Swimming 😵💫
Know what we mean?
Swimming often seems like a mystery. More than just fitness - it's technique, skill, and feel.
Sometimes improvement sneaks up after finding a cue that clicks with you - that a-ha moment swimming down the lane where you finally feel it, capture it, and it starts to click again and again.
Here's some of our favorite swim cues:
1️⃣ Belly Button to Spine
Think about pulling your belly button toward your spine. This cue helps engage your core, creating a solid, streamlined body position. A strong core reduces unnecessary movement and supports better rotation.
2️⃣ Swim in a Narrow Tube
Visualize yourself swimming through a narrow tube. You want your hands, hips, and feet all moving within this invisible tunnel. This encourages a clean line through the water, minimizing drag and boosting efficiency.
3️⃣ Swim Downhill
Imagine swimming slightly downhill, with your chest leading forward and hips high. This subtle mental shift helps lift your legs and promotes better body alignment. It discourages dragging your feet and improves balance.
4️⃣ Show Your Armpit
This is a fantastic cue for developing a strong and effective body roll. As you rotate through your stroke, aim to “flash” your armpit toward the ceiling or sky. This ensures you’re fully rotating from the hips and shoulders, not just the arms, engaging more muscles for a powerful pull.
5️⃣ Zip the Core
Pretend there’s a zipper running from your lower abdomen to your sternum - zip it up! This reminds you to activate your entire core during the stroke, creating stability from head to toe. Core control is essential for smooth, powerful, and fatigue-free swimming.
6️⃣ Swim Like a Kayak Paddle
Visualize a double-bladed kayak paddle. One arm drives forward as the other pulls back, with coordinated rotation and core control. This cue helps maintain tension on the water, synchronizing your arms and core, optimizing propulsion and minimizing wasted motion.
These cues aren’t drills - they’re brain-body connections that enhance how you feel the water. Try one, focus on quality over speed, stay patient, and just keep swimming!
✍️ by Coach @liz.waterstraat
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