Tips To Make Your Freestyle Stroke As Efficient As Possible

Smooth Entry

Get a smooth hand entry into the water to start your stroke by holding your hand and wrist in a line and pushing your fingers into the water first. A finger-first entry will avoid splashing with the hand to get a nice free-flowing technique as you push your arm forward into your stroke.

Rotation

Rotate the body to help you reach as far forward with each arm stroke as possible. With a long stroke you will glide through the water more easily and take fewer strokes to cover the same distance. Count your strokes each lap and try to reduce the number even when you’re swimming faster.

Catch & Pull

Your arm and hand are like an oar that pulls a broad across the top of the water. Engage the muscles in your lats and shoulders to pull your oar through the water grabbing as much water as possible with your hand. Push your hand behind you to your hip to generate as much power as you can with each stroke.

Efficient Kick

Kick only adds up to 20% propulsion to your speed, so you don’t tire yourself out by kicking too hard. Get in the habit of kicking with straight legs and only a small bend at your knee so that your hips remain high in the water. This will help your streamline position and won’t fatigue you as quickly.

High Elbow

Keep a high elbow through the recovery of your stroke to reduce the distance your arm travels and avoid excess pressure on the shoulders. Practise coordinating your arms so that one is pulling hard through the water while the other is relaxing through the recovery above the water to give you a nice smooth stroke.