Tweet Swimming Lessons - Freestyle

Today we are talking about Swimming Lessons. In the future we will bring all swimming methods. Let’s start with most using Swimming method – Freestyle.

Freestyle is a swimming style commonly referred to as the front crawl or sidestroke. It is regularly used in swimming competitions, but there are no real regulations on how it has to be swum. Most swimmers chose to swim front crawl during competitions as it is the fastest technique. For individual freestyle competitions, a swimmer can use any stroke they want. During medley swimming competitions, a swimmer can’t use the breaststroke, butterfly stroke or backstroke.

Freestyle Swimming Techniques: 

1. Leg Kick

The leg kick control the body position in the water, while the arm cycle will move the body forwards. Establishing the correct timing between your legs and arms is vital to perfecting the stroke. The legs kick in a flutter style ideally 5 or 6 times per cycle. During freestyle try to remain horizontal in the water, a very strong kick will keep your legs from sinking behind you. You should only make a small splash with your legs, only slightly breaking the surface of the water.

2. Arm Cycle

The arm cycle consists of Pushing, Pulling and the Recovery. Pulling is the semicircle movement your arms make from the water level to the chest. The arm is kept straight and the hand points towards the body center and downward. As you pull your hands through the water, keep them cupped firmly. Fingers should be held just slightly apart. Pushing is the completion of the pull, the swimmers arm is pulled back up to the waters level. The palm is moved backward through the water underneath the body at the beginning and at the side of the body at the end of the push. The recovery moves the elbow in a semicircle in the swimming direction. The lower arm and the hand are completely relaxed and hang down from the elbow. The recovering hand moves forward, just above the surface of the water. During the recovery the shoulder is moved into the air by twisting the torso. To practice the elbow movements try skimming the water with your fingertips.

3. Breathing

The swimmers whole face is kept down in the water during freestyle swimming. Breathing is done through the mouth by turning the head to the side of a recovering arm at the beginning of the recovery. The head is rotated back at the end of the recovery and points down in the water again. The swimmer breathes out through mouth and nose until the next breath. Try to take a breath every third arm recovery so you will be able to breath from either side.

We will meet again in Swimming Lessons part 02 (The Breaststroke)