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Browse through our thousands of Lessons to gain a deeper understanding of swimming. Use our search bar located above or, if you're new to the site, use the Guided View to help narrow down the Lessons presented to you. If you use the Guided View, you’ll also be able to add your Expertise Level as an additional filter.

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Nov 11, 2025 - Slower Before Faster

“The faster you want to get to the other end, the less likely you are to achieve your goal.” This comment from Glenn on a recent GoSwim Zoom got us thinking. Come join us this week as we look at some of the SLOWEST ways to get to the other end that will give you some of the BIGGEST gains in your swimming. Monday Free Drill: Building the Stroke This single-length progression teaches many facets of a great freestyle. Thank you to the Greater Philadelphia Aquatic Club for the drill! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1980-freestyle-building-the-stroke Tuesday Free Drill: Building Core Balance We love this single-length progression for teaching balanced bodyline and core control. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2213-freestyle-building-core-balance Wednesday Free Drill: Relax and Feel Take off your goggles, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and swim – feeling how the water feels against your skin. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1906-freestyle-relax-and-feel Thursday Free Drill: Resistance Catch Training Here’s some fun you can have with a stretch cord and a Tempo Trainer – and you’ll might NEVER get to the other end! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1149-freestyle-resistance-catch-training Friday Bruno Fratus: Dog Dig Here’s the super-slow drill used by one of the world’s fastest freestylers to find his speed. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2430-dog-dig Saturday Bruno Fratus: Dive Glide In a hurry to get to the other end? Start with this start drill. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2215-preview-dive-glide Sunday All Strokes: Strapless Paddles Sculling, especially with strapless paddles, employs slow, precise repetition to build the foundations of speed. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/969-all-strokes-strapless-sculling BONUS Kim Vandenberg: Sculling https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1524-all-strokes-sculling-variation

Nov 18, 2025 - Teaching Back and Free Together

Teaching Backstroke and Freestyle Together Where to look. How to hold the head. How to initiate the catch. Join us this week as we explore the similarities between back and free, and how teaching both strokes together can enhance learning and help swimmers “get it.” Monday Better Backstroke Concepts: Where to Look – Backstroke To get the hips riding high and to avoid getting water up the nose, try lying back with the eyes looking up and slightly back – as if looking at the ceiling or sky above where your feet are. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3046-where-to-look Tuesday Freestyle Drill: Freestyle – Head Position Great head position in freestyle has just a bit of the back of the head showing above the surface, with the eyes looking just a bit ahead of you. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1918-freestyle-head-position Wednesday Better Backstroke Concepts: Cup on Forehead – Backstroke World’s best drill for developing a steady, stable head in backstroke – and for helping swimmers find the ideal positioning of head, neck and eyes. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3047-cup-on-forehead Thursday Haufler Freestyle: Advanced Freestyle 8: Correct Head Position While Breathing Avoiding excess head movement is just as important in freestyle as in backstroke. Teaching guru Steve Haufler uses a Styrofoam head and a pencil to create a memorable teaching visual. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1805-advanced-freestyle-swim-lesson-8-correct-head-position-while-breathing Friday Better Backstroke Concepts: Kick on Back with Goggles Under Water This drill takes core control, and takes the skill of a steady head to a new level. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3048-kick-on-back-with-goggles-underwater Saturday Better Backstroke Concepts: Backstroke Scull This drill helps swimmers isolate the small, simple movement of the hand and forearm that initiates the backstroke catch. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3049-backstroke-scull Sunday Better Backstroke Concepts: Freestyle Scull for Backstroke Teach this sculling drill at the same time as Saturday’s Backstroke Scull. Start to think of backstroke as being freestyle on your back; the two pulls are very similar! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3053-freestyle-scull-for-backstroke

Freestyle - Sculling Hand

After you watch the video, take a short quiz. Today we're going to work on a problem and freestyle, which is an out sweep of the lead hand during extension. Typically, this happens for a couple reasons one is imbalanced to is looking or seeking more resistance, feeling like you're going to pull more water. But the balance issue is typically when someone breathes to one side, they're going to sweep that hand out to the other side for stabilization. So we're going to look at what the issue is, and then we're going to look for a couple solutions to help fix that. So first, I will illustrate the incorrect. And you can consider this a contrast drill. In that I'm going to purposely sweep the left hand out quite a bit when I breathe to the right. And so you'll see kind of the stabilization impact of the hand. And what happens with the hand when the body is not balanced. The next step is to get a feeling of what it's supposed to be like to have the hand path path be straight. So you're going to think about the fingers, almost dropping them into the flow of the water and having the water press the hand back. So you're thinking about a very linear path of the hand, the fingertips drop ever so slightly, so they almost feel like they're falling in the water, rather than that supportive mechanism that you've built with the feeling of the out sweep. So the fingertips slightly down, again, feeling like you're falling into the water, rather than that bracing. Now I'm doing this with a no breather, you can do this for a few strokes, no breather, or if you have a snorkel, you can practice it a little bit more. But again, no out sweep on the fingers whatsoever, but they dropped slightly into the water flow and then just pull back. The next step is a contrast drill in which every other stroke you can sweep out and then have the hand go straight back, you want to see as much difference between these two movements as possible, showing what is incorrect, which is the out sweep, and what is more correct, which is a straight down or a linear path of the hands. So alternate them as best as you can, again, I'm doing no breather, you can use a snorkel or just go for a shorter distance. And the final pure swimming version of this is that you're now going to read every fourth, you're going to alternate the nonbreeding with the breathing, and you're really focusing on the way the hands are moving during the non breathing part. So focus on how the left hand falls directly down into the flow and then mimic that when you go to air. This is going to have a feeling of falling or slipping like you're not connecting with the water. That's mainly because you've already built this feeling of support. And so that that out sweep of the hand braces, it actually slows your rotation a little bit, it pushes you up a little bit. And so it's this feeling that you've built in that you feel is right, because it feels you have connection. The problem is is that there's a lot of detrimental things that go with it. So memorize the fingers down falling, and then carry that into the breathing. And finally, one last idea is to use a pair of big or oversized hand pads. And these make it harder to move the hand from side to side because of the surface area. So the larger the hand paddles, the more direct they're going to be pushed through the water. So make sure you're doing this with an ease of swim rather than trying to go really fast. So let the hands fall in, let them fall straight back and use the size of the paddle to keep the hand as directly as possible. Here's just a couple of different ideas that can help make sure that we're not sweeping out too far with a bracing hand or sculling at the beginning of freestyle. So good luck. Let us know how it works.

August 19, 2025 - How to Improve Freestyle Distance per Cycle - Part 2

How to Improve Freestyle Distance Per Cycle – Part 2 To improve your Distance Per Cycle (DPC), you have choices. You can pull harder, kick harder, and expend more energy. Or…you can find clever ways to move through the water with less resistance. This week we explore EVEN MORE ways to reduce drag increase your efficiency and DPC. Monday James Guy: Freestyle Full Body UK Olympian James Guy demonstrates multiple ways to move through the water with less resistance: low head, high hips, full extension, steady head, horizontal bodyline. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2579-freestyle-full-body Tuesday Free Drill: High Hips Diving a little deeper into how to swim with high hips, one of the key ways to improve DPC. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1066-freestyle-high-hips Wednesday Building a Balanced Breath: Step 1 Here’s one of the best drills we know for teaching how to slip through water with less effort. Steady head, stable and straight arm on extension are key. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2369-step-1-building-a-balanced-breath Thursday Free Drill: Sculling Hand Glenn demonstrates a contrast drill for teaching awareness and control of what the hands are doing on extension. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3268-freestyle-sculling-hand Friday Freestyle Drill: Building a Longer Stroke One way to improve DPC is to use a FINIS Tempo Trainer, gradually increasing the time between “beeps” and hand hits. If you don’t have a Tempo Trainer, counting strokes can help achieve the same goal. You can simply “slow down your internal metronome.” https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1710-freestyle-building-a-longer-stroke Saturday Free Drill: Timing the Hands and Hips Pulling harder or kicking harder can improve DPC, but at a high cost. Learn how to connect the hands and the hips through the core, allowing you to move through the water with more ease and efficiency. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1924-freestyle-eval-timing-the-hands-and-hips Sunday Free Drill: Reduced Stroke 100s Here’s one of our favorite sets for building awareness of all the tools you can use to reduce stroke count. Yes, you can take more dolphins off each wall. You can kick harder, pull harder, work harder. But this short set will make you aware of other tools: extension, head position, connection of hand and hip. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1881-freestyle-reduced-stroke-100s ----------------------------------- Freestyle Swimming Technique Optimization Glenn discusses how to increase distance per cycle in freestyle swimming by maintaining momentum during recovery and ensuring proper body positioning. He highlights James's technique, noting how his lead hand stays parallel to the water surface during breathing, his early head rotation that begins during the catch position, and his minimal time spent with his head off-center. Glenn also explains the importance of timing, particularly the "same side connection" where the left foot kicks as the left hand catches, and the "crossbody connection" where the right leg comes down as the left hand enters, creating an efficient swimming machine with purposeful movements. Efficient Swimming Technique Fundamentals Glenn discusses the importance of efficiency and balance in swimming technique, highlighting how Olympic swimmers maintain a clean line through the water. He focuses on head position during breathing, noting that the head should rotate rather than pivot, and return to center before the hand enters the water. Glenn also emphasizes the value of letting the legs float after completing a kick to conserve energy, especially important for triathletes. He compares the relaxed yet purposeful hand position of elite swimmers to Michelangelo's painting in the Sistine Chapel, appreciating the beauty in the soft, rippling fingers that maintain purpose without force. Swimming Technique Analysis at Different Speeds Glenn analyzes a swimmer's technique, pointing out how the swimmer maintains proper form with an early catch and good body rotation when swimming slowly, but adjusts his technique at higher speeds. He explains that as tempo increases, the hands get further apart while maintaining the same basic actions, and contrary to what might be expected, the head position actually gets lower in the water at higher speeds because water flows past more quickly. Glenn emphasizes the importance of mastering fundamentals like balance, rotation, and length before adding power, noting how the swimmer demonstrates a "loping action" and becomes completely submerged underwater during freestyle at faster speeds. Swimming Technique and Video Analysis Glenn explains how separating fingers slightly while swimming creates turbulence between them, increasing the effective surface area and allowing for better propulsion through the water. He notes that while hands start relaxed, they typically tighten during intense swimming. Glenn then discusses a video showing a normal swimmer's body position, emphasizing the importance of hip positioning. He mentions that he has started adding short quizzes to his daily swimming videos, which are receiving about 50 responses per day. Freestyle Swimming Body Position Technique Glenn discusses the importance of proper body position in freestyle swimming, emphasizing that swimmers should keep their hips at the surface of the water without arching or pushing their butt up artificially. He explains a five-step process for teaching freestyle, with step one being learning the correct starting position where the hand is directly forward and parallel to the water surface, the body is rotated, and the head is in a neutral position. Glenn emphasizes that coaches should praise swimmers when they execute what's being asked of them, even if other aspects of their technique still need improvement. Efficient Swimming Breathing Technique Glenn discusses techniques to increase distance per cycle in swimming by eliminating purposeful balance during breathing. He explains that swimmers often develop an out-sweep habit where they extend their arm to the side when breathing, seeking support and power. Glenn demonstrates a corrective drill where the hand goes directly down without extension or gliding, helping swimmers unlearn the bracing habit. He emphasizes working with water momentum rather than forcing power, showing contrast drills where swimmers alternate between the incorrect out-sweep and the preferred straight-down motion. Glenn notes that proper head position is crucial, with the head returning to center before the hand enters the water. Tempo Adjustment for Swimming Technique Glenn explains the concept of gradually changing a swimmer's tempo over time to improve their technique. He recommends finding a swimmer's natural tempo, then slowing it down by 2/100ths of a second each week while maintaining the same speed, which teaches skills that last a lifetime. Alex shares his developmental progression plan for teaching distance per cycle to age group swimmers, emphasizing that it takes a 27-week structured approach to properly develop this skill. Both coaches stress the importance of patience and long-term planning when teaching fundamental swimming techniques.

Freestyle Full Body

After you watch the video, take a short quiz. When we look at all the parts of James’s stroke, from fingertips to toes, several things stand out. His head is low – you can see almost all of it under the surface – and his hips are high. As a result (head low, hips high), he maintains a clean, horizontal bodyline. From above the surface, you can see just a tiny bit of James’s cap during the breath, but then it slides beneath the surface during the rest of the stroke. The hips are visible as he rotates cleanly through the water. But what REALLY catches our eye is how James drives his hand into full extension…on every single stroke. This extension is the defining aspect of James’s freestyle, and it makes everything else fall into place. It causes his body to rotate, it helps him achieve a horizontal body line. It lets him move forward with minimal effort from the kick and pull. At slow speed, James has almost a catch-up stroke. If we freeze it here…you can see that the lead arm is still almost fully extended as the recovering hand enters the water. From overhead, you can really see the catch-up nature of his stroke at slow speed. He swaps one hand for the other, maintaining maximum extension. When James picks up the pace, the legs become more active and he lets go, just a bit, of his catch-up timing. If we freeze it here…you can see that the lead arm has dropped into the catch as the recovering hand enters the water. But notice that he is STILL focused intently on driving his fingertips forward and maintaining his bodyline. At top speed, the legs are fully engaged, and James has moved away from catch-up timing. We can see that here… his pulling arm has connected and is well into the pull when the recovering hand enters the water. We can also see it in this overhead view. BUT…even as he approaches full speed, James still reaches FULL extension on every stroke. He remains laser-focused and true to this ONE technique point. He knows that, by reaching full extension…even if just for a moment…on every stroke…all the other aspects of a fast freestyle fall into place. His head will be low and stable. His breath will be low. His hips will ride high. His body line will be horizontal. He’s basically “getting out of his own way” and allowing his kick and pull to give maximum propulsion. And in this overhead shot, let’s notice one more thing: the way his hands stay relaxed as they search for clean water and a solid catch.

Freestyle-Breaststroke - Give Me One!

After you watch the video, take a short quiz. This week's theme is the freestyle line. And there's a specific exercise that we do in here to work on that. And it's called Give me one, basically, what we do is we turn the water on, and the athlete is allowed to come up and take one stroke. And the goal is to stay in the same spot for as long as possible. So what you have to do is you have to rotate to your side, extend the arm, you're not allowed to kick, you're just supposed to hold that line until the water starts to push you back. Once you've done that enough, and you've done it to both sides, and you've had some good experience with it, then we graduate to give me two, which is basically right before you start to get pushed back, you take a second stroke, and you switch to the other side, we graduate that again, give me four into the point where there's no stopping of the line of the recovery happens immediately. And the swimmer continues to swim focusing on the line. Now usually this is done only to about eight to 10 strokes to really maximize the line. It's a slow stroke rate, really trying to get to your side and experience how to not create resistance. And so if you're doing this in a normal pool, sometimes it's good to do with a snorkel so that you can practice it more and more. And so you're just really, really, really trying to hold that line. And you know to experience as best line as possible, or the best line that you can get. And then carry that into your freestyle swimming. Now we'll also do this for breaststroke. So it's the same setup. And so I'll do that again for breaststroke as well. In that, the line and breaststroke and freestyle are so incredibly important that you want to make sure that you're doing it right. So let's give it a shot. So that's it, you're basically trying to strain the line strain technique, stress it so that you're trying to move, but you're limiting stroke rate so much to the point that you have to be very exacting on the line. Again, when you get back into regular swimming. Hopefully, you've practiced this enough that you carry some of that in with you and your stroke is better

Freestyle - Balance Progression

After you watch the video, take a short quiz. Because it’s so important, we’re going to revisit core stability in freestyle again. Why do it: Making sure your body is in near-perfect alignment while swimming freestyle means that the movements you make with your arms and legs have a better chance of being productive for moving you forward. How to do it: 1 - This is a quick progression you can do during a freestyle set. Start with the pull buoy between the thighs like normal. 2 - Next, lower the pull buoy to between the knees, keeping the toes pointed and legs held tightly together. 3 - Move the pull buoy to between your feet. Maintain a stable body line through this part, and don’t allow the hips to fall. 4 - Swim with STRAIGHT LEGS, no kicking or as little as possible. Focus on the entire body, from the shoulders, torso, hips and legs, all rotating together. 5 - Start to add a small kick and swim. How to do it really well (the fine points) You’re really thinking about your stomach and hips through this exercise. When you’re drilling, and when you get to swimming, you should feel the hips engaged, or touching the surface on each rotation.

Freestyle - Reach Full Extension

After watching the video, take a quick quiz! Learning to reach your goals, starts with learning to reach in the pool. Why do it: Reaching full extension in freestyle is a necessary foundation for swimmers at every level. Learning to create a slippery line to glide through the water, which requires balance, and a sense of flying, will allow you the ability to make decisions later on efficiency or speed. How to do it: 1 - Swim slow, smooth freestyle, focusing the attention on extending the fingers as far out front as possible. 2 - Focus ONLY on extending the hand as far forward as possible, and not on the pull, finish, or recovery of the stroke. 3 - Feel what part of the hand has the most pressure on it. It should be the relaxed fingers out front, not the palm. How to do it really well (the fine points): If you're true to the goal of extension, other parts of your stroke will fall into line. By trying to push the hand forward with a bit of intensity, you'll create a better, more direct pull. Focusing on the pull can lead you to shorten the extension, and start you down a path of instinctual reaction to moving through the water. When the focus is only on extension, there are other aspects of the stroke that start to come together. Better balance will help you drive the hand forward in a more direct line. You'll also connect the arm to the body rotation, which will ultimately give you a more powerful pull. Youthful exuberance leads swimmers to focus on fast turnover and the pull. Age and wisdom know that it's better to start with the understanding of a full stroke as early in the learning process as possible, then make adjustments as the swimmer grows older.

Apr. 29, 2025 - Adult - Teaching Progression for Freestyle

Adult Learn to Swim: Teaching Progression for Freestyle Join us this week as we share one of our favorite progressions for taking beginning swimmers from the floating stage to full-fledged freestyle with cheek-in-the water rotary breathing. It starts with kicking on the back! Monday Freestyle 101: Head-Lead Kick on Your Back This simple drill teaches many important concepts: body alignment, balance, proper kick, relaxation, and trust that the water will support you with just a small amount of effort. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1378-head-lead-kick-on-your-back Tuesday Freestyle 101: Head-Lead Kick on Your Back – Side to Side The easiest way to get adults comfortable with rotating side to side is to start on the back. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1384-head-lead-kick-on-your-back-side-to-side Wednesday Freestyle 101: Extended Balance, Nose Up/Nose Down A simple drill that teaches many freestyle concepts: balance, length, rotation, rhythmic breathing. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1741-extended-balance-nose-up-nose-down Thursday Freestyle 101: Position 11 – Kick on Your Stomach This simple drill teaches where to look and how to press in at the sternum to maintain horizontal body line. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1743-position-11-kick-on-your-stomach Friday Freestyle 101: Single Switch Single Switch is the first big step toward actual freestyle. It slows things down so you can teach key technique points for good freestyle…things like extension, rotation, and timing. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1745-position-11-single-switch Saturday Freestyle 101: Triple Switch Inching closer to actual freestyle. Don’t let old habits re-emerge! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1746-position-11-triple-switch Sunday Freestyle 101: Position-11 Freestyle Here’s the drill that lets you help swimmers make a smooth transition from drilling to swimming, without letting old habits re-emerge. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1747-position-11-freestyle

April 22, 2025 - What Should I Learn at Swim Camp?

Northwestern Swim Camps Peak Performance Swim Camps Jesse Moore Recruiting 100% Streamline https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3646-100-streamline Backstroke Underwater Travel Sequence https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3650-backstroke-underwater-travel-sequence Breaststroke Underwater Travel Sequence https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3655-breaststroke-underwater-travel-sequence Butterfly Underwater Travel Sequence https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3659-butterfly-underwater-travel-sequence Freestyle Underwater Travel Sequence https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3662-freestyle-underwater-travel-sequence Monday All-Strokes - Simple Streamline Sure, how much more basic can you get. But year after year, day one of swim camp has many swimmers showing poor consistency with their streamlines. Time spend really honing this is will be well worth the time. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1387-all-strokes-simple-streamline Tuesday Balance - Kara Lynn There are many ways to work on balance, and it’s one of the most important aspects of competitive swimming. All camps should be pointing out and instructing to their swimmers how vital bodyline is for our sport. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/656-balance Wednesday David Curtiss Head Position While this focuses on freestyle, camps should take specific time working on the proper head position for all four strokes. We all have to remember, during training with many other swimmers… their eyes may be doing things like looking all around, which will adversely impact head position. The swimmers need to be aware of what they’re doing. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3426-david-curtiss-head-position Thursday EVF dog paddle Understanding how the arms are supposed to connect with the water is typically very counter-intuitive. Showing and practicing these movements slowly and specifically can open up the swimmers minds to a more correct way of propelling themselves through the water. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3020-evf-dog-paddle Friday Starts - Pointed Toes Teaching how the WHOLE body is used in our sport can start with the start. While many athletes only focus on the streamline arms, it’s good to take some time to focus on the end… pointing the toes… which is pretty important with all aspects of swimming. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2186-starts-pointed-toes Saturday Conveyor Belt Many problems that are developed in practice are simply because swimmers don’t know how to get out of each other’s way. Teaching the importance of lane etiquette in simple and fun ways can help develop a well organized practice that keeps eyes in the right positions. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2166-conveyor-belt Sunday Using the GoSwim App to Teach What age do you start teaching stroke rate, distance per cycle, breakout point, etc… Why not start YOUNG! Like learning a new language, if the youngest swimmers understand basic swim DATA, in a few years, they’ll be as knowledgeable about what they’re doing as anyone else. We make it clear at camp why understanding our sport is important. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3577-using-the-goswim-app-to-teach Swimming Techniques and Data Collection Glenn starts the meeting by welcoming participants and addressing technical issues. He introduces Nick Baker as a guest speaker and mentions that they will be discussing swimming techniques, particularly focusing on backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle underwater travel sequences. Glenn also shares that they recently collected data on 3,000 races of 10 to 14-year-olds at the Indiana Age Group championships. The meeting is about to begin formally, with Glenn preparing to mute everyone and start the recording. Peak Performance Camps: Holistic Swimming Approach Glenn introduces Nick, the founder of Peak Performance camps, which have been running for nearly 30 years and have impacted over 20,000 swimmers from 45 countries. Nick explains that he started the camp business due to his passion for teaching and motivating swimmers, focusing on a holistic approach that addresses mental, technical, and physical aspects of swimming. Both Glenn and Nick emphasize the importance of supporting home coaches and giving attention to all swimmers, particularly those who may not typically receive it, as they are the mainstay of the swimming business. Streamlining Underwater Work for Faster Swimming Rick discusses the importance of streamlining and underwater work in swimming. He emphasizes that the purpose of underwater travel is to go faster than surface swimming, not just to avoid swimming. Rick notes that many swimmers, even globally, don't understand this concept and simply try to minimize swimming. Glenn supports this with data, showing that elite swimmers like Caleb Dressel achieve higher velocities underwater than on the surface. Both agree that coaches need to emphasize the importance of underwater work more, with Rick suggesting that swimmers often don't believe or internalize this message. They stress the need for repetition and correction in teaching these skills. Underwater Swimming Techniques for Young Swimmers Rick discusses underwater swimming techniques and dryland training for young swimmers. He emphasizes the importance of pushing out rather than down off the wall and recommends a 100% streamline hold followed by a choice of dolphin kick timing. Rick advocates for a continuous motion between the pull-down and kick-up phases, with no pause. He also stresses the importance of a proper dolphin kick technique and a 5-degree breakout angle to maintain race pace. Rick shares specific drills to improve body whip and core engagement during underwater swimming, aiming for two body whips per second. Peak Swimming Camps Overview Rick discusses the various swimming camps offered by Peak, explaining that they conduct 35 camps annually across the United States and internationally. He mentions different types of camps, including racing camps, stroke and turn camps, IM camps, and training camps. Rick also notes that they have a unique racing strategy concept to teach swimmers how to control their efforts. Glenn suggests the possibility of adult camps, which Rick expresses interest in, provided there is sufficient demand. Breaststroke Pullout and Arm Positioning The group discusses proper technique for breaststroke pullouts and arm positioning during swimming. Rick explains his "X arms" technique, where swimmers keep elbows tucked and make an X shape under the chest. Glenn notes that swimmers often pull their arms too wide instinctively, which can slow them down. The coaches emphasize the importance of teaching proper streamline technique, especially to young swimmers. They also mention a partnership with Go Swim for training videos, which has been well-received by parents and swimmers. Swimming Technique at Swim Camps The discussion focuses on key elements of swimming technique taught at swim camps. Glenn and Aleks emphasize the importance of streamlining, body balance, and head position. They explain that every camp starts with streamline drills to get swimmers thinking about their technique. The importance of body awareness and balance in the water is highlighted, with examples from Olympic swimmer Carolyn Joyce. They also discuss proper head position for efficient swimming, noting that young swimmers often keep their heads too high. The conversation covers the importance of using larger muscle groups like the lats for propulsion, and the need for clean entries when diving. Glenn shares an old video of his own diving technique from the 1980s to illustrate how swimming techniques have evolved over time. Lane Etiquette in Swim Camps Glenn discusses the importance of lane etiquette in swim camps, emphasizing the need for swimmers to understand how to lead a lane and follow tasks without constant instruction. He demonstrates a technique for teaching young swimmers proper lane movement by positioning himself in the pool as a "buoy" for them to swim around. Glenn and Aleks highlight the value of educating both swimmers and parents about the sport, while Barbara praises Glenn's ability to focus on fundamental skills. The discussion concludes with Glenn addressing a question about underwater swimming for masters swimmers and promoting upcoming swim camps.

April 1, 2025 - Jason Lezak

April 1, 2025 Theme of the Week Jason Lezak The legendary Jason Lezak is our focus this week. We’ll take a close look at his technique from above and below the surface, identifying the things he does that we can all learn to do. Join us! Monday Jason Lezak: Balance with Jason For Jason Lezak, balance is fundamental and means two things: keeping the body horizontal front to back…and side to side. It’s something every swimmer can achieve. Jason also talks about his loping stroke and how balance took his loping from good to great. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/351-balance 0557 Head torso hips arm extended 0677 arm head torso hips foot 1309 parallel to surface 1358 arm extended parallel to surface 1425 down to balance 1511 arm extended forward parallel to surface 1569 Down to balance 2235 create the smallest hole 2526 lowhead 4836 can appear that he’s coming up too high 10365 up to air 10491 Down to connection and balance 11844 linear balance 11956 linear balance to both sides symmetry 13482 slight uphill to breath 13542 immediately back down 13628 connection Down to balance 13961 watch the hips Tuesday Jason Lezak: Breathing and Recovery Jason spent 8 years revamping his loping stroke, taking it from good to great (and to Olympic gold in Beijing). He worked on balance but also on keeping the breath low and hidden. It’s something every swimmer can achieve. Take a look. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/976-breathing-and-recovery 0677 up to air 0822 extremely low breath 1626 only part of the mouth is above the surface 1660 for very short period of time 1892 back down to balance 2356 mouth closed 2389 mouth open Go back to the first video 10264 Zoom in on the exhale 11457 controlled breathing in a non-sprint situation Wednesday Jason Lezak: Loping Stroke (the “Gallop”) There’s loping…and then there’s loping as Jason Lezak practices it. If this is the type of stroke you use, Jason has ideas for how you can make it work even better. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/350-loping-stroke-the-gallop 0644 in a non-Sprint situation Jason could be very stable and symmetrical to both sides 1540 as he starts to increase the pace and add breathing every stroke the lope begins 2816 one advantage of this style is the ability to get complete underwater 2942 knowing what we saw on Jason’s breathing what appears out of balance is not 2974 immediately falling back into the balance line 2990 Full body connection for the pull 3236 Down to balance 4356 very catch up timing with the left arm out 4529 right arm is through the pattern much more quickly Thursday The Jason Lezak: Lezak Kick If you have a loping stroke, you need a constant, consistent kick. Jason shows what that can look like. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/985-lezak-kick 0275 Constant kick 0465 crossbody connection with right hand left foot 0984 Crossbody connection with left-hand right foot Seems to be an eight beat kick but sometimes nine The most important thing is that it is constant Friday Jason Lezak: Single Arm One thing Jason does that every swimmer can learn to do is to connect the catch to the core. This clip illustrates the technique and shows Jason’s favorite drill, single-arm free, for working on that connection. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/990-lezak-single-arm 1255 patient in full rotation prior to the action 1534 Setting the hook 1592 keeping the elbow high 1692 arm perpendicular to the body at halfway 1878 hand pivots out to full rotation Go back to 0329 Left-hand connects as left foot kicks down 1563 left foot down left arm connect 2830 left left 3811 Full rotation to finish the drill Saturday Jason Lezak: Catch Drill Here’s Jason’s favorite drill for working on three aspects of his stroke: high-elbow catch, full rotation to each side, and constant kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/989-lezak-catch-drill 0437 Watch the hand 0545 timing the connection 0615 right hand poles right foot down left-hand drives 0967 have patience in your drills 1116 timing the connection 1225 left-hand left foot drive the right hand 1782 set with the elbow high 2318 set with the elbow high 2587 do not rush but finish the job Sunday Jason Lezak: Slow-Motion Sprinting Jason swims at race pace, but we slow it down to see the details and the things every swimmer can work on: horizontal balance, constant kick, full extension, low breath. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/977-slow-motion-sprinting First look at connecting the sides Next look at the constant kick Next look at balance in breathing 1563 1783 talk about the weight of the body going down eating in the power of the left arm 0960 the lope down to balance 1848 the body line

March 25, 2025 - Distance Per Cycle

Distance Per Cycle: The 4th Pillar of Teaching Better Swimming The key to long-term improvement as a swimmer is this: Increase distance per cycle while maintaining the same tempo and breakout distance. This week we look at ways to increase distance per cycle in all four strokes, and give some sets to help you develop this all-important skill. Come join us! Monday Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia: Head In butterfly, one of the best ways to increase distance per cycle is to minimize up-and-down movement. Olympian Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia maintains a stable head/neck alignment and lands the hands forward and high, with head and eyes below the arms. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2324-butterfly-head It’s all about efficiency 0808 Press but shallow press 0878 Direct an early connection 1096 flow and direction 2853 low and forward breathing 2932 soft hand entry 3665 hands no wider than elbows 3751 hand exit sweeping out 3829 hand entering directly in front of shoulders 5213 stressed to body position 5292 the natural reaction to distressed body position 5549 stressed body position 5627 the resulting action 11475 this is as deep as it gets Tuesday Ash Delaney: Backstroke Aussie Olympian Ash Delaney shows us two key ways to increase distance per cycle in backstroke: 1) Let the legs and feet follow the rotation of the hips, and 2) Don’t break the wrist during the pull. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1715-backstroke-ash-delaney 0522 the line 0576 the power 0612 the finish 0678 the catch 0699 the power 0740 the finish 0788 Constant kick 5590 not just the arm but the entire body 10601 distance per cycle is impacted by body line Wednesday Felipe Lima: Breaststroke Head When trying to increase distance per cycle in breaststroke, it’s all about improving your LINE. Brazilian Olympian Felipe Lima shows what a great breaststroke LINE can look like. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2617-breaststroke-head 0641 escaping surface tension 0669 following the natural flow of the body 0715 drawing the hips 0762 proper timing 0842 finish the stroke 20120 efficiency in the line 20909 Head stays down and in line during the out sweep 20919 hands in head up to air hips forward 21202 arms extended head down prior to kick 22088 complete the stroke 31280 eyes down an extension 31466 eyes down on out sweep 32088 eyes down at corners 32612 hands in Head up to air Thursday Jason Lezak: Connect the Catch to the Core Jason Lezak gives a masterclass in how to increase your power – and distance per cycle – in freestyle. The key is to connect the catch to the core – to swim with your entire body and not just with the arms. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/353-connect-the-catch-to-the-core 0545 connected timing 0574 Energy going forward 0684 connected timing 1352 purposeful direction 1648 purposeful direction during breathing 2253 driving the hand forward 2539 driving hand forward during breathing 3835 submerged after breath 5027 low and balanced breath 10118 driving from the legs 11511 getting everything possible from the stroke 25375 completely submerged 32036 harnessing the power of the body 33411 purposeful path of the hand 34643 purposeful path of the hand 43588 watching the connection 45225 watching the path of the hand 52798 maximizing each arm 55477 complete the drill 60394 take away the instinct 61710 my favorite frame 63491 the final result 64147 the breath Friday Glenn in EP: Freestyle Rate In this clip, shot in the Endless Pool, Glenn uses a FINIS Tempo Trainer to hold his stroke RATE the same, but slowly increases the speed of the flow, requiring him to swim faster at the same stroke rate. Notice how this assignment causes many aspects of his stroke (especially kick and pull) to change. In the pool, a similar set would be 4 X 50, holding stroke rate but getting faster on each 50. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2840-freestyle-rate 1139 water at speed one 1617 water at speed two 2619 water at speed three 3540 water at speed four 4658 tired Saturday Discovering Freestyle Efficiency Step 2 In this set of 4 X 50, the goal is to maintain the same stroke count for each 50, but to get faster on each 50. The swimmer will quickly learn how to increase distance per cycle by adding power to the pull and kick, and by sharpening awareness of streamline and breakout. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1008-freestyle-discovering-efficiency-step-2 13 first lap 14 second lap 3729 3513 11223 3325 14570 3212 21698 2922 14923 one additional dolphin 20020 Long wall 21653 Long finish Failure Sunday All Drills: Wax On…Wax Off Here’s an example of the flip side of our equation. In a short set of 25s, the goal is to maintain SPEED but take fewer strokes on each 25. It’s another way of getting the swimmer to increase distance per cycle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1878-wax-on-wax-off-set 0523 nine strokes 12.5 seconds 1938 10 strokes 13.3 seconds 3521 11 strokes 12.1 seconds 4961 12 strokes 11.7 seconds 11368 12 strokes 11.3 seconds two dolphins 12541 11 strokes 11.7 seconds two dolphins 13987 10 strokes 11.3 seconds three dolphins 15416 nine strokes 11.5 seconds three dolphins I’m barricading he can’t get in BONUS Bruno Fratus: Slow to Fast In this set of 4 X 25, Bruno Fratus shows how to get faster while holding on to one aspect of technique: reaching full extension on every stroke of freestyle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2374-slow-to-fast