Body Balance with Backstroke Arms teaches body awareness, core control, and feel for the water.   The goal is to stay horizontal and to stay in one place, as you coordinate the movement of your arms – alternating between right arm extended, left arm down…and left arm extended, right arm down.

Using a pull buoy to support your hips, position your body face up and oriented over a lane line.  Use backstroke flags or a marking on the ceiling to maintain your orientation.    Once you’re balanced in a horizontal position, extend one arm above your head and hold the other arm at your side.  Hold this position until you feel horizontal and stable.  

While maintaining your position in the water, have the hands trade places.  Lift the arm that’s down  as if you were doing a backstroke arm recovery.  Sweep the extended arm across the surface of the water, until it is at your side.   Notice that as Kristian sweeps the extended arm through the water, the palm is up and he leads with the pinky edge of his hand.   He’s trying to eliminate any propulsion that might be created by the hand.  This is exactly the opposite of what he would try to do when swimming, and it helps him develop an incredible feel for the water.  

By focusing intently on holding his position, Kristian is learning how to establish a stable shape -- or platform – for his swimming.  Mastery involves discovering just how much tension or rigidity must be applied to the torso and legs to hold the shape, while allowing the arms to move in a functional way.  

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Body Balance – Backstroke Arms