Freestyle Swimming
Most swimmers use the freestyle stroke, in which you alternate between the left and right arms. Think of the hands as paddles. When the fingers are close together, the hand can pull the water more efficiently than when the fingers are spread open. Reach forward with a fully extended arm and use the hand to pull the water behind and beside your hip. As you pull, you will feel the water against the inside of your palm moving behind you, which propels you forward. Once the pulling arm is extended to the level of the upper thigh, it begins the recovery phase and repeats. This pulling action can be challenging for those with weak triceps (muscle on the back of the upper arm) and shoulders. The good news is that this stroke will strengthen them.
To avoid the dry, strawlike effect chlorine can have on your hair, wet your head in the shower before putting on your swim cap. Because hair can only absorb so much water, this prewetting helps the hair resist the chlorine.
When you use the freestyle stroke, your body rolls from side to side, causing a purposeful rotation, allowing the water to slip by. During this rotation, the gluteal muscles (your buttocks) move the center of your mass from side to side. The hips roll to a rhythm. The shoulders and arms are in sync with the hip rhythm and rotation. Good freestylers (and backstrokers) spend little time on their fronts or backs, and a lot of time rotating from side to side.
When you see swimmers splashing vigorously, they probably think their power comes from their kick, but that is not the case. The real purpose of the legs is to help maintain the ideal horizontal body position and to do so by kicking naturally, not forcefully.
You have two choices to make about breathing. You can choose to breathe on the same side each time or to alternate breathing between your left and right sides, called bilateral breathing. For same-side breathing, breathe every two (or other even number of) strokes, and for alternate breathing, breathe every three (or other odd number of) strokes. Most people are used to one-sided breathing and find it awkward to breathe on both sides. The benefits of bilateral breathing are that you can see other swimmers on either side, and that you will strengthen and stretch the muscles on both sides of your neck.
Let's say you decide to breathe only on your right side. As your right hand pulls and slides past your hip, your body rolls to your side so that you are facing the sidewall of the pool. Your head rolls with your body until your mouth clears the water. After you've taken your breath, roll back with your body until your head resumes its normal down position. Slowly release the air simultaneously through your nose and mouth until it is time to breathe again.
Good ol' dog paddling will keep you afloat, but if you watch a dog swim, you will see how quickly he fatigues. And so will you. Learn the other strokes, and leave the paddling to the pooch.
Swimming lengths continuously each time you swim can be boring. Work in some variety with intervals and drills using pull-buoys, paddles, fins, and a kickboard. An example would be to warm up for 5 to 10 minutes by swimming lengths and then vary the intensity level by grouping together numbers of lengths. For example, swim your warm-up and follow it with five sets of 50 meters at a moderate speed. After each set, take a short rest period, say 15 to 30 seconds, before starting the next set. After completing those five sets, you can do a few lengths of stroke and kicking drills. Then return to length swimming in sets of varying numbers. Remember to cool down when you are finished with the intensity part of your swim.
