How to Practice Technique in the Pool

Practice Strokes.

If you’re new to swimming, the prospect of learning “technique” can be a bit daunting, particularly if you don’t have the money to afford an instructor. You want to learn how to swim without flailing your arms, but you don’t have the faintest clue about where to start. Fortunately, there are ways to practice technique, provided you already have the basic knowledge and skills to be in the pool solo.

Having a solid understanding of the basic techniques in swimming is fundamental to your success. If all you do is the “dog paddle,” you have plenty to learn.

What are those basic techniques?

They include breathing, how to kick your legs, basic strokes, and the overall timing of your stroke. When you put them together, you’ll find yourself more advanced techniques and strokes that can really get you swimming like a pro.

Let’s look at these basic techniques individually.

-The leg kick.

The leg kick is essential to swimming, as most of your power and propulsion will come from your legs. If you can get a lot of power from your legs, you’ll find it much easier to propel yourself ahead at faster speeds, as well as maintain endurance while you’re practicing your techniques. There are several different styles to leg-kicking, but on a basic level you’ll want to use your legs alternately, kicking back and forth in a scissors motion, in order to tread water or for directional swimming.

-Breathing.

Most breathing is done in tune with basic strokes, and the pattern is simple: inhale when your face flips above water, and exhale underwater. This keeps you breathing steadily even though your face wil be submerged about half of the time during a swimming stroke. If it doesn’t feel like you’re breathing enough doing this, you might want to focus on really exhaling with a blast of bubbles underwater – don’t be timid.

-Basic strokes.

Do a study on some basic strokes like the breast stroke, the back stroke (great for beginners as you’ll keep your face above water), and the front crawl. Don’t attempt these strokes without consulting someone first, especially if you’re new to swimming. A coach or instructor will be able to provide you with feedback to make sure that you’re on the right track.

-Timing.

Once you have all of the above under your skillset, you’ll have to focus on putting it all together. Learn how to leg kick along with your stroke, while utilizing proper breathing to maintain your speed and endurance. The more you’re able to time the motion properly, the better you’ll get, and the more confident you’ll grow.

Photo Credits: bob brussack

Originally posted 2009-04-29 05:54:19.

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