Core

lorrpb

Do you have any tips or drills on how I can keep my core tighter? I'm bending too much in the middle.. It's hard to consciously think about it ALL the time because there are many other aspects of my stroke I'm trying to focus on too. It's a problem in all my strokes but if you need to choose one, use Front crawl. I do dryland strength training 3x week which includes core work and I can plank for at least a couple of minutes.

beerfoamy

hmmm, I saw a tip online somewhere that said to imagine you were holding a coin between your butt cheeks while kicking in front crawl. I can feel the difference when I remember to focus - usually in a long swim when my lower back starts aching lol.

fishgutzy

For me, I didn't realize it at the time, but using zip fins as i built upper body endurance also built my core strength and planarized my form.
When I finally thought I was ready to wean off the fins to just kick drills, my legs and butt stayed up.

lorrpb

fishgutzy wrote: »

For me, I didn't realize it at the time, but using zip fins as i built upper body endurance also built my core strength and planarized my form.
When I finally thought I was ready to wean off the fins to just kick drills, my legs and butt stayed up.

Are the zip fins the same as regular pool fins?

girlwithcurls2

fishgutzy wrote: »

For me, I didn't realize it at the time, but using zip fins as i built upper body endurance also built my core strength and planarized my form.
When I finally thought I was ready to wean off the fins to just kick drills, my legs and butt stayed up.

^ As they say on mfp, "So much this."
I bought the zip fins at gutzy's recommendation. They're shorter than the ones the pool lets you borrow. (Someone at the pool said to me, "Oh, you have racing fins!") I do a middle set of 15 laps of superman drill with fins on, and it's helped me so much. I used to think that fins weren't really the same amount of work as swimming without them because I go so much faster, but holy heck, it's still work. And, lo and behold, fins are heavy! My legs get tired from wearing them. But they have done wonders for keeping me positioned correctly. Right after doing those 15 laps, I go into my last 15 of 25kick, 50crawl, 25kick, and I always notice how much smoother I am in the water after using the fins. It's beginning to transfer to my warm up laps too.