When he sculls, Kristian does several things really well.  Before we zoom in on his hands, note his overall position in the water.  Head and neck are in neutral, with eyes looking down.  Hips and legs are near the surface, and toes are pointed.  A balanced bodyline is important when you scull, so you might need to use a pull buoy – and even a snorkel -- to achieve a horizontal position.  

Kristian demonstrates exceptional feel for the water when he sculls.  He instinctively knows that each time he recovers the hands, he must position them to create minimum resistance.  Notice how the hands slice through the recovery, with the thumb as the leading edge. 

As he gets ready to deliver the push, Kristian positions the hands to create maximum propulsion.  Notice how the palms are fully connected to the water – from the start to the finish of the push.

Kristian practices his sculling at slow speed to develop awareness and control of the pitch of his hands.  Shape and pitch affect your speed!   If you feel yourself slowing down during the recovery of the hands…or if you aren’t moving forward during the push, experiment with different pitches of the hand and wrist until you can move forward at a steady, but slow, pace.  Focus on pushing water toward the back, rather than out to the sides.

As your skill increases, you can try to increase the speed and effort, but make sure you maintain the same bodyline at high speed, that you have when going slower.  And stay focused on the pitch of your hands.  

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Front Scull, Hands at Sides