What do you do when Coach assigns a long freestyle set but doesn’t give a focus or technique point?   Don’t just swim!  There are literally dozens of things you can secretly work on and only YOU will know.  Here are 7 of our favorite ideas.

**Monday**

**Freestyle Drill: One Goggle Breath**

The ability to breathe with one goggle still in the water is the mark of a balanced bodyline.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2079-freestyle-one-goggle>

**Tuesday**

**Freestyle Drill: High Hips**

Swimming with high hips means less resistance.  There are many ways to achieve high hips, and there’s no better way to try them all than with a long freestyle set.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1066-freestyle-high-hips>

**Wednesday**

**Freestyle - UP Kick**

Switch your thinking around on your flutter kick. Reverse your instinct to thinking about your UP kick, not what everyone else thinks about.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2065-freestyle-up-kick-2>

**Thursday**

**Freestyle Drill: Sliced Hand Exit**

Think about exiting pinky first with the hands and feel what this does to your stroke.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1497-freestyle-sliced-hand-exit>

**Friday**

**Freestyle Drill: Breakout Breath Variations**

Here’s how to do just a little bit extra on your breakouts.  Experimentation can be done on any freestyle set.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1675-freestyle-breakout-breath-variations>

**Saturday**

**Freestyle Drill:  Head Play**

Head down.  Head up.  Head at 30 degrees.  Which is best?  There’s no better time to experiment than in a long freestyle set.  Here’s how.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1039-freestyle-head-play>

**Sunday**

**Joao de Lucca: Freestyle Extension**

We like this freestyle focus point:  extending fully on each stroke, right out through the fingertips.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2053-freestyle-extension>

Chicago River Swimming Experience

Glenn shared his experience swimming in the Chicago River, where he was one of the first people to do so in 100 years. He was impressed with the water quality and plans to participate in next year's 2-mile swim. Glenn also discussed his recent swimming training and competition, where he placed 6th in the wetsuit division. He mentioned enjoying swimming more than he expected and will resume regular swimming workouts after a two-week break.

Single-Goggle Breathing Swimming Technique

Glenn discussed the technique of single-goggle breathing in swimming, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a flat head position and ensuring only one goggle is visible above the water. He explained that while advanced swimmers like Adam Ritter demonstrate exceptional form with significant body elevation, coaches should focus on the underwater dynamics and overall balance rather than just surface appearances. Glenn stressed that even top swimmers have areas for improvement, and coaches should use these insights to help less experienced swimmers enhance their technique.

Improving Adam's Swimming Technique

Glenn and Monty discussed a swimming technique issue, focusing on Adam's stroke and whether the problem could be related to his loping stroke or body position. Glenn acknowledged that he was using this as a teaching moment without having the full context, but suggested that Adam might benefit from staying more pressed down and rotating his head further to improve his technique. He also mentioned historical examples of successful swimmers who maintained better body line despite not using single-goggle breathing.

Freestyle Swimming Hip Engagement

Glenn discussed the importance of maintaining proper hip engagement with the water surface in freestyle swimming, emphasizing that the hips should react to front-end actions rather than being pushed up. He shared insights from Matt Target, a sprinter who focused 100% on the upkick, highlighting that while the downkick is natural, the upkick requires conscious effort and attention. Glenn also noted that modern cameras could provide better visualization of the upkick technique, as demonstrated by Andy Muirez in a video.

Olympic Sprinter Upkick Technique

Glenn explained the mechanics of the upkick technique used by Olympic sprinters, emphasizing that it is a learned trait rather than instinctual. He described a progression exercise involving a board and snorkel to increase resistance and focus on the upkick, starting with heavy kicks and gradually increasing speed while minimizing bubbles. Glenn also discussed the importance of finishing the pull by flipping the hands out of the water, explaining the physics behind why this technique is more effective than the traditional method of pushing the water back.

Freestyle Hand Slicing Technique

Glenn discussed the technique of slicing the hand at the last possible moment during the freestyle stroke, emphasizing a relaxed recovery and quick hand return for the next stroke. He explained that swimmers should focus on turning the hand at the point where the thumb hits the thigh and highlighted the importance of a smooth, controlled exit to avoid unnecessary water movement. Glenn also addressed questions about stroke length and tempo, noting that while the front of the stroke should remain long, the back can be shortened to increase speed without adding power, and suggested using this technique for quick gear changes in races.

Freestyle Swimming Technique Variations

Glenn discussed freestyle swimming techniques, focusing on breakout breath variations and the importance of maintaining velocity. He emphasized the challenge of regaining breath after a stroke and encouraged swimmers to practice different breathing techniques, including double and triple breaths, while maintaining good off-wall performance. Glenn also highlighted the need for varying head positions in practice to improve lane etiquette and prepare for open water swimming. He concluded by sharing a video of Joao DeLuca, a Brazilian swimmer known for his beautiful technique, as an example of ideal swimming form.

Freestyle Swimming Techniques Discussion

The group discussed freestyle swimming techniques, focusing on breathing patterns, straight leg kicks, and arm recovery methods. Mike shared insights from Sun Yang's breathing techniques and emphasized the importance of individualized approaches based on each swimmer's unique physiology. The discussion also touched on the benefits of synchronized swimming for stroke development and the potential for incorporating weighted swimming exercises in future sessions. The conversation ended with plans to explore group drills and swimming with weights in the next session.


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Sept. 30, 2025 - What to think about while Swimming Freestyle