Freestyle stroke – timing and rotation

I’ve had some good swims lately. I’ve been working for a very long time on getting my stroke timing just right and also getting the hip rotation to work toward forward momentum. I finally felt it today. This post is kind of random, but here it is anyway….hope it makes some sense.

Rotation: It just recently occurred to me to compare the rotation of your torso to a corkscrew, not a rolling pin. The rotation should be giving forward momentum and power to the thrust of one hand as it plunges into the water (like a spear), and the pulling back of the other hand (like a paddle). The torso twists like a corkscrew, supplying forward momentum.

Timing: the thrust of the forward hand into water must coincide with the pull of your other arm as it pull the water. If there is any pause in your stroke at all (to get timing right), it should be with your forward hand extended (gliding) and your recovery (backward hand) up near your ear. While your recovery hand is up near your ear ready to enter the water, that is when you get the other arm in the “catch” position for pulling. When the timing is just right, you thrust 1 arm forward into the water, pull the other arm as if it were a paddle using the twist of your torso for power. (and visualizing the corkscrew)

The coach in the YouTube video below talks proper positioning of arms and elbows during each phase of the freestyle stroke (be patient and watch the whole thing as he says some good stuff later on).
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViJPGu2wFXg]

My belief is that Total Immersion swimming, with all it’s drill work, is great. However, I never achieved the breakthrough increase in speed that Terry Laughlin promises will come with good balance in the water. I think balance is just one component. Timing is another. Then there is Power (I’m still trying to figure that one out).

I’ll wrap this post up with an interesting quote from Swimming and Momentum PDF document from Marc Evan’s Coaching:

I’ve come to learn balance and many drills are not the solution for improved swimming. Rather it’s the symmetry of the hand, arm, shoulder and timing mechanics are principally far more important. Balance and swimming related drills together with the techniques described here perhaps, are a better way to achieve more efficient swimming. And surely balance plays a part, an important one, but not the most important.