**Forward Starts – How to Get a Clean Entry with the Hands and Torso**

With help from Olympians and some great teams throughout the USA, we look at how to use the ARMS for a powerful forward start and clean entry.

**Monday**

**Start Drill: Forward Dive Sequence Step #2**

A clean entry starts with the basics:  thumb lock and head lock.  Practice in shallow water till you get it!

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1751-starts-forward-dive-sequence-step-2> 

:03 - quick demo

:18 - what we’re trying to avoid

:23 - how to do it :)

:28 - water should be shallow enough to jump, but not too shallow to hit

:37 - start getting the hands together

:38 - lock the head between the arms and see the noodle

:39 - don’t worry too much about the hips

:41 - the feet should follow

:48 - what we’re trying to build the feeling of - single hole

1:02 - hand lock

1:19 - hand lock float

1:38 - walking out just far enough and positioning the noodle

1:48 - jumping over the noodle

2:02 - jumping over the noddle

2:18 - land in streamline and glide forward

**Tuesday**

**Start Drill: St. Andrews Starts**

One of the best drills we know for helping swimmers HOLD STREAMLINE as they enter the water.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2050-starts-st-andrews-starts> 

:05 - short demo

:13 - what we’re trying to achieve

:20 - athletic move

:28 - flat back

:29 - fall with slight push

:30 - clean entry

:32 - very smooth and clean - keep it simple

:39 - add a dynamic movement

:41 - same entry

:47 - same entry - don’t overdo things

:50 - take the feeling to the blocks

:51 - same entry

:51 - single splash

:52 - round hole

:59 - review - flat back

1:07 - review - dynamic flat back

1:10 - clean entry

**Wednesday**

**Start Drill: Eagle Glide**

This simple drill teaches how to maintain a solid body line as you enter the water.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2057-starts-eagle-glide> 

:04 - what we’re after

:13 - recognize the position?

:17 - solid streamline and body position

:24 - the entire body reaches the surface at the same time

:26 - streamline

:29 - bent streamline

:31 - clean line on entry

:32 - 2-splash entry

:33 - look how far and fast he travels

:38 - maintain core stability

:44 - carrying the momentum too deep

:47 - cut off the angle a bit with the feet

1:00 - same start and entry

1:02 - maintain the glide

1:03 - initiate the dolphins

1:06 - back to glide - core

1:10 - put it together

**Thursday**

**Andi Murez: Starts – Flatten Your Back**

Israeli Olympian Andi Murez uses her arms to help propel her from the blocks – and into a clean entry.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2093-starts-flatten-your-back> 

:05 - watch the back

:09 - what we’re after

:15 - typical back position

:24 - flatten the back

:27 - more direct line

:30 - action during takeoff

:42 - rounded to flat

:54 - again - rounded to flat

1:03 - watch the head trajectory

1:04 - driving the head until the arms start the streamline

1:05 - body becomes like a javilin

1:11 - rounded to flat

1:21 - watch the travel after she hits the water

**Friday**

**Jessica Hardy: Super Slow Starts – Reference Video**

Jessica Hardy demos amazing mastery of a clean hand entry on her starts.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1302-super-slow-starts-reference-video> 

:03 - not as much compression of the spine

:05 - watch the trajectory of the head

:08 - body parallel to the surface as the head starts down

:11 - look at that entry!

:12 - but we see the body losing a bit of velocity

:13 - absolutely beautiful toe point

:15.97 - splash one

:16.52 - splash two

:28 - we do less pike today than when Jess was swimming

:49.18 - splash

:50.09 - splash

:55 - clean entry

**Saturday**

**Joao de Lucca: Start – First Move**

Joao uses his arms to propel from the blocks, and has a distinctive way of bringing the arms forward and into streamline for the entry.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2041-start-first-move> 

:10 - using handles

:12 - watch the block on first move

:13.63 - the spray

:18 - back compression

:22 - watch the block

:34 - watch the block

:34 - body parallel to the surface

:35 - one splash

:42 - head comes UP to the line of the body

:42.5 - the arms

:44.4 - round hole

**Sunday**

**Joao de Lucca: Start – Entry**

This is what we mean by entering through one hole in the water.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2052-start-entry> 

:02 - the head lift does NOT cause the body to go UP

:03 - good line

:03 - the feet following through

:08 - pike but

:10 - the feet get drawn into the hole

:18 - watch the surface

:23 - clean through the surface

Bonus

Start Drill: Starts – Avoiding Bubbles

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1463-starts-avoiding-bubbles>

Martin Liivamagi: Start Above Water

Martin Liivamagi uses his arms to propel from the blocks, and has a distinctive way of bringing the arms into streamline for the entry.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1787-martin-liivamagi-start-above-water>


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Jan. 02, 2024 - Forward Starts - Clean Entry