As swimmers the common mistakes we make come from simply being human!

Using our limbs with a land mammal brain and trying to overcome the water resistance, in the process we can create….more resistance.

Swimming movements want to result in stable and balanced movement, but for every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.  Which means even your best intentions or misunderstood notions of swimming can lead to the equal and opposite reaction you weren’t necessarily hoping for!

For example; Reaching too far forward with your fingers, can send your finger tips up and raise your arm high in the water, this will act like a brake as you are pushing on the water, rather than letting the water flow over you.  Always think hydrodynamics. If the weight of your lead arm is too high in the water this will unbalance you (visualise a see saw) and send your legs down.  All your leg kick can do for you now is kick to keep your legs up.  A complete waste of energy.  Your legs want to feel near weightless and provide you with forward and rotational leverage. When you are out of balance your surface area from the tip of your fingers to your toes greatly increases your surface area when swimming.  Thats a real drag!

The video demonstrations were made with my coaching colleagues Gill and Dawn at www.trinswimwell.co.uk   As I swam in the current of their endless pool, the instability, resistance and energy waste as I swam with the errors was significant.  When I reverted back to my swimming the feedback from the water and  improvement in speed was stark.  As where the difference in heart beats!  

The changes may not look drastic, the change in swimming was.

These are just an example of some of the common mistakes.  I hope you find them useful. (you might need to turn the volume down)