In the last session, it was difficult to keep the leading arm from sinking, so Coach Yahcub decided to make us use the pull buoys longer while we work on the right arm stroke with breathing.
Then shortly after, full free style with breathing on the right stroke. I think I got the hang of it now. Thanks to all those hours watching freestyle videos on Youtube. It takes a bit of practice to rotate your head, neck and body so you can get a full breath of air while keeping your balance in the water. It really helps to engage your core as you rotate so I would advise to do core exercises everyday. (A strong core helps a lot with surfing too, because it keeps you balanced on the board. You know, just in case you need more reasons for core exercises).
Anyway, coach told me that I needed to keep my kick at a constant pace. He observed that as I rotate, I kick more frantically. So for a good 30 minutes, I took a paddle board and practiced kicking up and down the pool. Without the armstroke vying for my attention, I was more conscious of the rhythm of my legs. Good for muscle memory training. But gosh, it was so tiring! My legs were screaming for rest and my kicks became less powerful so I had to call it a day.
All in all, very tiring day of swimming. I realize that freestyle is not as easy as it looks and I need to work on a lot of points. But I am quite happy that at least now, I can swim freestyle with better form and timing than before.
