

Broad Jumps will teach you how to DRIVE yourself off the blocks. Always wear appropriate shoes, and do your jumps on a non-skid surface. Cullen likes to use a marker -- like the edge of a mat -- to mark his starting point. Start from a stable base, with feet shoulder width apart and pointed straight ahead. You should have equal weight on both feet. Focus your eyes on a single spot beyond where you think you will land. Swing the arms forward, back and then FORWARD as you jump. Land as softly as you can, and send your arms and momentum FORWARD.

Dryland - Vertical Hops

Vertical Hops will give you added power and drive off the blocks and off your turns. Make sure you’re wearing appropriate shoes, and using a non-slip mat or jumping pad to cushion your landing. Start from a stable base, with feet shoulder width apart and pointed straight ahead. You should have equal weight on both feet. Focus your eyes on the floor several feet in front of you -- or on your image if using a mirror. Swing the arms back and up, and bring the knees up as high as you can. Always land SOFTLY...and squarely on both feet. Establish your base before you start a new jump.

Dryland - Box Jumps

Box Jumps are a key dryland exercise to build explosive power on your starts and turns. Make sure you’re wearing appropriate shoes and using a jumping platform that’s stable and secure. Start from a stable base, with feet shoulder width apart and pointed straight ahead. You should have equal weight on both feet. Focus your eyes on the top of the platform. Land softly! And land squarely on both feet.

Backstroke Start - Cullen

If you want to get this kind of height and power on your backstroke start... ...Here’s the best place to start -- your feet. You need to get a really good grip on the wall with your feet. As you take your mark, you need to be legal, which means you can have your toes above water, but you can’t curl them OVER the gutter or stand ON the gutter. Cullen is playing it safe here, with both feet under water, but he’s got a really good grip on the wall with his feet. If you’re worried about slipping, you can place one foot higher than the other, like this. Legal also means that both hands are gripping the starting bar (or the edge of the pool), and your eyes are looking at the starting end of the pool. As you take your mark, you also need to be comfortable. You want to compress your body and be ready to explode backwards, but you don’t want to be all scrunched up and look like you’re hanging on for dear life, like this. This is more what you’re after. You want to pull up so that your hips are just under the surface -- almost like you’re SITTING on the water but a little lower than that. Cullen tries to keep his back straight with just a slight curve. He rolls his head forward just a bit because the head is the first thing to move backward when the horn goes off. By rolling the head forward, Cullen feels like his body is coiled and ready to unleash a lot of good energy and momentum. From under water it looks like this. The hips are high and Cullen makes sure he’s got a good grip with his feet. If it feels like your feet are slipping, release the tuck just a bit. At the start, Cullen thinks about sending his energy UP and BACK...and about getting a clean entry through one hole in the water. If we slow it down, you can see that everything starts with the head. Cullen’s head moves first. He throws it up and back and LOOKS back for the water. He throws his hands up and back into streamline. This helps him gain height and helps him arch his back for a clean entry through one hole in the water. The feet follow the arc of the body and then go right into the hole that he made with his hands and head. Here it is again. Cullen throws his head up and back...arms up and back...and feet up and back. He tries to THROW his toes out of the water, just like you’d snap the end of a whip. His feet follow the arc and go into the same hole as the hands. Here it is from under water. Watch for the hands to enter...and for the feet to follow the hands. When you’re first learning the backstroke start, it can be hard to get up and OVER the water with a nice clean arc, so here’s a trick you can use. Try curling your toes over the gutter. Remember: THIS IS NOT LEGAL IN A RACE. You should do this only in the learning stage. But it will help you get the arc. And it’s very close to the kind of foot grip you’ll have in a race, when the touch pads are in place. Here it is a little slower. Watch for all the focus points as we review the backstroke start. Hips high. Body ready but relaxed. Head moves first. Arms go up and back into streamline. Body creates an ARC over the water. Feet SNAP out of the water and follow the hands into the same hole. And from under water it looks like this...as Cullen transitions from the start to the underwater dolphins and into the breakout, which is the subject of our next chapter.

Forward Start - Track Start

Some swimmers prefer the grab start because it makes them feel stable on the blocks...and powerful when they push off with both feet at the front of the blocks. Other swimmers opt for the track start, where one foot is positioned at the front of the block and the other is at the back of the block. A track start may not give you as much power off the blocks, but it lets your body uncoil a little easier, and helps you get into the water faster than a grab start. You need to try both starts -- grab and track -- so you can decide for yourself which is better for you. The first step is to decide which foot goes forward...and which goes back. Some swimmers feel more stable with the right foot forward... ...while others feel better with the left foot forward. It’s totally up to you, but you should try both ways. Whichever way you choose, you need to start with a stable foundation. When you step up to the block, the first thing you should do is hook your toes over the edge of the platform, to get all the leverage you can. Thing about GRIPPING the edge with your toes. Position the back foot with the toes pointed forward, as if you were putting your feet into the blocks at the start of a track race. Many swimmers like to have their back foot angled out to the side, like this, but it’s not good technique. It’s better to have the rear foot pointed forward so that when you begin to push off, you’ll be sending your energy FORWARD. If your rear foot is angled to the side, you’ll introduce a twisting motion when you push off. Point your toes in the direction you want to go: FORWARD. Once you have a solid base with your feet, grab the block with your hands outside the feet and about shoulder width apart. Wrap your fingers around the edge and get a good grip, just like you did with your toes. How good a grip do you need? As good as you can get! When it’s time to “take your mark,” you want to be coiled and ready to go, but you also want to stay a little bit relaxed. You don’t want your shoulders, neck, arms, and legs to be all tensed up. Cullen likes to look straight down, to get a nice straight curve along the spine line and all the way down through his arms. At the start, Cullen likes to get his feet ready... then come down and get set with his head, arms, and hands... then lean back slightly to get coiled and ready to go. He pulls against his hands, and shifts some weight to the back foot. And he’s looking straight down. Here’s another angle where you can see the sequence. Cullen gets set, leans back slightly, and then pulls with his hands to initiate the start. He tries for a clean entry with arms in tight streamline, and hangs on to that streamline as he starts his dolphin kicks. Cullen tries for a nice clean entry, sending his body through one hole, and leaving as small a footprint as possible. Before we move on, let’s review the track-start basics one more time. Grip the block with your toes and fingers. Position the rear foot with toes pointed FORWARD. Look straight down with your eyes. Keep your head, neck, and spine in one continuous line. Get set...then lean back slightly to get ready to go. Explode forward by pulling with the hands. Streamline your entry, with head between your arms. Hold your streamline to maintain momentum.

Grab Start

When you’re ready to work on your start, you have to make some decisions. The first is whether you’re going to do a GRAB START, which looks like this...with both feet over the edge of the block and both hands holding the block... ...or a TRACK START, which looks like this, and which we’ll cover in the next chapter. If you’re a young swimmer or a Master swimmer, the grab start is a great place to start because it can make you feel more stable on the blocks. All starts begin with a solid foundation or “footing.” Get a firm grip on the starting platform by wrapping your toes over the edge. Use every inch of your toes. Feel them GRAB the edge of the block. For the most power, place your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your body nice and relaxed. At this point, you should be focused on your race and on the commands from the starter. As you reach down to grab the block, you have a choice about where to place your hands. If you place them BETWEEN your feet, it’s a little easier to get into streamline as you leave the blocks. If you place your hands OUTSIDE your feet, you may feel more stable and comfortable. There are advantages to both hand positions. Use the one that feels more comfortable and gives you more power and speed. Another choice you need to make is thumbs forward or thumbs back. Try both positions and find the one that makes you feel more comfortable and ready. Make sure you get as strong a grip with your hands as you do with your toes. Stay relaxed, but take advantage of every part of the block...and every part of your fingers and toes . You also have a choice of how to position your head, neck, and eyes. A lot of swimmers like to look straight ahead -- toward the other end of the pool. This may seem like the obvious place to look, but it keeps the rest of your body from “loading” or coiling for a powerful pushoff. One good option is to hold your head in a neutral position, with eyes focused directly down at the water or at the edge of the starting platform. Notice that when Cullen looks down, his arms are slightly bent. This helps him stay relaxed, but it also makes him feel alert and ready to take off. A third option is to tuck the head so that you’re looking BACK through your legs. This creates a bit more tension through your arms, spine, and hamstrings, and helps you prepare for an explosive start. The most important thing is to find a starting position that makes you feel stable and comfortable...but ready to explode off the blocks. You want your body to be symmetrical and balanced. Relaxed but ready to go. Keep experimenting and working with your coach until you find what’s right for YOU. Once your find your best “ready” position, it’s time to dive in. Here’s a grab start at regular speed. If we slow it down, you can see that Cullen starts by THROWING the arms forward to initiate the start. His eyes look forward slightly, then his head tucks into streamline so that his body is narrow and straight when he enters the water. Here’s another angle. Notice that Cullen’s eyes are down at the entry, and his head is tight between his shoulders. A great start is a clean start. You want everything -- your hands, head, shoulders, and feet -- to slip through one hole in the water. Every swimmer leaves a “footprint” when they dive in. You want yours to be clean, precise, circular, and SMALL. Remember: Your goal is a clean, streamlined entry. You want to slip every part of your body through one small hole in the water. Before we move on to the track start, let’s review the grab-start basics one more time. Grip the block with your toes and fingers. Look down or slightly back with your eyes. Keep your head, neck, and spine in one continuous line. Stay balanced and symmetrical. Coil your body to explode, but keep everything relaxed. Explode forward with the hands. Streamline your entry, with head between your arms. Hold your streamline to maintain momentum.

Forward Start 4-Step Learning Progression

The secret to a great forward start is STREAMLINE. For Cullen, that means both ends of the body are shaped like an arrow. He locks the hands. He gets his head right between his arms. He flattens his back...points his toes...and this SHAPE helps him maintain speed and momentum off the blocks. Step 1: The “Sit” Dive  When Cullen teaches the forward start, SAFETY is his main concern, so he always teaches in deep water where there’s no chance of hitting the bottom. He likes to start low and easy -- with something he calls the “Sit” Dive. This works best if your pool has a deck with a gutter and ledge underneath. Start by sitting on the deck and resting your heels on the ledge underneath. Get your arms in a tight streamline and hold onto your streamline as you stand up just a little bit and then dive forward into the water. From the back, notice the tight streamline with Cullen’s arms...and that he tries to keep the legs nice and straight and toes pointed as he dives into the water. Step 2: Fall into the Water - Kneeling Step 2 for learning the forward start is to simply FALL into the water. Start in a kneeling position, with one foot over the edge of the pool. Arms in streamline. Back leg bent directly behind the body. Now all you do is fall in the water. Don’t push off yet. If we slow it down, you can see that Cullen’s hands enter the water BEFORE his feet leave the deck. You want to feel like you’re SLIPPING into the water, rather than hitting with your chest. Remember to keep your head tight between the arms. Once you can slip into the water, aim your hands just a little farther out. You’re still BARELY pushing off -- just aiming farther out. Gradually aim the hands even farther. And, finally, aim the hands a little farther out and now you can add a slight push with your legs. Step 3: Fall into the Water - Standing Step 3 is to fall into the water, but this time you’re standing up. Curl your toes over the edge. Lean over at the waist, with your head, arms, and hands in streamline. Then just fall in. Let’s check...Are Cullen’s feet still on the deck when his hands enter? YES! He can actually SEE his feet as they leave the wall. And notice that he’s keeping everything flat -- from his hands through the shoulders and all along his back. Now aim the hands a little farther out. Still keeping the back nice and flat. Now aim a little farther, and add a slight push from the legs. And with the same streamline but a little more push. From the back, notice that Cullen enters the water with no splash...just a nice clean entry with the hands and feet. Step 4: Fall into the Water - from the Blocks Step 4 is to fall into the water from the blocks. When you step to the block, Job 1 is to plant your feet. Place them shoulder-width apart for a stable base. And curl your toes over the edge to get a really good grip. Get your arms ready EXACTLY like you did in the previous steps. Bend at the knees and the waist, and simply fall into the water, keeping your head tight between your arms. If we slow it down, you can see that the feet won’t QUITE be on the blocks when the hands touch the water. But notice that Cullen’s back is still straight. It’s really important to hold everything in a good streamline. Try it again, but this time aim the hands farther out and add a slight push with the legs. And finally...add a little more push. Aim a little farther out. Once you can do this, you’re ready to learn the Grab Start and the Track Start.

How to Get the Most from this Video

This video features Olympic Gold Medalist Cullen Jones. You’ll get to see how Cullen swims.... ...But the real focus is on Cullen’s powerful starts... ...his lightning-fast turns... ...and his gold-medal finishes. Cullen knows that races are not always won by the person who SWIMS the fastest, but by the person who has the fastest starts, turns, and finishes. Why is that? Because in a swimming race, you’re at maximum speed when you hit the water after your start. The next fastest you’ll be is when you push off the wall after each turn. When you get better at these two parts of your race -- the starts and turns -- you’ll carry more speed into every length that you swim. If you can MAINTAIN that speed... ...and carry it all the way to the finish...your times will improve, and you have the best chance to win your races. How does Cullen get this fast? He never does a sloppy dive. And he never goes easy or floats through a turn, even at practice. He moves quickly and sharply, staying focused and intense. And he practices step by step. In this video, Cullen shares his step-by-step learning sequence for the forward start... ...and for the backstroke start. He demonstrates his learning sequence for the freestyle flip turn... ...the backstroke flip turn... ...and for the open turn used in breaststroke and butterfly. Cullen also shares his technique for finishing a race -- his secret for shaving hundredths of a second off his time at the finish. Even if you already know how to do these things, we recommend that you go through each learning sequence, from the beginning. This will help you learn the specific focus points for great starts and turns. You can then use each focus point without interrupting your regular training. Cullen thinks about every start and every wall as an OPPORTUNITY for speed. Let’s watch how he develops his world-class technique -- step by step.