Logo
    MARKETPLACECOLLEGEFEATURESPRICINGBLOGLOGIN

Lessons

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.

Feb. 27, 2024, How to Coach Breaststroke After Teaching the Basics

Feb. 27, 2024, How to Coach Breaststroke After Teaching the Basics

Monday Glenn EP: The Line! If you look for – or teach – only one thing in breaststroke, make it THE LINE. Glenn explains. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3244-breaststroke-the-line> breaststroke swimming swimtechnique  :05 - get under :08 - get in line :09 - head should stay down longer :11 - lack of flexibility through the shoulders :12 - elbows at the shoulders :13 - arms aim forward and fall with the body - don’t aim down :22 - experiment with the width :24 - the point :26 - stomping back :32 - be careful not to allow the feet to fall as you initiate the pull Tuesday Brendan Hansen: Streamline Timing Brendan Hansen has mastered The Line in breaststroke.   <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/237-streamline-timing> breaststroke swimming swimtechnique  :02.9 - The Line :05 - The line! - compare it to the old guy in the first video :05 - show how much longer the head stays down :05.8 - showing in the head pierce on the insweep :06 - watch the path of the feet and how they stay high through the entire phase :08 - feet drawn up behind the hips :08.6 - front of the body is ready to accept the kick :20 - up tempo timing :32 - up tempo timing :44 - missle position :53 - narrow - semi streamline :55 - outsweep with head down 1:22 - piercing the surface 1:22 - get the head back under before the kick comes in 1:37 - streamline timing 1:48 - streamline timing 2:20 - missle position 2:22 - look for the goggles 2:38 - arms going forward Wednesday Breaststroke Drill: Separation Drill Here’s one of our favorite drills for teaching The Line in breaststroke. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1391-breaststroke-separation-drill> breaststroke swimming swimtechnique  :05.6 - front ready to accept the kick :10.2 - hands slightly aiming down :17 - delayed kick :25 - pull with no kick :33 - once you reach extension, initiate the kick :48 - keep the legs very straight through the kick :58 - gradually bring them together 1:25 - alternate a length of drill 1:33 - with a length of swimming Thursday Breaststroke Drill: Head-Down Pull Another key thing to look for when coaching breaststroke is whether the swimmer’s face is in the water until the hands separate. Learning this skill takes patience, lots of practice, and usually a few drills. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1041-breaststroke-head-down-pull> breaststroke swimming swimtechnique  :14 - initiate the outsweep prior to lifting the head :33 - keep the eyes under the goggles during the outsweep :38 - one option is to use paddles and a snorkel :38 - no breath breaststroke :47 - paddles increase the surface area and potentially the feel :55 - pull buoy to place the focus on the pull 1:06 - start to ride the “rise” 1:31 - initiate the faux breath 1:38 - take it for a ride - full stroke Friday Dave Denniston Breaststroke: Use a Mini Pull <https://www.gofundme.com/f/alwaysacowboy??modal=donations&tab=top&fbclid=IwAR1L-X6cgOxIhjwPp3LWfbkOqNF1RzqeDxRDbop74NALQYQf3H21VnL3OIA> One of the key things to look for when coaching breaststroke is the size of the swimmer’s pull. In many cases it will be too big. Teaching swimmers to use a mini pull may bring quick and noticeable results. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/589-use-mini-pull> breaststroke swimming swimtechnique  :08 - mini pull :10.5 - widest point :16 - quick catch :34 - front ready to accept the kick 1:00 - quick catch 1:05 - a bit wider than before 1:33 - elbows don’t go past the shoulders 1:45 - quickly dive back under 2:07 - watch the path of the hands - forward 2:17 - inward scull to quick hands forward 2:35 - kick initiated a bit earlier 2:54 - at speed - dives a bit harder 3:06 - compare slow - fast 3:23 - look how shallow he stays 3:28 - underwater breast pull 3:55 - mini pull 4:11 - underwater breaststroke Saturday Breaststroke Drill: Kick Recovery Awareness Another key thing to look for when coaching breaststroke is the size of the kick. In many cases it will be too big and too wide. A big kick may feel powerful, but it sets up a massive amount of resistance that slows you down and requires lots of energy to overcome. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2393-breaststroke-kick-recovery-awareness> breaststroke swimming swimtechnique  Pavel - 23.4 50 breast :24 - line from torso to thigh :31 - wall kick :38 - board kick on your back :44 - recover the heels :50 - kick on your back streamline :56 - keep the knees at surface or slightly under 1:03 - heels to hands 1:16 - heels to hands touching heels 1:23 - thighs to hands 1:48 - head lead to hand lead 2:01 - position 11 kick to swim 2:12 - position 11 kick to swim Sunday Breaststroke Drill: Kick Recovery Timing (Adam Ritter) When coaching breaststroke, watch for how the swimmer times the recovery of the feet. A small change in timing can bring big results. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2084-breaststroke-kick-recovery-timing> breaststroke swimming swimtechnique  :08 - torso to thigh line :17 - arms fully extended prior to the kick 200 IM 1:36 - look at the line 1:38 - look at how far he is through the pull before he initiates the recovery 1:44 - how far up do you need to go to get a grab with the feet Bonus: Breast Drill: Toe-Draw Recovery <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1968-breaststroke-toe-draw-recovery> Amanda Beard: Pull the Hips Forward <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/525-pull-your-hips-forward>

Feb. 20, 2024 - Teaching Breaststroke Zoom

Feb. 20, 2024 - Teaching Breaststroke Zoom

Teaching breaststroke – from scratch – requires patience and repetition…and a step-by-step approach for teaching the pull, the kick, and then the timing that pulls it all together.  This week we turn to Steve Haufler and Glenn for their teaching ideas, and point you toward the GoSwim lessons and courses that can help you teach the BEST stroke! Monday Haufler Breaststroke: Breaststroke Teaching Progression – Step 1 Steve Haufler follows a 5-step progression for teaching breaststroke. Step 1: Teach breaststroke body position on land. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1465-breaststroke-teaching-progression-step-1>  :13 - thumb lock - missle position :19 - standard streamline :30 - fantastic alignment - THE LINE :46 - same position as on land :50 - throw them like a dart :56 - small adjustments - arms UP to alignment 1:15 - keep the chin off the chest 1:28 - see the tendency of the chin - even with focus 1:33 - look at the arms out front - continue to teach 1:44 - toes - finish the job 1:52 - stay narrow Tuesday Haufler Breaststroke: Breaststroke Teaching Progression – Step 2 Teaching breaststroke kick requires patience, repetition, and a huge bag of tricks and techniques. Steve Haufler shares his wisdom and secrets. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1466-breaststroke-teaching-progression-step-2>  :05 - on land :07 - point :08 - flex :11 - turn out :12 - circle and point :15 - practice point and flex :25 - practice turn out and point :30 - practice them all :46 - the goal :49 - on the side of the pool… feel the connection to the water :58 - feet flat on the surface in the point 1:05 - allow the knees to bend the feet to the wall 1:09 - feet slightly apart 1:17 - show the flex 1:35 - front point, bring the heals to the wall 1:37 - pivot the feet out to the flex position 1:40 - circle and point 1:43 - getting it 1:53 - focus on the finish 2:03 - with some athletes, adding some pressure will give them a better sense of what to push with 2:09 - the flex position is a bit strange for newer swimmers - breast is the only kick with the inside 2:19 - practice some small kicks on your back 2:25 - hold the board over the legs and don’t kick the board 3:01 - practice stomach and back and try to minimize the hip drop and leg tuck 3:17 - show the heels coming up, not the knees tucking under 3:44 - knees barely outside the shadow of the body and show the flex 3:50 - hydrodynamic catch position 4:17 - direct push back to point 4:41 - torso to knee line without manipulation 4:42 - keeping the knees up 4:43 - torso to knee line with manipulation 4:47 - pretty good line 4:48 - reverting to big bend. Always keep practicing Wednesday Foundations of Breaststroke: Wall Kick We love this drill for teaching breaststroke kick. It isolates the kick, and makes it super easy for the coach to SEE the kick and offer verbal corrections in real time. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3063-wall-kick> :02 - hanging on the wall… flat :05 - recover the heels behind to the flex position :06 - kick back to point :15 - flat against the wall :19 - line from torso to knees Thursday Haufler Breaststroke: Step 3: Teach Breaststroke Pull To teach breaststroke pull, Steve Haufler starts with the swimmer on deck. He introduces one of our favorite mantras: “I…Y…Scoop…and Shoot.” <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1471-step-3-teach-breaststroke-pull>  :04 - missle position laying on the deck :10 - use a noodle to keep the elbows forward :23 - proper head position at this point in the stroke - letter I :38 - separate the hands to a Y :53 - flex the arms to point the hands backward, or toward the wall 1:09 - THE picture - elbows in front of shoulders - hands pointed down 1:22 - scoop IN UP and FOWARD 1:27 - keep the wrist straight 1:48 - keep the initial practice SLOW 2:11 - continue practicing with isolation of the arms 2:28 - return to a float in missle position 2:33 - get the swimmer to outsweep gently to the Y position 2:44 - gently move them to the EVF position 2:56 - scoop and shoot forward 3:17 - “I” “Y” “SCOOP” “SHOOT” Friday Haufler Breaststroke: Step 4: Teach Breaststroke Timing Steve Haufler explains one of the most effective drills for teaching breaststroke timing: Breaststroke Separation Drill <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1472-step-4-teach-breaststroke-timing>  :13 - finishing each stroke before starting a new one is imperative in teaching :21 - thumb lock missle position and glide :25 - be patient in this teaching and always spend more time in the line :30 - front of the body is ready to accept the kick :37 - separation drill without breathing :47 - pull without kicking :49 - initiate the kick after the swimmer is back in the line :51 - the mistake = proper timing 1:00 - start the legs just a bit sooner Saturday Haufler Breaststroke: Step 5: Teach Breaststroke Breathing/Timing Steve Haufler teaches breaststroke breathing as a separate – and very important -- lesson. Teach it correctly and you’ll help the swimmer avoid a host of hard-to-break bad habits. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1474-step-5-teach-breaststroke-breathing-timing>  :02 - start teaching breathing by not breathing :03 - focus the swimmer on what happens on the scoop or insweep - the rise :06 - with a more powerful swimmer, the head may automatically rise above the surface :12.9 - swimmer about 1” away from air :15 - now rise to air without kicking :19 - alternate no breath with breath :35 - the real LIFT occurs when the hands are coming IN :38 - avoid the LIFT on the outsweep :41 - head still under when hands are WIDE :44 - IN and UP to air :53 - maintain head stability in going to air :54 - no breath :56 - with a breath 1:10 - keep the neck aligned with a tennis ball 1:11 - in and up to air 1:20 - watch the in and up to air - hips drawn - legs buckle 1:31 - release the ball Sunday Haufler Breaststroke: Step 6: Teach Full-Stroke Breaststroke Once the swimmer has mastered the pieces/parts of breaststroke, it’s time to put it all together. Steve Haufler shares his secrets. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1475-step-6-teach-full-stroke-breaststroke>  :04 - review the glide :11 - review the kick :22 - review the pull :27 - review the timing :34 - review the breathing :42 - start swimming Bonus Foundations of Breaststroke: Kick, Sit on the Side <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3062-kick-sit-on-the-side> Foundations of Breaststroke: Kick on Your Back <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3064-kick-on-your-back> Davo Drills: Breaststroke with an Extra Kick <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/187-2-up-1-down> Foundations of Breaststroke: Lane Line Pull <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3068-lane-line-pull> Mention (for teaching): Davo Drills Roque Santos course Breaststroke Drills (the course) Foundations of Breaststroke Glenn in Endless Pool breaststroke videos

Feb. 13, 2024 - Butterfly After Basics - Zoom

Feb. 13, 2024 - Butterfly After Basics - Zoom

How to Coach Butterfly After Teaching the Basics Once you’ve done the hard work of TEACHING butterfly from scratch, how do you take your swimmers to the next level? This week we explore SEVEN key concepts in butterfly. If you learn to look for these things in your swimmers…and work on teaching these key concepts, you can start to turn your swimmers into butterfliers. Monday Misty Hyman: Two Kicks Per Stroke The most basic things to look for when teaching and coaching butterfly: Is the swimmer taking two kicks per armstroke? Misty Hyman demonstrates. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/853-two-kicks-per-stroke-updated> :06.5 - kick the hands in :08.5 - kick the hands out :13.1 - look at the maximum angle of kick :16 - advancing too soon :24 - kick is drawn forward prior to kicking down :26 - the UP kick :45 - the UP kick 2:03 - timing the UP kick can help lift the front for the recovery 2:06 - timing the UP 2:28 - look at the relationship between the kick lift and the breath 2:50 - misunderstanding of where the energy goes 2:27 - limit amplitude 3:05 - feel the stretch through the chest 3:30 - better to do a few good strokes than a lot of bad ones 3:52 - watch the shadow and the maximum angle of the legs 4:31 - notice how the back of the head is always visible 4:44 - focus on flexibility 5:57 - focus on flexibility 5:25 - focus on driving the energy forward Tuesday Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia: Kick on the Stomach Two kicks per armstroke is fundamental to a great butterfly. But make sure the kick comes from the torso, not from the knees. Kelsi Worrell demonstrates. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2346-butterfly-kick-on-the-stomach> :02 - minimal amplitude :05 - hands driven forward :06 - notice how the snorkel never goes under :11.5 - look at the maximum knee bend :15.9 - the tension point :17.5 - hands driven forward - VERY straight line :23.7 - maximum knee bend :31 - stability moving forward :51 - integrity in the movement :56 - head stability 1:01 - maximum angle of the kick 1:09 - outside in kick Wednesday Misty Hyman: Palm-Up Recovery What you do with your hands and wrists during the recovery has a big effect on how well you swim butterfly. Misty Hyman demos great recovery technique, and single-arm drills to help you practice. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/408-palm-up-recovery> :06.40 - wrist first entry :55 - hands enter wrists first and the pull goes OUT slightly 1:17 - soft entry 1:44 - single arm wrist first entry 1:48 - breath to the side 1:56 - breath forward with bent arm 2:11 - also works on timing - hand hit hips pop 2:43 - 2-2-2 3:04 - the integrity of the lead arm SHOW GRANT HAND ENTRY AND PULL PATTERN Thursday James Guy: Butterfly Full Body A key concept in butterfly is to send the hands forward rather than down…and to land with hands high and chest deep. Olympian James Guy demonstrates. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2595-butterfly-full-body> :06 - direct pull pattern :11 - landing directly forward :16 - very shallow landing :17 - breathe on every stroke - timing of the kick :20 - does not exactly “kick the hands in” - more like Wu Peng :39 - slight head lift going to air, but just a little :58 - fingertip first entry 1:19 - hands high and forward 1:27 - head in relaxed position 1:32 - chest pressed to the deepest point - not too far 1:35 - show the hips on every stroke cycle 1:40 - point and whip the legs 2:00 - focus on flexibility Friday Martin Liivamagi: Butterfly Below Water Key butterfly concept: Face in before hands land. This timing, demo’d by Estonian Olympian Martin Liivamagi, is key to a forward-driving butterfly. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1841-martin-liivamagi-butterfly-below-water> :04 - direct pull through :06 - flat forward entry :08 - kicking the hands in :09 - kicking the hands out :09 .5 - bigger bend in the knees but thighs in line with the body :17 - fairly narrow straight pull-through :18 - fingers first hand entry :18.8 - climbing out of the pool :20 - driving the head low and just over the surface :21 - climbing out of the pool Saturday Butterfly Drill: Short Release This small change can be a game changer when teaching/coaching butterfly. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1972-butterfly-short-release> :02 - check the direction of the hand exit :13 - a little deeper pull :15 - impossible to tell with the naked eye :30 - short release has the hands a bit wider on exit :46 - looks exactly like a normal stroke :58 - fingers still passed the suit 1:03 - fingers mid-thigh 1:17.9 - fingers mid-thigh 1:40 - both  1:44.6 - end of still frame Sunday Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia: Butterfly Head Key concept in butterfly: Find one position/alignment for your head and neck and maintain that alignment throughout the entire stroke cycle. Olympian Kelsi Worrell demonstrates. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2324-butterfly-head> :04 - maximum head lift :06.8 - non-breath head remains stable :09.6 - chin extends but then head remains in that position :12 - head back down in “attention” position :19 - goggles almost to surface on non-breath :22 - chin very close to the surface :33 - head going back before arms enter :41 - non-breath :44 - breath 1:04 - line from head to hips Bonus Steve Haufler Butterfly: Putting It All Together Swimmers of all ages can learn this week’s key butterfly concepts. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/169-putting-it-all-together>

Grant House - 50 Free Under Evaluation

Grant House - 50 Free Under Evaluation

Looking at Grant from underwater, the first thing we're gonna see is look at that line. Look at how amazing that direction is just a perfect push off parallel to the surface of the water, slight undulation with the hands or leading with the hands ever so slightly out front to get the body moving in more of a snake like fashion. But upon breakout pape, pay particular attention to how often he gets directly back into this line that is parallel with the surface of the water. Let's watch the head on the breakout. So we can see the hips, the back, the shoulders, the head, the arm directly forward again, not popping up but forward on the breakout head position is incredibly stable, especially for the first few strokes. You can see here the left hand is enters and then Pierce's forward it reaches full extension at full rotation and still both front quadrant beautiful flowing kick behind. Not overly done. I think it was a little short on the turn here. He probably could have gone nine trips. You could see how right here at the end and he's following the hand down. So he definitely swims through the turn on this, which is exactly what you want. Again, look at how parallel to the surface he is on breakout, not lifting the head, everything kind of reaching the surface at the same time. Forward Forward forward that head position and see how much of this we see underwater. How much of his face we see underwater on the breath and a quick turn with the head back to center and a beautiful 50 Free

Nov. 23, 2021 - Breaststroke Kick Width

Nov. 23, 2021 - Breaststroke Kick Width

Breaststroke Kick Monday - Kick Size https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2924-breaststroke-kick-size :16 - Talk about the mathematical relationship Set the water speed but then vary the type of kick 1:23 - Normal Kick 1:33 - Recognize the back and forth motion of the body 1:38 - smaller kick 1:45 - Normal kick 1:54 - smaller kick Play with size and focus on resistance Talk about the noodle on the stick experiment - stay in place Tuesday - Recovery Awareness https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2393-breaststroke-kick-recovery-awareness From beginning - look at line from shoulder to hip to knees :25 - breaststroke showing the line and the thigh break :27 - wall kick - recover the heels behind the body :37 - on back with board :48 - streamline kick on back 1:00 - head lead kick underwater 1:11 - bring the heels to the hands - feel the thigh resistance 1:22 - head lead with hands in front of thighs Become more aware of the avoidance of tucking the legs up 1:47 - Thigh kick to position 11 - also works on underwater recovery This focuses the swimmer on minimizing the tuck, the carry that through to the kick 1:59 - Position 11 kick to swim Focus on legs first then carry that into full stroke. 2:16 - Show the thigh break Wednesday - Finish Your Kick - Dave https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/588-finish-your-kick :12 - show finished kick :31 - Picture perfect finish :51 - Pointed toes as the catch sets :52 - Legs still straight as insweep occurs :53 - Feet recover inside of knees 1:43 - Kyle doesn’t finish 1:49 - Sammy doesn’t finish 2:30 - Perfect point 2:40 - Underwater kick 2:51 - Kick and ride 3:20 - blurry tiles Thursday - Kick with a Board https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1718-breaststroke-kick-with-a-board :10 - advantage of using a board is isolation and air :20 - eyes in or at surface :25 - lazy board hold - avoid :33 - Head and hands too high :38 - keep the board more parallel to the surface :45 - goggles in :52 - up to air during recover of the legs :59 - hold board underwater 1:12 - Stabilize everything Friday - Felipe Kick with a Band https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2663-narrow-kick-with-band-breaststroke Personal teaching pref - not for novice or learning From beginning Board - Snorkel - Band :13 - Stability and symmetry :20 - band holds knees in :36 - Illustrate Narrow Wide for later :48 - Look at thigh break angle :57 - Thigh break angle 1:07 - Close the feet 1:34 - Turbulence and Vortices 1:54 - Totally narrow back 2:04 - Narrow knees recovery 2:22 - Narrow knees recovery 2:51 - Talking about the strap as a crutch 3:21 - Narrow Wide Saturday - Breaststroke Kick - Roque https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/489-breaststroke-kick :12 - Pointed toes :14 - Thigh break a bit bigger - bigger guy! :16 - Back to line and pointed toes :29 - wide recovery - bad :43 - Best foot finish EVER! :45 - toes and feet together :48 - draw into the recovery with the feet together, keeping it narrow :49 - Kick is still fairly narrow, but feet get outside the body line :50 - foot finish! 1:14 - Contrast drill - BAD! 1:28 - Hiding calves and feet behind thighs 2:02 - knees shoulder width 2:28 - bad demo again! 2:36 - good demo Sunday - Hide your Feet - Amanda https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/526-hide-your-feet-and-kick-butt :10 - High recovery and look at the thigh break :11 - Pointed toes :18 - Narrow knees - slightly wider feet on draw :19 - In line in front as the kick gets ready to pay back :30 - Toes pointed and touching :42 - Calves feet hidden behind thighs :48 - First move of feet is UP 1:12 - Feet turned out 1:17 - Set up to launch - Ankle flexibility 1:24 - Perfect feet turn-out 1:44 - Hip draw brings the legs 1:48 - Feet set - More thigh break but the payoff is amazing 1:53 - First stroke from above shows hip draw 2:10 - Narrow Wide 2:36 - Putting it all together - Hip draw - Leg draw - payoff Bonus: https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3267-breaststroke-kick-width

Oct. 10, 2023 - Injury Prevention in Breaststroke Zoom

Oct. 10, 2023 - Injury Prevention in Breaststroke Zoom

Injury Prevention in Breaststroke When it comes to injury prevention in swimming, freestylers (and their rotator cuffs) get most of the attention. But what about breaststrokers and their stressed-out knees, ankles, leg tendons, groins, and biceps? This week we send out some ideas for avoiding injury in GoSwim’s favorite stroke. Monday Breast Drill: Kick Variation To avoid breaststroker’s knee, learn how to vary your kick! <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1389-breaststroke-kick-variation> :50 - Narrow recovery :57 - Wider recovery 1:05 - Narrow 1:10 - Normal Kick 1:16 - Wide kick 1:30 - complete and finish each kick Tuesday Breast Drill: Pull Buoy Kick From developing a narrower kick, to avoiding knee pain, kicking breaststroke with a pull buoy is a very useful drill. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1376-breaststroke-pull-buoy-kick> :22 - Hold the buoy between the thighs :36 - requires good ankle flexibility to grab some water :51 - feel the grab of the water at the top of the kick 1:03 - point the toes out Wednesday Breast Drill: Band Kick Train a narrow breaststroke kick with a band around the ankles. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/837-breaststroke-band-kick> :15 - too wide :25 - theraband around the ankles :40 - holding the ankles a bit closer together :49 - criss cross the band :58 - kick with a board to get used to it 1:07 - feel the band stretch out as you grab the water 1:15 - move to full stroke with a typical kick 1:37 - teach the kick BACK not just out and around Thursday Breast Drill: Single-Leg Kick Single-leg kick is a great way to reveal – and correct – imbalances that can lead to injury. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1026-breaststroke-single-leg-kick> :16 - kick breaststroke one leg at a time :30 - build quickness and coordination  :38 - see if there are differences in how you connect or kick w each leg 1:03 - initiate the single leg kick underwater 1:09 - 3-3 kick 1:15 - 2-2 kick 1:18 - 1-1 kick 1:22 - back to regular kick 1:51 - play with your own variations Friday Breast Drill: Narrow to Wide Pull Breaststroke pull can put stress on the biceps. Learning to vary the width of your pull can help prevent overuse injury – and adds interest to your breaststroke sets. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1974-breaststroke-narrow-to-wide-pull> :15 - World class width :21 - start with a very small pull :23 - a little larger pull :25 - larger still :28 - larger or normal stroke :35 - small :38 - wider :41 - wider (in theory) :50 - gradually building a wider stroke Saturday Denniston Drills: Fast Hands with Flutter Kick Doing breaststroke with flutter kick is a killer way to avoid overuse injury to the knees. It’s also a great way to work on fast hands and your breaststroke LINE. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/200-fast-hands-with-flutter-kick> :12 - flutter kick breaststroke :30 - continuous kick :43 - quick strokes :59 - continuous kick Sunday Breast Drill: 4-Stroke Free Breast Combo drills are a great way to avoid overuse injuries. Here’s how to combine breast and free. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1701-breaststroke-4-stroke-free-breast> :29 - regular free :31 - high recovery free for the weight :33 - dive into the glide :42 - dive into the glide :51 - dive into the glide and into the outsweep :54 - keep the eyes down during the outsweep 1:22 - extending long and below the surface Bonus: Breast Drill: Kick with Fins Two benefits: 1) reduce stress on the biceps by pulling every other stroke, and 2) imprint a better catch position for the feet and ankles. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1323-breaststroke-kick-with-fins> 1:12 - double kick w fins Breast Drill (Glenn in EP): Kick Size Overhead views of breaststroke kick with size variations <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2924-breaststroke-kick-size> 1:43 - variations in recovery resistance Golomeev: Physioball Balance Great dryland exercise for strengthening the inner thighs. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2275-physioball-balance> Breaststroke - Medball Kick <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2626-breaststroke-medball-kick> :33 - hold it between your knees :50 - release the ball Double Medball Eggbeater <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1577-training-double-med-ball-eggbeater> 1:54 - straighten the arms 2:08 - sand filled Chat - 12:07:28 From Beth Baker To Everyone: Are you talking about the pullout? 12:08:42 From Coach Dan Jimar To Glenn Mills(Privately): Mille 12:08:55 From Coach Dan Jimar To Everyone: Mille 12:09:17 From Randy Parker To Everyone: Rebecca Soni 12:10:37 From Melinda Wolff To Everyone: YES!!! REbecca Soni is who I was trying to remember! Thanks, Randy. 12:15:11 From Monty Krieger To Everyone: Are you suggesting changes PRIOR to injury or response to injury? 12:15:25 From Coach Dan Jimar To Glenn Mills(Privately): replace breaststroke kick with fly kick when knees are hurting (other options?) 12:16:20 From Coach Dan Jimar To Glenn Mills(Privately): torn hamstring from wakeboard (for me personally, Thursday a week and a half ago). 12:16:45 From William park ChPC To Glenn Mills(Privately): Great teaching Glenn thank you happy move to your new house. Go Blue. Sorry I have to go 12:20:23 From Paul Howard To Everyone: Pull bouy also helps with teaching leg turnover turn over intern to support arm turn over. 12:21:49 From Nancy Schley To Everyone: For hams and groin mm pulls, careful gentle stretches ..don't over stretch these two 12:25:27 From Coach Dan Jimar To Everyone: thank you 12:27:49 From Melinda Wolff To Everyone: Look at her ankles in her K - amazing flexibility! 12:29:19 From Beth Baker To Everyone: Love how fast she gets her hands out regardless of the width of her pull 12:31:12 From Coach Dan Jimar To Glenn Mills(Privately): I start them (esp younger) with scowling out and in with hands and build the arms bigger from there 12:31:41 From Melinda Wolff To Everyone: Who is this swimmer with fast hands? Such a great, smooth stroke! 12:34:48 From Monty Krieger To Everyone: are you doing one dolphin kick when you do exchange? 12:35:57 From Monty Krieger To Everyone: What is the advantage of that other than less breaststroke? 12:37:45 From Cindy Dyer To Everyone: I purchased these fins a few months and have helped me understand what my legs and feet are to 12:37:54 From Cindy Dyer To Everyone: doing 12:38:53 From Lindsay Leigh To Everyone: Which Finis fins are these again? 12:39:22 From Lindsay Leigh To Everyone: https://www.finisswim.com/Positive-Drive-Fin Found them! 12:45:08 From Monty Krieger To Everyone: are the 2 10Lb med balls allowed under the Geneva Convention? 12:49:44 From Monty Krieger To Everyone: What about length one swims breaststroke - are shorter distances ‘fast’ better than longer distance repeats? 12:54:25 From Beth Baker To Glenn Mills(Privately): Not sure if you saw my text. But, how do you avoid a dolphin kick at end of a breast stroke? What is the swimmer missing? Balance, alignment? I can communicate with you offline if best. 12:54:30 From Monty Krieger To Glenn Mills(Privately): Do you have a hard time lifting your torso up (pulling hips forward) when going slowly/purposefully? 12:54:41 From julie Phillips To Everyone: can you just use a pullbuoy to help with a narrow kick 12:55:31 From Barbara Hummel To Everyone: Julie, I do a lot of that to help with narrow kick. Usually alternate a length of free pull and a length of breast 12:55:52 From julie Phillips To Everyone: Reacted to "Julie, I do a lot of..." with 👍 12:56:10 From Barbara Hummel To Everyone: It does elevate your body position a bit. When you take off the pull buoy you’ll ride a little lower in the water. 12:56:40 From Gregg Thurlbeck To Everyone: Some people, women in particular, who have a flatter breaststroke have a lot of difficulty with using a pull buoy because the feet come out of the water 12:57:10 From Beth Baker To Everyone: Reacted to "Some people, women i..." with 👍 12:57:16 From Shirley Chung To Everyone: Reacted to "Some people, women i..." with 👍 12:57:24 From Nancy Schley To Everyone: that's good!! 12:57:34 From Melinda Wolff To Glenn Mills(Privately): I'm still hankering for information on HOW to breathe, before, during and after racing. 12:58:39 From Beth Baker To Everyone: Straight arm pull feels powerful but EVF is what we SHOULD be doing. 12:59:15 From Amy Brown To Everyone: Exactly!!!! Never felt injury from swimming until recently entering a new decade. 12:59:32 From Beth Baker To Everyone: Would love a zoom session on that! 13:01:15 From Camy Gitwenty To Everyone: yes, a zoom on "it feels fast but I"m slower" and "it feels slow but I ride fast effortless" 13:02:12 From Beth Baker To Everyone: Reacted to "yes, a zoom on "it f..." with 👍 13:03:21 From Nancy Schley To Everyone: Good luck with moving! 13:03:24 From Nicole Linn To Everyone: Thank you!!

June 5, 2023 - Next-Level Flutter Kick

June 5, 2023 - Next-Level Flutter Kick

Next-Level Flutter Kick – 8 Beat and Beyond - ZOOM For most swimmers and triathletes, a 2-beat, 4-beat, or 6-beat flutter kick is what you need to learn. Sprint freestylers need to take it a step beyond, however, exploring 8, 9, 10, or even 12 kicks per stroke cycle. This week we look at four Olympic sprinters who take so many kicks per cycle that it’s hard to count them. We also give you some ideas for pushing you kick to next-level speed and consistency. Monday Jason Lezak: Constant Continuous Kick Jason Lezak retooled his flutter kick from inconsistent to consistent -- and won Olympic gold. Hard to tell if he’s taking 9, 10, or 12 kicks per cycle, but what’s easy to see is that his kick is constant and continuous. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/352-constant-continuous-kick>  :12 - How many kicks? :20 - 10-12 kicks per stroke cycle :46 - Slight gap :53 - When he goes into the lope, there’s a slight pause 1:02 - pause during the fall 1:13 - progressed to CONSTANT kick 1:15 - 8-beat 1:24 - He says 6, but it’s 8 1:42 - the MOST important part of an effective kick 2:04 - the Target 2:14 - focus on the hip flexors 2:16 - look for the line from torso to knees - maximum angle 2:27 - using snorkel for great body line 3:01 - practice a fast kick 3:12 - sprint 25s with fast kick 3:31 - practice balance with kick 3:55 - 6-count slide Tuesday Scott Tucker: Consistent Kick When Scott turns on the speed, his kick can be 6, or 8 beats per cycle. The key is to keep it consistent. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/685-consistent-kick>  :11 - THAT’S a kick :17 - a relaxed 8-beat kick :35 - a relaxed 8-beat kick :44 - fast 8-beat kick :46 - glance to the stability of the core 1:24 - a relaxed balanced body can turn off the kick 1:31 - watch the stability and how everything connected moves him forward 1:46 - fast kick - watch for max angle of thigh from torso 2:16 - watch for max angle of entire leg 2:23 - to have a fast kick, it needs to be compact and consistent Wednesday James Guy: Flutter Kick – Fins Olympic sprinter James Guy uses FINIS Edge Fins to train his kick to push beyond 6 beats per stroke cycle. We also notice that he’s practicing his UP kick to get maximum power from the legs. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2615-flutter-kick-fins>  :00 - streamline - stable - eyes down - big fins :09 - big fins will require a bit more leg bend :15 - must use the hamstrings to pull them back up :33 - move from streamline to position-11 :37 - James signature head turn as the arm pulls :41 - slow arms and constant kick :48 - Start with a push and dolphin into flutter :56 - slow arms with constant kick 1:21 - arm paused in recovery position 1:30 - you can see the arm held in recovery position above 1:41 - paused recovery requires constant kick 1:44 - moves the arm to straight 1:58 - transition from bent to straight recovery Thursday Kristian Golomeev: Flutter Kick with a Board Like most swimmers, Kristian Golomeev spends a lot of time kicking on a board. Unlike most swimmers, he spends that time focusing on HOW he’s kicking – including depth, cadence, amplitude, and hip position. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2239-flutter-kick-with-a-board>  :00 - slow kicking means a bit more knee bend :10 - fast kicking things tighten :19 - slow kick - feet below the surface :36 - increasing the rate brings the hips up a bit :44 - increasing the rate brings the hips up more and feet a bit higher :52 - trail of bubbles :58 - FAST kick - water boils 1:04 - body line is very good 1:10 - feel the WHIP of the feet Friday Freestyle Drills: Freestyle Flutter Kick Focus Here’s how to add flutter-kick focus to any freestyle set. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1067-freestyle-flutter-kick-focus>  :27 - Smooth 50 with limited kick :33 - Next 50, add a bit of kick :39 - More kick :46 - Focus on the kick, not the arms - go as fast as you can Saturday Rohan Taylor: Vertical Flutter Kick Vertical kick won’t add to your daily yardage, but it’s priceless for building power, rate, and consistency into your flutter kick. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1899-vertical-flutter-kick>  :00 - vertical kick with the hands out :20 - vertical kick with the hands out FILM your athletes doing it and show them :23 - look at the flexibility of the toes :31 - look at the maximum angles :49 - hands out :55 - the body is stable… no bouncing :59 - rotate the body Sunday Glenn Mills EP: Playing with Flutter Kick Height Glenn demo’s another way to add focus to your time spent on a kickboard. <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2931-playing-with-flutter-kick-height>  1:51 - MAX bend 1:52 - even at MAX bend, the legs aren’t too out of line 1:53 - big knee bend UP 2:06 - reduce the size a bit - heals touching surface 2:08 - much less knee bend UP 2:10 - feet dragging air down - nice foot flexibility 2:27 - feet completely under 2:33 - this is all work - down and up 3:02 - incorporate them all

Flutter Kick - Fins

Flutter Kick - Fins

If you'd like your own pair of FINIS Edge Fins, pick them up here, and don't forget to use the "goswimtv" coupon code for a special price. Here’s a progression that James uses to develop a more constant, continuous kick. He uses the FINIS Edge Fin, which is designed to catch water on the up-kick, which activates the hamstrings and glutes, and encourages you to start the kick from the hips rather than the knees. That said, you can see that James has a supple kick, with some bend in the knee, but he’s focusing on kicking from the hips and kicking with equal power UP and DOWN. James establishes a horizontal body line and a continuous kick. When he adds the arms, he maintains that great body line and constant kick. James pushes off with a dolphin kick, transitions to flutter, and breaks out into a length of freestyle. His thought process? Maintain a constant, continuous flutter kick and horizontal body line, synchronizing the kick with his armstroke. James now starts the length with a constant, continuous kick. He begins by initiating a pull and a half recovery. He’ll hold his arm above the water in a recovery position, and then with a slow, steady move, initiate a pull with the extended arm and switch to the other side. You can see from underwater, that he begins his recovery arm, but then HOLDS it above the water with the arm straight up from shoulder to elbow. This puts a bit more demand on body balance and allows James to feel how that weighted arm above, helps to shift the body into rotation, and aid in the pull of the extended arm. James has to work hard to maintain a constant kick because he’s placing extra weight over his center of gravity with the recovering arm.