This is my first swim lesson in 2014 and my first after a very long absence. I haven’t been attending since I started my job, so naturally, I have forgotten quite a bit.
Coach Joan and I had lots to review and correct, like my breast stroke breathing timing. I suppose it was frustrating for my coach to have to correct a lot of things again and I promised to myself I won’t be absent again for a long time without practicing on my own.
The most number of corrections I had was with my backstroke. My pull has always been a problem as I have the tendency to pull deeper instead of just near the surface of the water. As a result, I drift towards the lane lines. I’ve been watching Aaron Peirsol videos (tutorial and competition) and he pulls deep. But that’s because he is an Olympian — he is freaking Aaron Piersol. 😀 A deep pull might push you away from the center of the lane but I am sure Aaron compensates for this in some other way, as he keeps to the center all the time.
Photo credit: www.oceana.org
Also, I tend to just kick from the knees instead of using the entire leg, just like in freestyle. I know this will cause problems sooner or later so i really need to work on this.
Then another one is the position of my head. In backstroke, the head has to be completely still and level. You should be able to balance a glass of water on your forehead while swimming. I suppose this gives a new meaning to the term “levelheaded”.
After my backstroke issues have been addressed properly, we moved to advanced freestyle. The emphasis is on the correct arm position in the recovery phase. The arm is bent with the elbow pointing up, instead of just straight (as in beginner’s freestyle). This recovery is gentler on the shoulder and sets you up for a more efficient pull because your arms do not tire so much. I like this better. In fact, I was able to swim the whole length of the pool without feeling stress on my arms. I felt that I could swim for longer periods with less number of strokes simply because it is more efficient.
We covered a lot in today’s lesson and I am really loving my progress. I am becoming a mermaid. :p
