Just as Brendan connects his hands, head, and hips as he goes to air, he also connects his hands, head, and hips as he returns to streamline.

Here’s Brendan at the highest point in his stroke cycle.  The hands are directly under the chin.

As Brendan’s hands begin to surge forward and slice through the surface of the water, his head seems CONNECTED to the hands.  The hands seem to DRAW the head forward.  

During the surge forward, there’s no up-and-down movement of the head.   It simply moves FORWARD on a direct path with the hands.   

As Brendan continues to surge forward, notice that his hands and head hit FULL STREAMLINE at EXACTLY the same time. 

Here’s another angle.  Watch how the finished head position – with eyes down and head completely inside the shoulders – coincides with the finished hand position. 

And with this angle, you can see how the hands, head, and hips are connected and aligned for a perfect streamline.

Each stroke starts and finishes with the hands, head, and hips in perfect alignment.

In this clip, Brendan is swimming at a relaxed, easy pace.  Look for the connection of hands, head, and hips going up to air… and the connection as he returns to streamline.

At a slightly faster pace, the connection is still there.  He seems to move forward with no stops and starts in his stroke. 

And at race pace… you can still see the connection.  This kind of consistency is no accident.   The key elements that Brendan wants in his stroke at race pace are the things he practices every day at training pace. 

Remember:  Connect your hands, head, and hips to pull yourself forward rather than up and down.


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Connect Hands, Head, and Hips Going to Streamline