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.

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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

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

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

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.

Open Water Breaststroke Sighting

Using breaststroke to see where you're going in open water MAY be a little slower, but seeing exactly where to go can make your swim faster by not going off course. You'll feel much safer too!

Go Swim Triathlon Skills

For the final section of the video, Sara will just swim... and you can review how she practices her skills in advance of race day. When you work on technique, remember to slow down so you can focus and learn. Bilateral breathing is the most important skill you can have as a triathlete or open-water swimmer. Use the pool to prepare for deep-water starts... ... and for the unexpected. Use Sara’s trick of Turning at the “T” to get ready for long swims. Enlist your friends so you can learn to stay calm when swimming in a pack. And to practice your drafting technique, both in the pool... ... and in open water. Make sighting a regular part of every practice in the pool. And in open water. Practicing your buoys is something you can do on your own... REFERENCE FINAL CLIP OF 164 WHERE THEY SHOW GOOD TECHNIQUE ... or with a group. REFERENCE 178 OR THEREABOUTS And dolphin dives in the pool... REFERENCE SARA HIGH-STEPPING INTO THE OCEAN AND THEN DIVING INTO THE WAVES ... can prepare you for a fast start on race day. The best way to have a great race is to swim within yourself. If you’ve prepared well, at the pool and in open-water training sessions, your training will be there for you on race day if you just give it a chance. When the gun goes off, think of it as a signal to slow down and breathe rather than a trigger to start racing and building to a state of high anxiety. Swim as calmly as you can to the first buoy, make the turn, and then see how you feel. Pick someone that you might draft behind. You might even be surprised to find that someone is drafting off of YOU. Keep breathing. Keep sighting for the buoys. Match your strokes to the rhythm of the water. Keep swimming within yourself, and before you know it the finish line will be straight ahead. Thanks for joining me! I hope this video has given you the skills and techniques that will make you more confident and comfortable in open water. If you feel confident, you’ll have more fun, and having fun is the ultimate goal of our sport.

Practicing Sighting in Open Water

Once you’re swimming, the key is to stay relaxed and keep pointed in the right direction. If you’re headed to a buoy, decide which side it should be on when you get there and swim around it. If you want the buoy on your left, then keep it lined up with your left shoulder as you sight. If you swim straight at the buoy, you can get into trouble and run into it rather than be in a good position to swim around it. And if you come at the buoy from inside the course, you’ll be forced to make a sharp turn and will waste time. As you head to the buoy, sight as often as necessary to keep a straight line. In calm water, you might be able to take 10 or 20 or more strokes without sighting. Remember the sighting technique you practiced in the pool. Sight forward and then breathe to the side immediately after you sight. Lift your head just slightly to sight the buoy, then swing quickly to the side to breathe. When you lift your head to sight, always have an idea of where you’re going to look for the buoy. If you need to correct your direction to the buoy, don’t over-correct. Make a slight change in your angle and then sight again in a couple of strokes. If you think you’re really off course, there’s nothing wrong with treading water or doing a few strokes of breaststroke until you find the buoy. On a windy day with choppy water and waves, you need to make some changes. You may need to sight on every stroke in order to swim the shortest distance. In choppy water or big waves, try to sight when you’re on top of a wave to get the best view.

Learning Open-Water Skills in a Pool

If you want to compete in open-water, you need to train in open water. But if you live in a cold climate or don’t have nearby options for open-water training, you can practice almost every open-water skill in the pool. In this section, we’ll show you Sara’s favorite drills for working on essential skills such as sighting, drafting, bilateral breathing, side-by-side swimming, and even swimming in dark, murky water.

May 10, 2021 - Drill of the Week - Open-Water Sighting

Glenn gives some options on open-water sighting.

Practicing the Finish

What you do in the last 200 to 300 yards of your swim has a huge impact on how well you will do on the bike and run. Expect to feel weird when you stand up. You may feel lightheaded, your legs may cramp, or your stomach could be upset from drinking strange water. These are normal results of an open-water swim, especially if you’ve been wearing a wetsuit and literally dragging your legs behind you. Sara always makes sure to get her legs moving in the last part of the swim. With a few hundred yards to go, she’ll throw in some extra kick, trying to elevate her heart rate so that she’s ready to go from horizontal to vertical. If the waves are small, Sara swims straight to where her fingers are dragging on the bottom -- whether that’s the beach, the mud, or the shore. She feels it’s much faster to swim into half a foot of water and then stand up. There’s much less chance of feeling unstable or falling over. Take small steps to get your blood flowing and reactivate your legs. Take your time, and you should be feeling recovered and grounded by the time you get to the transition area. When you exit the water, immediately lift your goggles to your forehead so you can see where you’re going. Reach for your zipper cord, and get a head start on stripping off your wetsuit. By the time you reach your bike, you should have your wetsuit down to your waist and all you need to do is strip off the legs. Practice this! And practice doing it as fast as you can. Set up a race situation with your friends to see who can get out of their suit the fastest. This kind of practice is challenging and fun -- a true shakedown run to get you ready for race day. In these next few clips, we’ll see how Sara handles the exit for an ocean swim. In an ocean finish, with waves breaking, it’s important to keep an eye on the waves as you head in. Basically, you want to wait for wave and ride it in to shore. This is much faster and more efficient that trying to swim against the current that’s washing back into the ocean. What’s the best way to practice riding the waves? Body surfing. Take a day off from swimming and go play in the waves, learning just how to catch a wave that will carry you right into shore and drop you at the finish line.

Drills with Young Swimmers

Safety First

Your number one concern is safety. Always swim with a buddy or with a group. Know how many people are in your group, and make sure everyone is wearing a brightly colored cap. If you’re training in the ocean, swim near a lifeguard if possible, and pay attention to any surf warnings and weather alerts they may have posted. It’s always a good idea to ask them about any currents or rip tides that might be present. Look at the bottom to check for shells, mussels, glass, or other objects that would cause pain or injury if you step on them. And check the slope of the bottom. Are there sudden drop-offs... or is it a gradual slope? Next, take a look at where you plan to swim. Decide on the course you will take. If you’re heading for a buoy, should you keep it on your left or your right? Will you need to compensate for a strong wind or current of tide? If you’re part of a team, think about investing in a single buoy that you can bring to your training sessions. Tie it to a big rock or brick and take it out in the water so that people can get comfortable with sighting and turning around the buoy. Stay close to shore, especially if you’re new to open water. Just swim back and forth along the shore instead of swimming way out. Finally, take a look at the shore where you begin your swim and where you will end. Are there landmarks -- such as a tower, large building, or unusual tree -- that you can see clearly from the water that will help you navigate through your swim? To increase your comfort level, it’s nice to have someone -- a friend, coach, or parent -- who can kayak with you when you swim. It’s great exercise for them, and let’s you know there’s help nearby if anything goes wrong.