SEE and FIX Basics
Bill Moorcroft Swimming
FREESTYLE
STREAMLINE your body – minimize drag | ||
KICKING KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Hip flexion begins the downward drive of the leg (with bent knee) and knee
extension completes the movement Water is pushed backward/downward off an extended foot position Six beat kicking appears to be continuous 2 and 4 beat have slight pause when right/left feet at opposite extreme of motion Regardless of tempo, downbeat of right leg will coincide with finishing movement of right arm stroke |
Knees pump in and out under
body in a ‘bicycling’ fashion |
Kick drills on back should help correct this |
Knees bent on upsweep with
foot lifted right out of the water |
Feel muscles in back of leg keeping it straight as it begins up-
sweep |
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Toes are hooked not pointed,
possible inflexible ankles |
Increase ankle stretch where
possible and point toes |
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Poor kicking strength, tight
ankles |
Use fins to assist kicking (gently)
will also improve ankle flexibility |
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Straight leg down beat | Bend knee down kick (Think of
kicking a ball down to the bottom of the pool) |
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BREATHING KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Turning head to one side to breathe performed with natural roll of trunk
Breathe with little lifting of head to maintain body position |
Turning to breathe too late | Increase body roll, adjust timing to allow full breath |
Putting face in water too early | ||
One side breathing with
uneven body roll |
Increase body roll to non- breathing side | |
Lifting head up to breathe | Side kick drill (fins) head on side
to breathe |
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ARM STROKE KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
As arm is extended forward from the shoulder, elbow higher than hand as
pressure develops on hand – “catch” position. Delay pull to allow stroking in front quadrangle. Hand sweeps down while elbow stays in a high stable position From deepest point hand sweeps inward and upward until upper arm/forearm angle is 90-110 degrees From mid-stroke point – backward and outward sweep of hand with significant acceleration Finishing upsweep of hand completes the pattern with hand past hip as it breaks water surface |
Elbow dropping or slips back
towards body loosing propulsive force |
Maintain high elbow position, consider chicken wings |
Arm swings wide creating
fishtailing, excess drag |
Increase body roll, extend arm
straight ahead. Delay pull. |
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Hand swings high, windmill
style – body forced deeper into water. Less effective catch, hand slap on entry |
Lift elbow bent at 90 degrees
Keep elbow above hand, increase body roll |
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Short arm stroke entry,
especially in sprinting, increasing number of strokes |
Increase body roll with arm
extension concentrate on length of stroke. Glide or catch-up |
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Pulling with bent elbows, but
no curved pathway |
Fully extend arm forward with
body roll, pull back “S” shape |
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Pulling with straight arm. Bobbing action. Less powerful than bent arm | Lift elbow bent at 90 degrees
Keep elbow above hand, increase body roll |
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Hand ‘slips’ across centre
line as swimmer turns to breathe |
Increase body roll with arm extended forward in front of
shoulder |
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Elbow not the hand leading
backward movement of pull |
Increase hand pull “feel” water
pressure pushing back with hand |
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A smooth rolling action of the trunk (about the long axis of the body) of approximately 45 degrees to either
side will assist in positioning the shoulder for both arm recovery and application of propulsive force. Rolling of the trunk also combines with turning the head to facilitate breathing without altering the body’s axis from the horizontal |
BACKSTROKE
KICKING KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Alternating legs: On the upbeat, water pressure is on
the front of the leg, shin and foot On the downbeat, pressure is on the back of the leg Leg bends slightly on upbeat Toes follow through, snapping knee straight Downbeat is with a straight leg Upbeat should be the focus of backstroke kick Toes barely visible above surface |
Knees pump caused by bending
leg on down sweep |
Keep leg straight on down sweep |
Ankles rigid, toes not pointed | Relax ankles and point toes | |
Kick is too deep. This can pull
or drag swimmer’s body deeper into the water |
Incorporate a shallow kick just below the surface with straight
leg on down sweep |
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BREATHING KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Swimmers should be encouraged to breathe with a
regular rhythm – breathe as one arm recovers, blow out as the opposite arm recovers |
Chin on chest, eyes looking towards toes (Head too high) | Keep head flat in water to avoid
legs dropping |
Head too far back – water
covering face to compensate for sinking legs |
Inflate lungs keeping rib cage
high and push hips upward. Increase emphasis upbeat kick |
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Body bends in middle, bottom
drooped |
Poor head position, arch lower back, bellybutton above water | |
Body ‘snakes’ through water,
swinging arms wide on recovery |
Keep head still, correct body
rotation in the longitudinal axis |
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ARM STROKE KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Arm is straight and extended with palm out (little finger entry
behind shoulder), body begins rolling to that side as hand sweeps downwards Downward and outward sweep of hand to catch position Up-sweep of hand with slight in-sweep due to increasing elbow bend until about 90 degrees forearm to upper arm (maximum body roll) Hand accelerates through a down sweep to the top of the hip with forceful downward push to finish stroke Recovery starts with a lift of the shoulder which brings the opposite hand out of the water. Body starts to roll as extended arm reaches back for palm out entry. |
Legs and hips swaying, zig
zagging through water |
Arms should not enter across mid line of body. Too wide low
arm recovery |
Head thrown from side to side.
Not enough body roll |
Exaggerated roll by rotating
almost 90% on entry |
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Loss of direction | Eyes closed – OPEN | |
Head too high, chin on chest | Flutter kick – arms extended over head, crossed, clasped together | |
Bobbing | Straight arm pull | |
Lack propulsion on arm pull | Straight arm pull, wide sweeping pull, short pull | |
Hips and legs too low | Leg action not effective, arch back, lift hips | |
Knees pump, ankles stiff, kick
too deep |
Keep legs straight on the down sweep. Toes not pointed | |
Swimmer rushing the stroke | Lack of control due to weak kick. Use kicking drills with fins | |
Hand thumps or bashes on
entry |
Palm out telling swimmer to
place hand gently on the water not let it fall down |
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Arm propulsion with bent arm pull will give stronger stroke, placing less strain on shoulders. Elbow points downwards at halfway mark. Body has rotated to the side of the pulling arm, bringing stronger muscles
into play. A lack of body rotation will utilise a weaker set of muscles. SHOULDER “POP” drill: Shoulder pops out above water immediately before hand appears to leave water and legs kick more sideways. Shoulder is brought around in an effort to touch chin. This has the effect of turning the body on its side. |
BUTTERFLY
Two kicks for every pull – MEDIUM kick the hands IN
– MAJOR kick the hands OUT |
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KICKING KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Dolphin undulating Movement through lower back is essential
Knees bend slightly on downbeat – as feet follow through the legs snap straight Downbeat forces hips & bottom to pop into the air Lower back arches lifting legs up to surface Toes are pointed inward. Ankles relaxed or floppy |
Toes not pointed | Feet must be turned in |
Knees bend up on upsweep
causing them to drop resulting in too big a kick |
Legs have to be extended. Make sure legs are relaxed on
upsweep. Bend for downbeat. |
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Kick too shallow | Whole body must be undulating | |
Feet not together | Place a band around ankles | |
One kick butterfly | In sweep too short must be
slower and longer |
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BREATHING KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Usually every other stroke
Head lifts forward, push chin forward – after hands come together midway through the pull – Head out hands out – Head in hands in |
Head still down when it should
be lifted |
Head IN, Hands IN. Head OUT, Hands OUT. |
Head late into position | Chin must be tucked in with back
‘rounded’ over water |
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ARM STROKE KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Streamline on entry, ride out the stroke
Forward/Backward – hands enter directly in front of, but slightly wider than, shoulder At catch hands travel outwards, downwards, backwards. Elbows remain high. Upward/Inward – hands change pitch sweeping inwards, upwards, backwards to mid-point of stroke Max elbow bend – hands almost together – transition from pulling to pushing action Downward/Upward – hands push back – downwards, outwards, backwards completing the push through Arm recovery – elbows high but arms swing outwards |
Dropped elbows – decreases
power of stroke |
Swimmer must sweep hands out wide before starting in sweep |
Arms dragged through the
water. Hands not outside elbows |
Lift arms – ensure hands are outside elbows | |
Head too deep | Maintain streamline | |
Hands not to face directly
back |
Hands should be pointed slightly | |
Arms extended too rapidly.
Recovery too high |
Elbows should be extended slowly | |
Arms too wide apart | Try fins with hands entering water just inside the shoulders | |
Two kicks for every pull – kick hands in the water Push-Breathe and down stroke of kick
Breathe every other stroke Breathe lift head, push chin forward Wrists and elbows bent early Hands enter directly in front of shoulders Arm streamlined on entry, ride out the stroke Keyhole pull, create triangle effect Accelerate through end of stroke Relaxed almost – straight arm recovery Head comes out just before arms comes out and head goes in just before arms go in |
Common Butterfly Stroke Mistakes
Gordon Whyte (Warringah Masters)
Phase of the
stroke |
Mistake | Action required |
Entry and
Stretch |
Smashing arms and hands into the water | Enter the water softly with hands facing outwards. |
Starting to push back too early | Wait until they have pushed the body forward with
the downbeat of the first kick before they start to push back |
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Out-sweep | Too much effort into the outward movement of the arms | Allow arms to slide out until they are facing back. |
Push arms down too much, out too little | Maintain high elbows | |
Arms are too straight | Encourage flexing at the elbows | |
In–sweep | Rushing the catch and dropping the elbows | Ensure swimmers slide their hands directly out to a backward facing position at the catch and then
initiate the in-sweep by pressing back, not down |
Arms are too straight at start of catch resulting in a sculling action | The arms should be flexed when the catch is made | |
Not completing the in-sweep | Ensure the hands are very close together under the body (key hole) and not being pushed directly back from the catch | |
Up Sweep | Extend arms too rapidly | Extend elbows slowly and minimally during up
sweep and they should release pressure and begin arm recovery as the hands pass the thighs. |
Recovery | Recover arms too high, with too much
effort and drag them through the water |
Relax the shoulders during this recovery phase and
ensure body is in streamline position |
Kicking | Kicking too deep | Practice kick drills |
Poor ankle flexibility | Commence specific stretching exercises | |
Bend legs during upbeat | Practice kick drills | |
Timing | Kicking too early during recovery | Swimmers should time the first kick so it takes place
just as the hands enter the water and stretch forward. |
Gliding too long after entry | Encourage swimmers not to perform two kicks during this phase. Use drills practice full stroke
swimming. |
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Kicking only once | Swimmers should exaggerate the out-sweep and
in- sweep of their arm stroke to allow enough time to get their legs into position (before their hands leave the water). |
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Body
Position |
Undulate too little or too much | Ensure swimmers don’t shorten the out-sweep.
and don’t kick too deep |
Breathing | Head keep too high and trunk too low | Elevate head & shoulders only as high as necessary
to keeps arms from dragging through the water |
Breathe too early (usually use a glide stoke and take a breath before they
start the out-sweep). |
Swimmers must be taught to keep arms moving forward out after enter and to keep the face in the
water until mid-stroke. |
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Breathe too late (develop a hitch in their stroke) | Don’t keep head down too long after entry
Avoid pushing up too much with arms during upsweep. Avoid turning hands down before leaving the water. |
BREASTSTROKE
KICKING KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Kick can be 50-80% of propulsive force
Heels begin to draw up towards buttocks, toes turned inwards, knees no wider than shoulders Closest to buttocks, feet begin to flex sideways, then become fully flexed Feet wider than knees, begin drive outwards, backwards Midway through propulsive phase, feet at widest point Legs begin squeeze inwards as straighten Cycle completes with feet closed, pointed, streamlined |
Screw kick | Knees rise up together. Also have swimmer do back drills |
No pointing toes, poor ankle
flexion, feet pitched incorrectly |
Coach shows how the stroke is done out of the water | |
Knees too wide | Swimmer to practice having knees no wider than shoulders | |
Pushing thighs downwards
and forward against the water |
Maintain streamline balance | |
Recovery of legs too early –
Recovery of legs too wide apart |
Swimmers should not point their toes back and lift their legs to the
surface until their feet are nearly together |
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BREATHING KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
Slight forward extension of neck as out-sweep of arms
nearly completed Face breaks surface of water during in-sweep, breath taken before head lowered again |
Head lifted as arms out-sweep | Correct timing to breathe on
IN- SWEEP of arms |
Head late into position | Head must be lowered as
IN- SWEEP of arms is ended. Timing is critical to optimal propulsion |
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ARM STROKE KEY POINTS | STROKE FAULTS | FAULT CORRECTIONS |
From streamlined position hands move outward (palms
out and downward) slightly wider than, always forward of, shoulders Elbows begin to flex, forearm/ hand sweeps downwards Hands at widest and deepest point, shoulders begin to lift Hands scull inward and upward, head, shoulders lift Shoulders lift to highest point; hands begin to move forward (close to surface). Heels are at surface, knees bent, feet begin to turn outward Arms extend forward. Ankles dorsi-flexed and knee/hip extension drives feet backwards while rotating inward Hips extend and feet continue to rotate backward and inward Head tilts downward and hips lift as body returns to streamlined position |
Dropped elbows – decreases
power of stroke |
Swimmer must sweep hands out
wide before starting in-sweep |
Arms dragged through the
water. Hands not outside elbows |
Lift arms – ensure hands are
outside elbows |
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Head too deep | Maintain streamline | |
Hands not facing directly back | Hands should be pointed slightly | |
Arms extended too rapidly.
Recovery too high |
Elbows should be extended
slowly |
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Hands pull too wide or too far
back |
No wider than shoulders, not
underneath body |
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Pushing up too much | Push forward rather than upward | |
Head lifts too late or too early | Head lifts on the down and in- sweep | |
Hands stop on the in sweep | Continuous movement | |
Dropping the elbows | Make sure the hands have catch | |
Poor timing, no glide between
kicks |
Stroking too fast | |
Lack of streamlining | Arms and legs must be
recovered in streamlined position |