We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Technique tips for freestyle swimming?

2»

Replies

  • violasrbest
    violasrbest Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks Maddy. I am quite unfit at the moment but used to be a fairly strong swimmer, so I'm reasonably comfortable in the water.
  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
    edited July 2017
    I went through a phase of swimming, including open water races a few years ago, and found a structured training plan really helped me to improve, including improvements to my technique through drills like high elbows and catch-ups.
    I used the swim4fitness plan which is free from the Zoggs website. (Disclaimer: Not advertising. Nothing to gain. It's just a free thing that I had a good experience with!)

    I have leg issues, so my kick is always going to be pathetic, but my open water time came down to about 30mins for a mile, which I was pretty pleased with. I was faster in the pool, since you have the walls to push off!

    My gym pool didn't allow fins or paddles, but had kick boards and pull buoys available. I also bought my own combined one for when I travelled.
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
    cs2thecox wrote: »
    and found a structured training plan really helped me to improve, including improvements to my technique through drills like high elbows and catch-ups.
    I used the swim4fitness plan which is free from the Zoggs website. (Disclaimer: Not advertising. Nothing to gain. It's just a free thing that I had a good experience with!)

    My gym pool didn't allow fins or paddles, but had kick boards and pull buoys available. I also bought my own combined one for when I travelled.

    Structured Training Plans are great. I join our Adult Swim Club every fall to get the benefit of the trained swim coach's. I am Surprised they don't allow fins or paddles. Due to size limitations and damaged common pool equipment I purchased all my own gear, fins, paddles, kickboard and pull buoy.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    @cs2thecox -Thanks for the suggestion on the training plan. I will definitely check it out. I seem to have stalled at 850-900m per 30 minutes and I am sure it is all due to technique. I know I need to start doing more drills, so thanks!
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    Great advice in this thread, I swim about 1500 yards in 30 minutes, but only go once a week. Would like to get a little faster. I could swim longer, just have a morning time constraint. I have an open water swim in August, so trying to get in the pool more often.
  • h3hound
    h3hound Posts: 1 Member
    swimming with fins has helped me a great deal. they help strengthen kick muscles around the hip. legs feel much lighter with fins off after a few drills. a good kick keeps my hips up fro a more streamlined position. another thing for me was slow stroke tempo and over gliding. i drill with bi lateral breathing to force me to get around for air every third stroke O_o.

    but really - bottom line is focus on fundamentals with drills and keep at it.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories