FINS Training

🦦 TECHNIQUE TUESDAY 🦦
*on a Wednesday

This week’s technique theme is KICKING.

You’re going to be working on the action of your lower body during backcrawl (B/C).
Specifically, legs move in a positive alternating leg kick that predominantly originates from the hip with knees slightly bent.
Legs close to the surface, toes pointed and slightly turned inward. There should be a slight splash of the feet as they pass close to each other and a result of the feet pushing against the water.
The leg kick should be continuous.
The kick may be slow and steady, or fast and powerful, dependent on the individual’s preference.
The goal is to maintain a continuous flutter kick, during your swim. By doing so, you will support a higher (i.e. better) body position - therefore, increasing your potential for speed.

Today’s drill is SIT-KICK.

We use a lot of unconventional ways to build leg and kicking strength (e.g. sit-kick) and we’ve really seen how it can contribute to swimming speed - be sure to mix things up:
🏅 kick with a board sometimes and without a board other times
🏅 kick in different positions (e.g. front, side, back etc.)
🏅 kick with a variety of equipment (e.g. snorkel, finz, weights etc.)

Sit-kick is performed with the swimmer’s torso held in a slightly forward-leaning orientation and the legs flutter kicking horizontally so that each leg forms a nominal right-angle with the torso. The right-angle causes the body to have a notable ‘L’ shape. This exercise requires significant abdominal strength.

This is one of many drills we incorporate into our workouts FINS Training.
If you’re interested in swimming and want to:
🏊‍♂️ increase your endurance
🏊‍♀️ improve your technique
🏊‍♂️ boost your speed
Please don’t hesitate to contact us 😊
+447713011759
[email protected]

Daniel Wiffen BHTubs whirlpool bath® Official whirlpool bath UK Spa & Bath Hydropool Hot Tubs and Swim Spas Hydropool Hot Tubs & Swim Spas Ireland Hydropool Sussex Hydropool Surrey Hydropool Oxfordshire Hydropool Hampshire

🕺 FREESTYLE FRIDAY 🕺
*on a Saturday*

Concluding with RECOVERY as this week’s technique theme.

You’re going to be working on the non-propulsive phase of your frontcrawl (F/C).
Specifically, following the hand pushing backwards and outwards towards the hand exit.
The elbow leaving the water first followed by wrist and hand initiates recovery. The arm moves over the water but remains close to the body and head into a controlled hand entry.
The goal is to move your hand and arm to the entry position, as quickly as possible. By doing so, you will reduce a ‘dead-spot’ (i.e. prolonged period of no propulsion) in your stroke - therefore, increasing your potential for speed.

Today’s drill is swimming with DRAG SLEEVES (on hands).

In swimmers, the muscles that externally rotate the shoulder are often weaker than the muscles that internally rotate the shoulder. This makes sense, since the internal rotators are active and are strengthened with virtually every stroke you take. The external rotators, on the other hand, do not get strengthened to the same degree when swimming. This is important because the internal and external rotators form a force couple that helps stabilise the shoulder. Both muscle groups contract to keep the ball-and-socket joint properly aligned. When the normal force balance is upset in the shoulder, the ball no longer stays centred in the socket and the chance of impingement increases. Additionally, the external rotators tend to fatigue more quickly when this strength imbalance exists. Swimmers need to take deliberate steps to strengthen the external rotators to restore a normal strength balance in the shoulder while also building endurance to allow the shoulder to function properly.

Use the black elastic strap of the drag sleeves over your wrists, to ensure it won’t slide down. The water absorbed by drag sleeves will create an additional load during each arm recovery.

We integrate many drills, just like this one, into our program FINS Training.
If you’re thinking of becoming a better swimmer and want sessions which include:
🏊‍♂️ access to your coach
🏊‍♀️ fun & challenging sets
🏊‍♂️ opportunities to learn
🏊‍♀️ discounted private swims
Please get in touch with us 😊
+447713011759
[email protected]

Daniel Wiffen BHTubs whirlpool bath® Official whirlpool bath UK Spa & Bath Hydropool Hot Tubs and Swim Spas Hydropool Hot Tubs & Swim Spas Ireland Hydropool Sussex Hydropool Surrey Hydropool Oxfordshire Hydropool Hampshire ONE Swim Products

🐸 TECHNIQUE TUESDAY 🐸

This week’s technique theme is RECOVERY.

You’re going to be working on the non-propulsive phase of your breaststroke (B/S).
Specifically, following the hands finishing facing each other with the elbows and upper arms squeezed in towards each other.
With no hesitation, the hands and forearms move smoothly and continuously forward into a stretched position as started.
The goal is to move your hands and arms to the extended position, as quickly as possible. By doing so, you will reduce a ‘dead spot’ (i.e. prolonged period of no propulsion) in your stroke - therefore, increasing your potential for speed.

Today’s drill is 3 B/S PULLS: 2 B/F KICK + 1 B/S KICK

A straight elbow through fingertip position should be maintained, and the swimmer should then drive the lower arm (elbow to fingertips) straight forward at or near the surface. As the arms recover, the head maintains a position in line with the back and settles between the arms, ending the stroke cycle in a streamlined position.

3 B/S pulls: 2 B/F kick + 1 B/S kick is performed as full-stroke, with a very slight dolphin kick for the first two pulls and a regular breaststroke kick, for the third pull. The aim is to force the breaststroke recovery to occur more quickly with the two dolphin kicks and then mimic the faster recovering arms movement with a regular breaststroke kick.

This is one of many drills we incorporate into our workouts FINS Training.
If you’re interested in swimming and want to:
🏊‍♂️ increase your endurance
🏊‍♀️ improve your technique
🏊‍♂️ boost your speed
Please don’t hesitate to contact us 😊
+447713011759
[email protected]

Daniel Wiffen BHTubs whirlpool bath® Official whirlpool bath UK Spa & Bath Hydropool Hot Tubs and Swim Spas Hydropool Hot Tubs & Swim Spas Ireland Hydropool Sussex Hydropool Surrey Hydropool Oxfordshire Hydropool Hampshire

🕺 FREESTYLE FRIDAY 🕺
*on a Sunday*

Concluding with END OF STROKE as this week’s technique theme.

You’re going to be working on the final propulsive part of your frontcrawl (F/C).
Specifically, the propulsive phase follows the hand entry; the hand moves slightly out and down to the catch position with the shoulder and elbow higher than the hand position; presses against the water, then pushes backwards and outwards towards the hand exit.
The goal, like butterfly(B/F) is to maintain the length at the end of your stroke (i.e. not finishing early). By doing so, you will keep your lower arm and hand in contact with the water for longer - therefore, increasing your potential for propulsion.

Today’s drill is SUPERMAN CATCH-UP

Superman catch-up involves completing a full-stroke with one arm before beginning the stroke with the second arm. It is one of my favourite drills of all time, and is the best drill in the world for beginners. Good freestyle can be built off this drill for the following reasons:
🏅 it teaches rookies how to kick through the breath
🏅 it helps swimmers ‘square-up’
🏅 it shows them where there best leverage is at the front third of the stroke (i.e. shoulder above elbow, elbow above wrist, wrist above fingers)
🏅 it teaches swimmers how to roll onto the power in the front end of the stroke
🏅 it helps teach swimmers the correct hand positions for taking a breath

We integrate many drills, just like this one, into our program FINS Training.
If you’re thinking of becoming a better swimmer and want sessions which include:
🏊‍♂️ access to your coach
🏊‍♀️ fun & challenging sets
🏊‍♂️ opportunities to learn
🏊‍♀️ discounted private swims
Please get in touch with us 😊
+447713011759
[email protected]

Daniel Wiffen BHTubs whirlpool bath® Official whirlpool bath UK Spa & Bath Hydropool Hot Tubs and Swim Spas Hydropool Hot Tubs & Swim Spas Ireland Hydropool Sussex Hydropool Surrey Hydropool Oxfordshire Hydropool Hampshire