**Common Breaststroke Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Mistake #4: Improper Pull**

** The problem:  leading with the elbows
The fix:  Early Vertical Forearm Freeze**

The best fix for a weak pull that leads with or drops the elbows is the Early Vertical Forearm Freeze.   Start in a Position “11” float and have the swimmer be aware that the elbows will be slightly forward of the head or, depending on the swimmer’s physique, slightly forward of the eyes. 

Instruct the swimmer to press the forearms into a vertical position, allowing the elbows to go up and out…but not back.

The Early Vertical Forearm Freeze looks like this:  elbows forward of the shoulders but outside the body line.

…hands in line with shoulders and facing directly back

…forearms at vertical

…with hands forward of the head.

The next step is to start a breaststroke pull from a missile position, press to a “Y” and pause, and then press to an early vertical forearm and freeze.

Have the swimmer self-check. Is she in the correct position? Give feedback.

Next, have the swimmer start in a missile position and go to the “Y” without pausing and go straight to an early vertical forearm freeze.  Give feedback.

Next, go through the pull and freeze at the early vertical forearm position.  Then scull and scoop inward and forward back to an extended glide.

Now have the swimmer go through all the positions without stopping and without breathing.

The last step is to add breathing and see if they can still attain the early vertical position while breathing.


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The problem: leading with the elbows