**Theme of the Week:**

**What does a healthy, hip-driven freestyle look like?**

Many new swimmers swim instinctively, which means they prioritize AIR over technique. It’s a very human survival instinct. Unfortunately, the instinctual motions that lead to AIR (swimming with just the arms or swimming with a straight-arm pull) can also lead to shoulder injury and wasted energy. This week we aim to show you what a healthy, body-driven freestyle looks like. Adopting this style of freestyle can help protect your shoulders and lead to a more fluid, powerful stroke.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1187-style-sticks>

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2280-freestyle-with-a-stick>

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1233-freestyle-weighted-paddles>

**Monday**

**Better Freestyle Concepts (Connect Hands to Hips)**

What makes some swimmers appear effortless and others look like they’re fighting the water on every stroke? It’s the ability to swim with the entire body rather than with just the arms or legs. Every swimmer can learn a body-driven freestyle. If you’re ready to get started, pick up the new GoSwim app and binge-watch all of this week’s videos.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3032-connect-hands-to-the-hips> 

:20 - set the catch - While slow, very much a catch-up sort of timing

:23 - lead arm is being pulled back by the rotation of the body

:33 - hip starting to rise as the arm starts to fall

:57 - hip rotates out of the way on exit

**Tuesday**

**Free Drills (Freestyle Eval – Timing the Hands and Hips)**

Don’t swim just with the arms! Connect the hands to the hips…the catch to the core.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1924-freestyle-eval-timing-the-hands-and-hips>

:12 - left hip rotating up as the hand falls into the catch

:24 - hand starts to fall into the catch

:25 - catch up timing shows the hips starting to rotate as the recovering hand enters

:26 - the rotation aids in pulling the arm back

:58 - hand and hip weighted UP

1:46 - showing the body and arm connection

2:17 - timing of hand entry with beginning of rotation

**Wednesday**

**Lezak (Connect the Catch to the Core)**

Connecting the catch to the core for a body-driven freestyle is something Jason Lezak thinks about at every practice.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/353-connect-the-catch-to-the-core>

:18 - connected arm - body

:31 - Hand entry - hip up - arm hooked

:38 - hook then hips

:45 - front quadrant / catch-up

1:03 - left side connection

1:10 - big catch up to left arm

1:45 - best of all worlds - under - connected - driven by the legs

4:51 - Underwater recovery

5:03 - use the eyes to see what you’re doing

5:38 - Single-arm with arm at side

6:26 - Fist swimming

6:41 - Fast swimming left hand connection

6:44 - right hand connection

6:47 - left hand timing

6:50 - right hand timing

**Thursday**

**Free Drills (Catch-Up Timing)**

However you like to think of it – catch-up timing, front-quadrant swimming, position-11 freestyle -- a body-driven freestyle can give you an “easier,” more efficient stroke.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1967-freestyle-catch-up-timing>

**Friday**

**James Guy (Freestyle Full Body)**

To achieve a body-driven freestyle, think about swapping one hand for the other out front. Olympian James Guy demonstrates.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2579-freestyle-full-body>

:11 - catch-up timing

:28 - very much catch-up timing

:30 - balance through breath catch-up timing

:50 - patience in extension

:55 - patience in extension

1:13 - freeze frame catch-up

1:38 - a bit faster, arms are a bit further apart

1:47 - freeze frame less catch-up

2:06 - faster still - less catch-up

2:30 - some loping timing - look at that hook!

**Saturday**

**Building a Balanced Breath (Step 3)**

If you have trouble getting a feel for body-driven freestyle, try drilling rather than swimming. Today’s drill is Step 3 in a 6-part series on how to build a more efficient stroke. To see all drills in the series, pick up the new GoSwim app!

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2371-step-3-building-a-balanced-breath>

:22 - balanced breathing position

:53 - focus on extension

1:02 - practice balance in breathing position

**Sunday**

**Erik Vendt (Slo-Motion Freestyle)**

We could watch Olympian Erik Vendt all day long. His freestyle is relaxed, efficient, effortless – and body driven. He swims with his entire body, not just his arms or legs.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/581-slow-mo-freestyle-erik-vendt>

:20 - extended rotation

:21 - slight catch-up timing

:23 - balance extension while breathing

:24 - catch-up timing

:27 - loaded timing

:28 - using the weight of the body fall / rotation to help pull the arm back

1:03 - watch when the head starts it’s rotation

1:07 - just like last week - slight over-rotation of the head so the eyes are UP

1:41 - distance swimmer driving from the kick

**Group Chat**

12:15:55 From William park ChPC To Glenn Mills(privately) : I’m sorry I have to go but this is bloody awesome. All moves from the core. Great to see you guys. Go Blue

12:17:10 From Melinda Wolff To Glenn Mills(privately) : I understand the different types of rotation. I hope you and Mile will get to which type to use when (sprint vs. distance),

12:17:58 From William park ChPC To Glenn Mills(privately) : All moves in sync from hips.

12:18:32 From Brian Fallon : I \*LOVE\* using a stick to teach the “anchoring” of the lead hand & show how the whole body follows that action

12:18:56 From Dan Jimar : How long is the stick, 90% of arm width?

12:19:42 From Mark Hesse : i have always preferred longer than the wingspan

12:20:31 From William park ChPC To Glenn Mills(privately) : Go Maggie M. London Ontario swimmer. My old club.

12:22:37 From Shirley Chung : Does Siobhan Haughey use hip-driven freestyle?

12:30:59 From Melinda Wolff To Glenn Mills(privately) : Can you find the Nathan Adrian race (the 100?) when he used all 3 that we could view?

12:33:53 From Robin McQuinn : Is the alternating Hip / Shoulder drive what makes him ‘gallop’?

12:34:01 From Robin McQuinn : (Lezak)

12:34:17 From Jennifer Koschmann : Do you have a video of someone swimming like that? The body driven finish?

12:34:17 From Glenn Mills : Yes Robin.

12:36:00 From Lindsay Leigh : I’ve heard hip driven related as the “serape effect.” This is a good video explaining it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myillyVFDH8

12:37:40 From Brian Fallon : THANK YOU MIKE!! This was GOLD!! (Pun intended) 🥇

12:41:19 From Melinda Wolff : Is glenn breaking up or is that just on my end?

12:41:29 From Robin McQuinn : It’s breaking up a little

12:41:29 From Amy Brown : his end

12:44:05 From Dan Jimar To Glenn Mills(privately) : Thought I sent this message but might have gotten lost.

 How long was the sick KG used in the video at the beginning of the zoom? 90% of the arm span?

12:46:41 From Robin McQuinn : So the hip drive rotation is glute powered?

12:47:03 From Rob Emary : like the different stroke concept. We talk about using different tools for different races--good one

12:47:11 From Mark Hesse : Reacted to "like the different s..." with 👍

12:47:32 From Mark Hesse : Reacted to "I’ve heard hip drive..." with 👍

12:50:37 From Nancy Schley : Would love a review of what Mike talked about...You explain it so well.

12:51:08 From Jennifer Koschmann : What high level athlete uses body driven free? I see lots of hip and shoulder driven, but not sure what body driven looks like in a race?

12:52:15 From Robin McQuinn : Hip drive = body drive, if I understand it?

12:53:15 From Glenn Mills : Yes Robin

12:53:26 From Glenn Mills : Reacted to "like the different s..." with 👍🏼

12:54:01 From Jennifer Koschmann : phong can you mute please?

12:54:46 From Dan J : https://youtu.be/VO7y41uBdUA?feature=shared

12:55:02 From Dan J : Starts at 2.58

12:55:13 From Melinda Wolff : Dan - what's this?

12:55:27 From Peggy Haykal : Is shoulder driven a straight arm recovery?

12:55:39 From Jennifer Koschmann : Thank you Dan!

12:55:47 From Dan J To Glenn Mills(privately) : 100 free 2012 Olympics

12:55:53 From Barbar Hummel : Peggy, yes.

12:57:10 From Dan J To Glenn Mills(privately) : On tablet so little harder to get the same data/links as on my computer

12:58:22 From Amy Brown : injury prevention sounds great

12:58:31 From Dan J : 100 free from 2012 Olympics race video, race starts at 2.58

12:58:41 From Julie Phillips : YES!

12:58:47 From Rommin Adl : Recovery for masters swimmers

12:59:07 From Rommin Adl : all of the above!

12:59:10 From Melinda Wolff : Energy systems

12:59:11 From Nancy Schley : injury prevention dryland exercises??

12:59:30 From Cindy Dyer : That’s a good one. We had a lot of complains about sore wrists after sculling.

12:59:31 From Shirley Chung : Reacted to "That’s a good one. W..." with 👍

12:59:43 From Peggy Haykal : Stretching

12:59:46 From Amy Brown : prevent lower back issues

12:59:47 From Nancy Schley : a PT would be good too

13:00:04 From Mark Hesse : thanks Glenn

13:00:06 From Julie Phillips : THANK YOU!

13:00:08 From Jackie Roche : Thank you

13:00:16 From Rulai Li : thanks a lot.

13:00:19 From Dan J To Glenn Mills(privately) : Which stroke works best with a bigger kick, stronger kick of the free?

13:00:20 From Corinne Machoud Nivon : Thank you very helpful.

13:00:28 From Amy Brown : thank you so much!

13:00:32 From Melinda Wolff : ie, which energy systems are used for each type of race, and workouts that use these energy systems.

13:00:37 From Luc Cloes : Thank you!

13:00:44 From Melinda Wolff : Thank you, Glenn!

13:00:46 From Nancy Schley : Thanks Glen and Barbar

13:00:51 From Alberto Codrino : Thanks from Italy :-)

13:00:56 From Dan J : Like the energy systems

13:01:04 From Alberto Codrino : Ciao !!!!

13:01:13 From Alma García : Thanks!


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Oct. 3, 2023 - Hip Driven Freestyle with Mike Bottom