This week we share our favorite progression for teaching freestyle from the ground up. We use this for newbie swimmers, as well as for more experienced swimmers who have persistent technique flaws in their stroke.  Before using this progression, we like to first teach the backstroke progression covered in our March 5, 2024 live Zoom.

**Monday**

**Early Concepts & Skills: Inhale Through Mouth Exhale Through Nose**

Before they take a single kick or armstroke, make sure they’ve mastered breath control! It’s truly Step #1.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2971-inhale-through-mouth-exhale-through-nose> 

:14 - start the exhale prior to going under water

:37 - mouth closed above for a slight purge

:37 - inhale through the mouth

:44 - purge the nose (the rabbit)

**Tuesday**

**Freestyle 101: Position-11 Kick on Your Stomach**

Much to be learned here: horizontal body line, head/neck alignment, what happens when you lean in at the lungs.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1743-position-11-kick-on-your-stomach> 

:05 - Position-11 on your stomach

:08 - scull to air

:12 - good to use fins

:19 - scull to air

:19 - scull to air

:21 - look at the hips drop

:22 - go down to the point of “sinkage”

:24 - body will equalize and come back up

:30 - going to air

:31 - out of balance

:34 - better balance

:46 - go down to balance

:50 - body will rise

1:18 - good balance

1:39 - good balance

**Wednesday**

**Freestyle 101: Position-11 Take Away One Arm**

A simple drill that teaches how to get comfortable with rotation, extension, and breathing to both sides.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1744-position-11-take-away-one-arm> 

:04 - Position-11

:05 - drop one arm and roll to your back

:07 - roll all the way to your back

:10 - he’s initiating the roll back with the torso and head

:11 - then the arm is coming around

:20 - roll like a log

:22 - rolls to underwater

:23 - then the body stabilizes

:30 - tension means a “rigid roll”

:34 - arm comes around and with the weight sinks the body

:36 - when balanced, the body rises

:41 - make sure you practice to both sides

**Thursday**

**Freestyle 101: Combination Drill**

This freestyle/backstroke combo drill teaches swimmers to stay relaxed as they rotate to air. It also imprints horizontal bodyline and extension.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1742-combination-drill> 

:02 - Start in single arm - like the previous drill

:03 - look down but stay on your side rather than your stomach

:06 - look up and roll back to your back

:08 - initiate a backstroke recovery and switch to the single arm position on the other side

:11 - then look down again

:30 - backstroke recovery

:37 - eyes down

Step through the rest of the video

**Friday**

**Freestyle 101: Position-11 Single Switch**

One step closer to actual freestyle, and more practice of extension, rotation, bodyline, and timing.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1745-position-11-single-switch> 

:05 - single arm balance

:06 - look down

:08 - freestyle recovery

:09 - position-11

:10 - drop and arm and roll to your back

:36 - make sure you roll toward the extended arm

:42 - balance challenged

:50 - stabilized and starting to come back up

:58 - back to balance while breathing

1:19 - freestyle recovery

1:20 - starting a more immediate switch

1:22 - balanced breathing

1:36 - balanced a deep target breathing

1:38 - equalibrian

**Saturday**

**Freestyle 101: Position-11 Triple Switch**

Inching closer to actual freestyle.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1746-position-11-triple-switch> 

:06 - start in balanced position

:09 - look down

:10 - initiate three switches to position-11

:16 - roll to air

:23 - get to the head down balanced position

:28 - slight pause in position-11

:34 - be patient and get balanced first

:41 - home base

Step through the rest of the video

1:15 - starting to connect and swim

**Sunday**

**Better Freestyle Concepts: Almost Position-11 Freestyle**

This is the graduation step – the transition between drilling and swimming.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3017-almost-position-11-freestyle> 

:04 - starting the pulling arm just as the fingers are coming in

:05 - rolling to air

:08 - hand dropping

:10 - a little too much position-11

:19 - hand dropping to catch

:25 - following the hand to air

:40 - catch up stroke

:46 - catch up stroke

:49 - catch up stroke

1:02 - following the hand to air


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Mar. 19, 2024 - Teaching Freestyle - Part 1