**Learning the Underwater Dolphin**

After watching this season’s championship meets at the collegiate, national, and international level, one thing is clear: Underwater dolphin skills are critical to success. This week we share a step-by-step way to teach, learn, and improve this important skill.

**Monday**

**Learning the Underwater Dolphin – Step 1**

Start slowly (literally) and with the basics: head-lead dolphin on your stomach and back.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1686-learning-the-underwater-dolphin-step-1> 

:12 - down and up of the kick

:26 - head slightly up to control the depth

:34 - practice in all degrees

:44 - the head cantilevers forward as the chest presses in

:45 - as the chest rises - the hips fall

:47 - watch for the subtle chin release on the press

:52 - relax the hands - don’t press

:57 - legs don’t kick - they flow

1:10 - minimum leg bend

1:17 - play with rate - higher rate should mean smaller amplitude

1:21 - roll over on your back

1:29 - keep the head stable

1:31 - thighs just touching the surface

1:41 - add fins and stop kicking - let the tool do the work

1:48 - subtle release of the chin

1:54 - flip over and allow the legs to flow

**Tuesday**

**Steve Haufler Butterfly: Body Dolphinn – Head Lead**

Having trouble teaching or mastering head-lead body dolphin? Teaching guru Steve Haufler has some solutions.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/139-body-dolphin-head-lead> 

:06 - Peer coaching

:19 - make sure the demonstrator is what you want

:25 - immediately after watching - try it

:33 - to teach a stable head - show them a stable head

:45 - butterfly bump - 4” from the side

:54 - press chest forward - the response of the chest forward is hips back

1:02 - keep the head stable and not too much press

1:08 - put on fins to repeat

1:19 - press the chest and try not to bend the knees too much

1:24 - drive the head forward

**Wednesday**

**Learning the Underwater Dolphin – Step 2**

Step 2 in the quest for better underwater dolphins: hand-lead dolphin on your back and stomach.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1687-learning-the-underwater-dolphin-step-2> 

:34 - review step 1

:37 - hands out front

<https://youtu.be/xawfVRP_I_E?t=464>

:47 - locked thumbs

:57 - start on stomach

1:01 - keep the hands stable

1:09 - hands within the body line - watch the metal on the wall - stay narrow

1:15 - knees within the metal

1:21 - on back - same narrow movement

1:27 - sometimes hands get too vertical

1:31 - keep the hands below the surface

1:40 - knees and thighs just touch the surface

1:53 - keep the arms fairly rigid - allow the body to flow

1:58 - try not to brace with the palms

2:02 - keep the fingers piercing the water

2:06 - don’t over kick

2:15 - use a snorkel

**Thursday**

**Learning the Underwater Dolphin – Step 3**

In Step 3, it’s time to practice your dolphins *under* the surface.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1688-learning-the-underwater-dolphin-step-3> 

:23 - ultimately where we want to be

:31 - review

:46 - move all steps underwater

:49 - stable head

:52 - slightly downhill because of buoyancy

1:03 - on your back - nose clips

1:08 - don’t tuck your chin - nose clips

1:12 - lay the head back

1:18 - may have to shorten the distance

1:24 - move to streamline

1:32 - driving the hands forward

1:43 - on your back

1:54 - don’t over kick

2:04 - make the top rigid

2:09 - drive the hands forward

2:15 - angles are next

**Friday**

**Learning the Underwater Dolphin – Step 4**

Step 4 in the process of learning the underwater dolphin is to make it dynamic. Take it underwater and practice it on your back, stomach, and sides.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1689-learning-the-underwater-dolphin-step-4> 

:12 - starting to understand angles

:25 - coming off the wall on your side

:34 - rehearse on your stomach

:41 - or rehearse flat on your back

:48 - push off on stomach

:51 - rotate to your side

:58 - rotate to the other side

1:06 - start on a side and rotate to your back

1:11 - repeat to the other side

1:19 - work more on your side

1:32 - 360 rotation

**Saturday**

**Steve Haufler Butterfly: Underwater Dolphins**

Steve Haufler offers a great review of the teaching progression for underwater dolphins. It’s never too early to start teaching these skills.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/160-underwater-dolphins> 

:27 - starting over with head lead body dolphin

:34 - over the mirrors

:40 - talking about the lungs - pressing

:51 - on back - no head movement

1:01 - hand lead

1:16 - on stomach - move fingers forward

1:23 - keep the feet underwater - no splash

1:33 - on back and both sides

1:44 - review streamline

1:49 - streamline with head between arms (size of head)

2:06 - head in neutral

2:15 - show the movement

2:33 - guide the movement on the back

2:53 - 360

3:01 - side push to flat

3:15 - when fins are on - focus on body movement, not kick

**Sunday**

**Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia: Butterfly Kick on the Stomach**

If you’re having trouble mastering hand-lead body dolphin, try putting on fins and a snorkel, and take these images of Olympian Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia to the pool as you practice.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2346-butterfly-kick-on-the-stomach> 

:08 - stable hands and head

:11 - hands directed forward - hips high

:15 - the pressed image

:22 - position opposite of nature

:26 - maximum bend in the legs

:32 - shallow

:37 - just above and just below the surface

:49 - hands in position 11 which allows some movement

:54 - head in neutral

1:05 - stressed position

1:09 - outward sweep of the kick

1:13 - around kick

**Bonus:**

**Learning the Underwater Dolphin – Step 5**

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1690-turns-learning-the-underwater-dolphin-step-5>

**Davo Denniston**

**Head-Lead Flow**

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/174-head-lead-flow>

**Hand-Lead Flow**

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/175-hand-lead-flow>

**Underwater Flow**

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/176-underwater-flow>

10:03:05 From Katie Kenny to Glenn Mills(Direct Message):

The host can turn off the join/leave sound under participants. The only problem is that you won’t know there’s someone in the waiting room without seeing the notification. One way to handle it is to have someone else act as the co-host so they can pay attention the waiting room visually.

10:06:59 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

What is the name of the podcast ? I want to add it

10:07:15 From Coach Dan Jimar to Everyone:

the third 50

10:17:51 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

She looks sooo cute

10:23:33 From Coach Dan Jimar to Glenn Mills(Direct Message):

I have tried it and went faster but fore arms got much more tired

10:31:14 From Melinda Wolff to Everyone:

Why not noseclips ?

10:32:26 From Melinda Wolff to Everyone:

Only freaks like Lochte can block their nostrils with their lips!

10:33:46 From Melinda Wolff to Everyone:

So in step 3, swimmer is in real streamline and not just thumb lock or 11-1 position?

10:33:51 From Brian Lindsay to Everyone:

I just had a swimmer put a nose clip on and it was almost instant success in getting further and faster off the wall. I had read the nose clip part from an article by Gary Hall Sr.

10:37:10 From Berrin Yavuzer to Everyone:

rotisserie drill

10:39:53 From Melinda Wolff to Everyone:

So at this time, what are the cues for swimmer - ie, lead with hands? or press chest or back, and the hands do what they're going to do? Used to be: keep arms level and press with chest or back. Now, I see the arms "undulating" more.

10:45:51 From Randy Teeters to Everyone:

Almost like a pigeon toe effect on down kick

10:46:44 From Melinda Wolff to Everyone:

can you comment briefly on the single underwater K of the BR pullout for an experienced swimmer.

10:49:18 From John McGowan to Everyone:

Pigeon-toed allows the ankle to be in a "Loose pack position" of the ankle joint which is flexible because the bones have minimal contact with each other. In breaststroke, the ankle is in a "Closed pack position" which is a ridged because the bones have maximal contact

10:50:24 From Linda Daniel to Everyone:

Have to leave early. Thank you

10:51:30 From Melinda Wolff to Everyone:

Could John McGowan explain his chat?

10:54:06 From Melinda Wolff to Everyone:

That's like how you kick a ball - good point, Steve.

10:55:37 From Randy Teeters to Everyone:

This was really pretty to watch:

MA on back slo mo:

<https://www.instagram.com/p/BGwXI08kb2z/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=>

10:56:07 From Randy Teeters to Everyone:

Similar to what John is talking about

10:59:13 From Coach Dan Jimar to Glenn Mills(Direct Message):

Rule for Fly: I thought that at some point there was a rule against sculling/doing what Pankratov did in 1996, but just looked in both the USA Swimming and FINA rulebooks and did not see that, so I guess you can do that!

11:00:14 From Mike Koleber to Everyone:

Randy /Charlie/ Allison /Dylan— speak up

11:01:11 From Melinda Wolff to Glenn Mills(Direct Message):

Thank you - gotta go! Will I see you or your wife at Irvine?

11:01:55 From Mike Koleber to Everyone:

Sorry for lack of connectivity. Share with the group the test sets we’re starting…

11:05:10 From Josh Willer to Everyone:

Charlie!💪

11:09:18 From Melinda Wolff to Everyone:

I think exhaling consistently vs. holding breath has more to do with eliminating the CO2 buildup that makes you feel "anxious" and needing air.

11:10:41 From Colleen Bolan to Everyone:

long but good one :)

11:11:01 From Coach Dan Jimar to Everyone:

cool, like that

11:11:05 From Charlie McCanless to Everyone:

thank you guys!

11:11:08 From Camy Gitwenty to Everyone:

thank you, bye

11:11:09 From Kathy Eaton to Everyone:

Awesome eggbeater!!!

11:11:09 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

That’s awesome topic

11:11:11 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

Thanks everyone

11:11:16 From Randy Teeters to Everyone:

Thanks!

11:11:22 From Corinne Machoud Nivon to Everyone:

Thank you

11:11:24 From makarand k to Everyone:

THANK YOU

11:11:25 From Jackie Roche to Everyone:

Thank you

11:11:29 From Dylan Regan to Everyone:

Thank you 💪🏼

11:11:29 From John McGowan to Everyone:

Thanks another nice meeting.


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March 28, 2023 - Underwater Dolphins Zoom