3 Swim Questions?

Question

When I do butterfly, my arms don't come out of the water all the way, is there any exercises that I can do improve it (in and out of the pool)?

When I start I cross my legs...it's wierd, because in my first year swimming I would kick while in the air (lol) and so I now (to prevent it) cross my legs subconscieously and it slows me down.

Also I am soooooo fricken slow at breast...any ideas?

I've asked my coaches and our "star" butter and breasters, and we've made little progress (I do try, but becasue of florida's weather right now, we've only had 3 practices. which has someting to do with it...its my first time doing these strokes).

thanks a bunch

Answer 1

Practice Practice Prat ice.

Don't cross your legs during fly for any reason. You will get DQed.

To help your arms get out of the water (besides practicing more) you should lift weights. Work on shoulder and arm exercises. Give it time.

Breast stroke is supposed to be slow. If your breast really sucks, then you are probably a flyer.

You sound like a rookie, so just keep on trying, it'll happen. Good luck and keep swimming.

Answer 2

Okay, first lets tackle the fly. DON'T cross your ankles, the drag you are creating by doing it is counter productive. You should be starting out off the wall deep enough not to be air kicking. Your kicks should be small movements encompassing your entire body from the torso down to the toes. Not agressive knee jerks which would result in exagerated and unnecessary kicks. you must master your kicking sequence before you can master the arms, the first kick should begin to occur as your hands are meeting and seperating above your head (in the water) it is an entire body movement like the roll of a gentle wave. The second kick should start as your arms are about to exit the water, that kick is crucial to help give the momentum to get the arms out, up, and over to return to the start. To get the kick mastered and strengthen your arms the only real drills in the water are going to be one arm alternating arms each lap. Also invest in swim fins, the fins make your kick stronger making your arms work less to effectlively acheive the stroke. By doing this, swim your butt off with countless hundreds till your arms are going to drop. Rest a bit, and then try short distances without the fins. This is going to help with your strength. As far as dryland-anything that targets the shoulders and bicepts are going to help. There is a reason any good fly swimmer has bigger shoulders than everyone else.

As for Breast. Some got it, some don't. Technique is the first thing to look at. A good breast swimmer has a very subtle fly kick, not an actual kick as its illegal but you will notice that their butt raises out of the water a tiny bit (like a fly swimmer) as they extend the kick together. Also as the hands "hop" out of the water as they extend forward reducing the amount of "drag". The head drops only as far down in the water is necessary to be legal (about the cap line), and raised only as far as it takes to get a breath. Movements of the head are minimal yet you need to be loose not tensed. This is something that takes lots of practice. Dryland- Anything that works the forearms, shoulders, and legs. Work on your kick, the more power the kick has the faster you will go.

Practice practice practice.

Answer 3

I can't do fly so I'll just answer your second question.

Same as why I do an average freestyle and backstroke but a fast breaststroke. B/c I learnt breaststroke first and it's my primary stroke. I have been swim it for almost 5 years and only doing freestyle for 4yrs.

Okay if you want to go fast in breast then you want to keep your body streamline and point your toes. Try gliding so you won't have to kick that much. Go slowly at first. It's better to have someone to watch you when you're doing it or videotape yourself swimming. I tried that once and really helped.

(read Lissa's post she gives good advices on swimming)

Answer 4

well for the 1st and 3rd question a gd exercise is 2 windmill ur arms 4 halve a minute and 4 breast stroke its naturally a slow but powerful but stretch ur arms out far then stay still 4 about 10secs-20secs then repeat bout 5 times!! it wokrs 4 me

Answer 5

for the butterfly, try mounting surgical tubing with handles on the ends to a wall, and then do the arm movment, it is hard at fist, but it works

Answer 6

I am a swimmer and i have one tip for you. PRACTICE.

you can't get good by talking about it. im am NOT trying to be mean at all. but you can't.
try getting a private type coach if you are serious about swimming!