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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.

Apr 12, 2022 - Open Water Safe Spaces Zoom

Apr 12, 2022 - Open Water Safe Spaces Zoom

Monday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/298-back-balance> :12 - correct body balance - head back hips up :30 - hands at the sides, lean back until the water touches the sides of the goggles :41 - slight tilt - always thinking of the nostrils :57 - hips up - knees at the surface 1:11 - tilting the head back can drop the hips and expose the nostrils 1:21 - good balance can allow you to fix your goggles while still moving Tuesday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3265-front-to-back-rotational-balance> 1:43 - start in Position 11 1:52 - drop one arm and rotate all the way over to your back with the other arm extended Roll like a log 1:57 - bring the trailing arm up and across your body If the body is balanced, it will fall back over to face down Position 11 2:04 - repeat the the other side 4:07 - incorporating it into freestyle Rotating to a safe space Wednesday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3266-back-home-base-with-propulsion> 2:36 - freestyle to rotating to the back at 2:46 just as in the previous video 2:47 - drop the lead arm down to the side, now both arms down 2:49 - using a flutter kick, start sculling or pushing with the hands to maintain forward momentum while safer on your back 2:57 - after you’ve regained your breath (composure), roll back over to more strokes of freestyle 3:10 - in rhythm, roll to the back position with both hands back Scull and kick in a safe position 3:38 - slowed down Thursday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2771-rotating-to-air-on-both-sides> 1:54 - easy rotation MUST start with a balanced body Starting with low breaths like swimming in a pool 2:19 - additional rotation for open water breathing Same tempo - Same water speed 2:25 - rotate the head early for the additional turn 2:29 - both goggles out Friday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3314-open-water-breaststroke-sighting> 1:51 - swimming slow freestyle 1:56 - head up breaststroke sighting 2:01 - I must maintain the same speed in the EP, while you’ll be able to slow down in open water 2:08 - back to freestyle after you know exactly where you’re going 2:22 - can even talk to your friends in this position 3:40 - faster water 3:46 - dive under and escape the surface 3:47 - breaststroke under and then… 3:49 - explosive high breath 3:50 - down to the line 3:52 - 2nd high (the confirmation) sight 3:54 - back to line and transition back to freestyle 4:18 - repeat 5:22 - don’t even have to get the mouth up Old style breaststroke Saturday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/906-step-7-combat-side-stroke> :27 - extended balance nose down :42 - you can use the lead arm to push up to air Then fall back down - pull and extend while still on your side :51 - push off in extended balance 1:04 - during breath - pull back with the lead hand and recover the trailing hand 1:10 - the hands should meet at the sternum 1:12 - when the hands come together, start drawing the legs 1:18 - initiate and scissor kick while pulling the hand back Watch how long the swimmer glides at this point 1:32 - a resistive position that’s about to become propulsive 1:51 - driving into the line Less is more - ride the line! Sunday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/322-safety-first> :08 - swim with a partner :26 - in the ocean - swim near a guard :38 - watch for warning signs :45 - inspect the bottom for rocks shells or anything that can cut :51 - check the slope - how fast does it fall away :59 - plan your route 1:14 - if heading toward a buoy, are you going to the left or the right? 1:21 - practice buoy turns in your pool 1:25 - weigh down a ball 1:32 - in the beginning of your open water experience - stay close to the shore 1:50 - plan the beginning and end - look for landmarks to sight on 2:05 - have a guide and someone escorting the group in a kayak

May 10, 2022 - Open Water Sighting

May 10, 2022 - Open Water Sighting

Monday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/392-bonus-open-water-sighting> :09 - sight forward, breathe sideways :11 - lead arm extended and the following it around to the breath :13 - turning to breathe protects the mouth :18 - stay down for a couple strokes after the sight to regain balance :28 - mouth not coming out :34 - change in direction - into the current seems like the swimmer is standing still :49 - sight without a breath 1:01 - appearance of speed Tuesday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/315-water-polo-drill> :10 - Eyes and mouth forward :11 - try to keep the head stable :18 - slight offset head to get the air - less stress in open water - not like water polo for sprint freestyle :25 - initial press with the lead arm is down :30 - look at her kick, this is why she was so good. Most people kick more :39 - set a target Holding up fingers in the EP - moving the cones in long course no lane lines :51 - swimming a bit longer head up builds strength in the neck as well :54 - Orientation of the hand - pressing down Wednesday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/314-sighting> :15 - Starting with sighting in the pool with a target :24 - breaststroke :33 - head up breaststroke :44 - eyes up to sight - then turn and breathe Surfing on the lead hand - falling into the breath :54 - exaggerating the UP - the price the body pays 1:05 - eyes only up 1:33 - practice sighting with 25s. Just a couple each length 1:44 - if you’re going 100s or 200s… include a length of sighting 2:00 - aim to the coach 2:15 - the moving target 2:23 - changing directions Thursday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3182-may-10-2021-drill-of-the-week-open-water-sighting> 1:04 - left hand forward sight - breathe to the right 1:08 - Leverage left breathe right 1:13 - only eyes out 1:23 - right hand forward sight - breathe to the right 1:28 - Leverage right breathe right 1:32 - only eyes out 1:45 - high head breathe right 1:48 - oops 1:54 - high sight mouth closed Head back down 1:57 - breathe to the right 2:19 - Austin - leverage right breathe right 2:28 - Darr - no leverage - right arm down - 2:29 - Eyes finally up when arm is halfway through - left arm in recovery 2:31 - falling over to breath Friday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/331-skills-for-open-water-sighting> :13 - left arm leveraging - breathe to the right :18 - left arm leveraging - eyes up mouth under - breathe to the right :33 - slight outward sweep to leverage :46 - picture perfect :57 - picture perfect 1:32 - rotation during sight 2:05 - coming around the buoy and immediately sighting for the next target 2:25 - no set rhythm with sighting - situation dependent 2:27 - when drafting - sight less He’s talking about swimming several hundred meters before sighting - talk about this race - he was so far ahead 2:43 - eyes closed swimming Victory the waiting for 2nd Saturday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/324-practicing-sighting-in-open-water> :13 - heading to the target :21 - know which side of the buoy you need to be on :30 - lead with left arm - double pull with right :38 - don’t swim at the buoy :53 - close to the buoy - sight more 1:25 - leverage left breathe left 1:40 - don’t over correct 2:01 - tread water or breaststroke to really get back on course 2:19 - big chop - sight more 2:23 - sight on the top of the wave 2:29 - sight on the top of the wave Sunday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3314-open-water-breaststroke-sighting> 1:52 - swim 1:56 - head up breaststroke 2:20 - talking 3:42 - swim 3:46 - dive under - extra pull then UP to sight 4:02 - dive under - extra pull then UP to sight. Escape surface tension Been working on 2 strokes of underwater breaststroke at the freestyle speed - 1 high sight then back to freestyle <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/334-skills-for-open-water-reading-the-pack>

Jan 3, 2023 - Hit the January Reset Button

Jan 3, 2023 - Hit the January Reset Button

As you choose your key meets and athletic events for 2023, and set your performance goals, don’t forget to think beyond the numbers, splits, and yardage. This week, we look at how hitting REFRESH on basic swimming technique can speed you toward your goals. Monday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2983-3-point-pop-up> :07 - first.. establish the proper streamline :11 - maintain that body line to the surface :12 - everything rises to the surface at the same time :17 - be patient and ride out the glide :22 - stabilize and stay rigid :25 - feel the pop-up at the surface :41 - when the torso hits, watch the rigidity of the feet :46 - be careful of the stabilizing from the feet Tuesday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1842-martin-liivamagi-freestyle-below-water> :25 - when the slow-mo comes in :28 - initiate first stroke with the right arm :31 - initiate first stroke with the left arm :33 - go to air on the first stroke of the 2nd arm :34 - look at how low the first breath is 1:04 - right arm first stroke 1:08 - breathe on the first stroke of the 2nd arm Wednesday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/308-bilateral-breathing> :09 - showing every 3rd :23 - watch the breath off the wall :38 - watch how early she goes to air :48 - nearly pushing the shoulder out of the way 1:14 - being able to sight to the side to both sides 1:33 - do not breathe INTO the waves 1:47 - do not breathe INTO the chop of another swimmer 2:19 - if you’re not used to it, do some neck stretches 2:39 - late breath to weak side 3:12 - breath variations - 2 one side… then 3… then 2 other side 3:44 - switch sides in the middle 3:58 - every 3 every 1 4:12 - every 3 every 1 Thursday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1008-freestyle-discovering-efficiency-step-2> :10 - Cross body connection kick :40 - more lope type breathing with big kick :50 - a more relaxed 50 getting the stroke count Count was 13-14 - 35 1:27 - 2nd 50 Count was 13-14 - 34 2:02 - 3rd 50 Count was 13-14 - 31 2:36 - 4th 50 Count was 13-14 - 29 2:48 - long wall 3:04 - long finish Friday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2417-freestyle-flip-turn> :06 - tuck the head :11 - point the toes on exit :18 - look how early the eyes go down :20 - palms down :36 - head completely under :50 - swimming through the turn 1:01 - turns onto his back 1:05 - torques the body off the wall 1:12 - TIGHT tuck 1:22 - heals never touch the wall 1:49 - safety first 2:09 - full speed turn Saturday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2682-sideways-open-turn> :19 - straight over :46 - what is the path of the hand? 1:33 - head turned sideways 1:55 - use the head to protect the mouth 2:05 - hand release higher 2:16 - lower head 2:23 - head protects the mouth 2:38 - hand slightly lower 2:51 - head protects the mouth 3:00 - lower hand Sunday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/555-underwater-dolphin-back> :04 - Kaitlyn :06 - look at the head laid back position :09 - look for the max amplitude of the legs :22 - toes always pointed :26 - watch the up and down kick BONUS Tight Tucks: Golomeev <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2272-jump-flip> :15 - slow-mo Berens <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1620-flip-turns-slow-motion> :23 - downward angle of the push Sideways Open Turn: Katsoulis <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1829-sarah-katsoulis-breaststroke-turn> :17 - slightly offset hands :43 - head protects the mouth Almeida <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1253-turns-super-slow-motion> :20 - head protects mouth :21 - hand drag :47 - full turn Up Your Data Game: <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3451-data-testing-underwater-dolphins> 1:59 - breakout 2:52 - breakout Underwater Dolphin: <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1690-turns-learning-the-underwater-dolphin-step-5> :27 - direct line

Freestyle Technique - Kick from the Hip Flexors

Freestyle Technique - Kick from the Hip Flexors

It doesn’t matter whether you use a 2-beat, 4-beat, 6-beat, or even a crossover kick (like I’m using here). The one constant is that you should kick from your hip flexors -- the muscles at the TOP of your legs -- and not from your knees. When I kick, I try to use a whole-leg motion and I try to rotate my hips as I swim. When I’m swimming at aerobic pace, I use a crossover kick. It’s not a typical kick, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, but it works for me because it helps keep my hips up and helps me rotate my hips. Here’s another angle where you can see the crossover kick -- my feet cross over with each stroke. I use this kick when I’m in drafting mode and when I need to maintain proper body position. When I switch gears and go into anaerobic and threshold swimming, my feet go to a normal 6-beat kick, which means that I take three kicks for every armstroke. I train both the crossover and the 6-beat kick in practice. But I make sure that every time I’m swimming at threshold pace or above, I’m using a 6-beat kick. This is how I train for having good closing speed at the end of a race or when I’m trying to break away or respond to a breakaway. In this last clip, I’ll start with a crossover kick and switch to a 6-beat kick in the middle of the length. This is a great drill to help build your kick and to help you learn to switch gears in the middle of a race. Start with whatever kick you use for aerobic swimming, and then switch to a 6-beat kick at the end of the length. One more word about the kick is: Don’t give up. Lots of swimmers get discouraged when they can’t kick fast on a board. Stretching your hip flexors might help, and here’s an example of one exercise you could try. Try kicking from the hip flexors -- from the top of the leg. And use the whole leg instead of kicking just from the knee.

Pace-Line Drafting

Pace-Line Drafting

We’ve all seen how drafting saves energy during a bike race, and it works for swimming, too. If you swim right at the feet of another swimmer, you’ll experience the most draft, and this can save huge amounts of energy in a race. You can also draft off someone by being at their side. If you swim with your arms right at their hip, you’ll get a really nice draft. The downside is that when you swim on someone’s hip, you’re actually slowing them down. The best place to be is directly behind the feet. You’re letting the other person do the work but you’re swimming at the same pace -- with a lot less energy. Swimming this close to someone can be a little scary and takes practice, but it’s worth the effort to learn this skill, and the pool is the perfect place to start. Find four or five swimmers who are roughly the same speed and get in one lane. In a short-course pool, you could do a set of repeat 300s or 400s. These swimmers are in a long-course pool, so they’ve set up a target in the middle of the pool. Push off one or two seconds apart and try to stay right on each other’s feet. One swimmer leads until he reaches the target and then stops to let everyone pass. He moves to the back of the line after everyone has made the turn. The next person leads to the wall, stops while the others make the turn, and then starts swimming at the back of the line. Keep going, nonstop, until everyone has a chance to lead. You’ll get a feel for how much energy you save when you swim right behind someone. And you’ll get comfortable swimming with other people right at your feet -- or right at your side. When you draft at someone’s feet, the etiquette is: Don’t touch the person. If they’re doing all the work, the least you can do is not tap them on the feet every stroke. It’s annoying for them and can slow them down. A good way to swim behind someone without touching them is to widen your hand entry. Make a big “Y” so that your hands go out to the sides of their feet. When you pass someone after you’ve been drafting behind them, it’s smart to go really wide and not right at their side. If you’re too close as you pass, you’ll slow the other person down and then...when you start to pass them, they’ll be slowing you down. Swing wide and you won’t affect each other’s speed.

Skills for Open Water - Starts

Skills for Open Water - Starts

Some open-water races will start from in the water... ...others may start from a pier or from a boat... ...and some will start from the beach or shore. The one thing you can count on is that it will be crowded. There’s going to be flying arms and legs and you may get hit or you may hit someone else. It’s going to happen and it doesn’t mean the other person is mean or doesn’t like you. It’s just racing. At the start -- and even during the swim -- everyone is jockeying around. If you can keep your head and not blow up if you get nudged or pushed around, you’ll be able to hold your ground and protect your space. At a race with lots of people, my advice is to either get out in front (and you have to train for this by training distance and speed)... ...or start in the back or at the side. If you start in the middle and you don’t sprint out front, you can get caught in the pack and you’ll waste a lot of energy fighting for space and maybe getting run over. If you’re doing a run into the water, like in a beach start, it’s important to work on getting your ankles out of the water and swing them outside your knees. The idea is to run over the water instead of through it. Once the water gets too deep, and you can’t get your feet out of the water, then you do dolphin dives. You need to check the bottom before the race to make sure this will be safe (no rocks or glass or anything that could hurt you). If the bottom is solid, it’s usually faster to dolphin dive than it is to run or swim. With dolphin dives, you’re just jumping over the water. It’s a combination of a butterfly armstroke...a forward dive to get your hands on the bottom...and then a breaststroke pulldown until your hands are at your sides. Then you bring up your feet and get ready for another dive. You want to start dolphin diving when the water is above your knees and around your thighs. If waves are coming in, you should start diving through the waves and not try to run through them. In an ocean setting with lots of surf or waves, I try to dive right through the middle of the wave. Once the bottom begins to slope away, you take a last push with your feet and start to swim. If there are still some waves or you’re having trouble with the break, you just try to swim through. In a race that goes parallel to the shore, you want to get out past the break so the waves aren’t crashing into you on every stroke. Even if this takes you a little beyond the most direct line to the next buoy, it’s worth it. Dolphin dives take practice. If you have a shallow pool you can practice them there... ...but most often you just have to get out to a beach or lake and practice. Most of my races are 5K or 10K and these tend to have an in-water start. To train for these at the pool, I like to push off the wall and scull in place for 5 or 10 seconds with my hips near the surface. I add a light kick with my legs behind me and then switch to an all-out kick or swim for a 25 or 50. This takes you from being still… to taking off at race pace. If your game plan is to try to get out in front at the start of a race, you have to train for that opening speed in the pool. One set that I do is rounds of 4-by-100. On the first 100, the first 25 is all-out fast... On the second 100, the first 50 is fast. On the third 100, the first 75 is fast. And on the fourth 100, the whole thing is fast. This is a great set for working on your opening speed.

Dolphin Dives

Dolphin Dives

Dolphin Dives, sometimes called Porpoise Dives, are a fast way to get through shallow water and into deeper water where you can start to swim. To practice these at the pool, you need a zero-entry situation... ...or a shallow end that’s 3 to 5 feet deep. When Sara dolphin dives, she uses the bottom of the pool in two ways. She uses it to propel herself forward with her hands... and uses it to push off with her feet. As she pushes off the bottom with her feet, Sara gets her head between her arms, then arcs up and over the surface, keeping her arms almost in streamline as she aims forward and down. When her hands touch the bottom, Sara uses the flat surface to launch herself forward. It’s as if she was doing a butterfly pull, using the bottom of the pool to give her some extra propulsion. As the hands push back, Sara tucks up her legs and gets ready to push off again with her feet. As the feet push off, the arms swing out of the water and over the surface. It’s as if she was swimming butterfly with her arms, using her feet to help launch the arms out of the water and forward into the next dive. Here’s another view where you can see how Sara uses the bottom to pull herself forward and then uses it as a launching pad to spring up and forward over the water. When done correctly, dolphin dives are faster than swimming or walking through shallow water, and are a good way to start your race if the bottom conditions allow it. Like so many open-water techniques, it’s best to practice this in the controlled environment of a pool before taking it to open water, which is what we’ll do in the next part of this video.