**Common Breaststroke Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Mistake #5: Timing Mistakes**

**The problem: kicking too early
The fix: Separation Drill**

The most common timing problem in breaststroke is when swimmers start to recover the legs during the propulsive phase of the arm stroke. This causes the legs to act like brakes, creating resistance and loss of speed.

Ideally, the swimmer should have her head and arms in full streamline before delivering the kick.    Timing the kick in this way lets the swimmer take full advantage of the power of the kick.  

Separation Drill is an exaggeration drill.  It can help a swimmer who kicks too early to learn the correct timing.  The drill asks the swimmer to fully separate the pull…from the kick.   Complete the entire pull from streamline to streamline…and THEN complete the kick.  

Start with Separation Drill and then begin to tell the swimmer to kick “just a little sooner.”

Keep saying this until they deliver the kick at the correct moment. Once they feel it, they’ll know it.

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The problem: kicking too early