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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.

Freestyle - Open-Water Breathing

Freestyle - Open-Water Breathing

With summer and the open-water season fast approaching, here's a quick technique to help you get air in the chop, while not causing you any extra effort. Why Do It: When swimming in open water, there are a few ways to get air.... You can lift your head higher in the water as you site. You can lift your head higher when you breathe -- like an out-of-balance breath, Or you can rotate your body and head more so you're looking directly up. The idea is to make sure your mouth is above water when you start to inhale, while not creating too much extra work when you do this. How to Do It: 1. Start by getting a feel for where you want to be during the breath. To do this, practice balanced kicking on your side, face up. Notice that in order to remain balanced in this position, your head and body spin farther than usual. The good news is that it's easy to kick in this position. 2. Now swim freestyle, pausing for only 3 breaths in your balanced kicking position. Pausing for a few breaths here confirms that you're still balanced, moving forward, and getting air. 3. Take out the pause, but continue to over-rotate just a bit, so that your eyes and mouth are pointing skyward. How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points): Make sure you practice this to both sides, and one trick is to look behind you just a bit during the breath. When you rotate this far to air, try to keep your rhythm consistent. To do this, try leading to air with your head, almost having it push your shoulder out of the way.

Back Home Base with Propulsion

Back Home Base with Propulsion

Transcript: modifying a technique that we just showed the full rotation, it reminds me of, I had I had a student recently that was doing a big swim a big open water swim is the first time you've ever done an open water swim. It's pretty scary swim actually, out in San Francisco, from a prison. So this was his first swim that he had ever done in open water. So about two weeks before the event he came in, and he said, very, very tentative, very, very nervous and scared, because he was having a hard time getting to air and then, you know, kind of regaining his focus. So there was some, there was some panic that was going on. So the drill that we just showed with the full rotation, so if you haven't seen, I'll try to link to it. So you're going to go to full rotation. And then on your back, you're going to do a flutter kick with a half skull, it's almost like an elementary backstroke. And his fear in in going to the back his fear of rotation, was that the current would then move him too much out of out of line. And so what we're going to see here is that I'm going to go to moderate speed. So the waters not gonna be set really fast, kind of like what you would want if you're doing a long open water swim. And I'm gonna take a couple regular breaths. But then if, you know, I'm going to simulate that, if I was in a situation where I needed to catch my breath, I needed to, you know, regain my composure, like go all the way over to my back, and we'll see it from the camera above, I'm going to do an elementary backstroke, we're not going to incorporate breaststroke kick into this, that would be cheating for me because we have a good breaststroke kick. But not everybody can do that. So we're going to incorporate flutter kick with a half recovery backstroke. And you'll see that I can pretty much stay in the same place, I don't go much slower, I'll have to force a little bit in here, but you still have forward momentum, you still have forward progress being done. And so you can take a break, you can relax, you can chill out for a little bit, look around you see the sights you know, make the swim enjoyable, but still regaining your composure so that's gonna be the big thing here. So here we go. Show the actual movement more slowly swing the waters a little calmer. As with everything in our sport, when you're setting up a propulsive move, you want to think about minimizing the resistance to get to that point. So the hands were brought up inside the elbows, and then sweep out. So make sure you're not trying to bring everything up too wide, because that will create too much resistance. So it actually doesn't take much force on the hands. When you're pushing them down. It doesn't take much force to keep things moving. So he saw, I lifted my head at one point. Again, just looking around. So like if you're if you're swimming away from an island, and you want to make sure that you're in line. You're looking ahead, obviously you're citing but when you turn around, you can actually see behind you to make sure that you're going directly away from the starting point that you were at. So there's a lot of advantages to going all the way over on your back. And one is again Take a break regain composure get yourself feeling safe and and then get back to back to the swim or just stay there for the rest of the time whatever works

Freestyle - Drafting in A Pool

Freestyle - Drafting in A Pool

So the winter is upon us and it's time to go indoors to practice swimming. How does a good open water swimmer or triathlete learn effective skills indoors? Why Do It: Learning how to draft in a pool allows you to really feel the benefits of drafting, as well as locating that perfect spot for your body to be in. How to Do It: 1. You'll need some friends to swim with, and typically partner with people who are about the same speed as you. 2. We'll show some variations of hip-drafting techniques. First, the chevron. The lead swimmer is in the middle, and the drafters will be located on either side trying to stay at the hips of the lead. 3. Next we'll try the wedge. The lead swimmer will be the fartherst to one side, with each swimmer lined up next to each other at the hips... each just a bit behind the other. 4. Now try the line. One swimmer directly behind the other swimmer, in a line. Try to stay as close to the swimmer in front, without hitting the feet. It's good to stay close, but bad to make the swmimer in front of you mad. How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points): Try passing to help incorporate more training into this practice. Start with one swimmer at the hips, and then sweep out, and accelerate past the lead swimmer. The swimmer being passed should then locate him/herself next to the passer, and draft off of them. To better illustrate race-type situations, have all the swimmers leave at the same time in a cramped-lane challenge. This simulated mass start can teach how to stay narrow and get swimmers used to these somewhat awkward and scary situations. To build team bonding, have your entire team, like these swimmers at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center show. It's enjoyable, and will have everyone in the group feeling like a part of the team.

Skills for Open Water - Finishes

Skills for Open Water - Finishes

There are two types of finishes in open water. One is a beach finish where you have to run out... ...and the other is an in-water finish. Usually you’ll have a platform you have to reach up and touch. The constant for both of these finishes is to make sure you know where the finish is and that you hold your line and swim the shortest distance possible. For a beach finish, you also need to know when you can start to dolphin dive...and when you can stand up and run. Always scope out the finish in advance -- either the day before the race or during warmups. Know what you’re looking for --maybe balloons or a platform or some kind of an arch -- and then look for something behind it. This could be a building or a tower or an unusual tree. Get a picture in your mind of how the finish and the landmark will look when you’re out in the water several hundred meters away. And then on race day...make sure you swim or run straight into the finish. Swim the shortest distance possible. You can also ride the waves into the finish. Open-water swimming is all about taking advantage of drafting and other conditions, so if there are waves coming in – USE THEM. You can be in 3rd, 4th, or 5th place as you come to the finish…and if you can catch a wave you can pass everybody. Riding the waves takes some practice, but you basically want to take a breath and sneak a look back. Then get into a tight streamline just in front of the wave and hold your streamline as the wave carries you in. Then you can pop up and start running up to the beach to the finish.

Skills for Open Water - Drafting

Skills for Open Water - Drafting

The most important thing to know about drafting is that you definitely want to do it. If you can stay right behind another swimmer, you’re using about 30% less energy than when you’re swimming on your own, and that can be a huge advantage in a long race or in a triathlon. You get the most powerful draft when you’re directly behind another swimmer...and the best place to be is right on their feet. The farther back you are, the less draft you’ll get, but if you’re directly behind someone, you can feel the effect from up to 10 meters away. When I’m drafting right at someone’s feet, I try to keep my stroke the same as in the pool -- nice and long. I don’t try to avoid their feet, but sometimes I’ll send my hand a little to the side so I’m not constantly hitting them. When I’m drafting, and if I trust the person in front of me and know he’s sighting, I’m not going to sight. I want to keep a normal stroke with normal breathing, and not waste energy by lifting my eyes. When it’s time to make a move and pass someone, you’ve got to go with it and go all the way through. It takes energy to pass someone, so if you’re going to use energy, you want it to equal results. You want to make sure you complete the pass. You don’t want to go half way and then think, nah...I’ll just drop back. When you pass, you want to put a couple of feet between you and the other swimmer. As you pass, you’ll still get some drafting effect when you’re at their knees. But when you get to their hip, you’re no longer drafting and you’re actually slowing each other down. The worst place to swim is right at someone’s hip. So when you pass, go a little bit wide and make sure you get past them. If you don’t, you’re better off getting behind them so you get the draft. The best place to practice drafting is in open water. But if you have a 50-meter pool, you can practice leap-frog swimming. Several people swim in one lane and the person in the back sprints up to the front. Do one length at a time and take turns being at the back.

Skills for Open Water - Turns

Skills for Open Water - Turns

Turns are a great time to make a move, push your pace, and try to break away from the pack. But there’s more to working the turn than simply getting around the buoy. To set up a great turn, you need to start far in advance -- sometimes as much as five hundred to a thousand meters from the buoy. The key is to set up your position so you have the inside track. Sometimes this isn’t possible, but if you can position yourself on the inside edge of the pack, and then hold that position and not get push around by other swimmers, you’ll swim less yardage and gain valuable seconds over the rest of the pack. In a race, I swim right at the buoy, while at the same time I’m trying to be on the inside edge of the pack. As I come to the buoy -- and let’s say I have to turn on my right shoulder -- I try to hit the buoy with my right shoulder. Then, I leave my right arm extended and take a couple of strokes with my left arm. I swim only with my left arm as I’m turning to my right side. I can’t swim with my right arm because it’s literally right ON the buoy. If I have to turn on my left shoulder, I hit the buoy with my left shoulder, leave my left arm extended, and swim only with my right arm. Sometimes, you can even try to dive under the buoy a little bit. As long as you turn on the correct side of the buoy, you’re OK. If you’re not on the inside edge, you should still single-arm the turn. And you should still try to get really close to the buoy. This gets physical, and you have to keep your bearings because you don’t want to get hit. For a fast turn, it’s important to swim through the turn. Keep swimming. Once your shoulder hits the buoy, start swimming immediately with one arm and then start swimming with both arms as soon as you make the turn. You want to start swimming a normal stroke as soon as possible. Some swimmers take it kind of easy around the turn. They pause and don’t continue their stroke. If you have a small buoy and something to anchor it with, you can practice turns in a pool or in open water. Start by going single file, getting your shoulder right on the buoy and swimming with one arm around the turn. Then go two at a time, with each swimmer learning how to battle for the inside position. Swim through the turn and keep going. Then try it with four or more swimmers approaching the buoy as a pack. This can be a lot of fun and will build your confidence and skill for an actual race.