🏊♀️ Three Steps to a Better Freestyle (and Faster Swimming!)
🏊♀️ Three Steps to a Better Freestyle (and Faster Swimming!)
Want a better freestyle? You don’t need a brand-new stroke—you just need to clean up a few key things. Focus on these three steps, and your freestyle will feel smoother, stronger, and faster.
1️⃣ Balance Is Your Superpower
Fast freestyle starts with good balance. When your body is long and level, the water works with you, not against you.
Think about:
Stretching long from fingertips to toes
Keeping your head still, eyes looking down
A relaxed kick that keeps your hips up
If you’re fighting the water, swimming feels hard. When you’re balanced, speed feels easy.
Coach tip: If your legs feel heavy, fix your position first—don’t just kick harder.
2️⃣ Grab the Water Like You Mean It
Your arms don’t move you forward by spinning faster—they move you forward by catching water.
Focus on:
Fingertips entering first
Bending the elbow early
Pulling the water straight back
Imagine your hand and forearm are a paddle. The better the catch, the more power you get every stroke.
Coach tip: You should feel the water on your forearm, not just your hand.
3️⃣ Breathe Both Sides, Stay Balanced
Breathing is part of your stroke, not a break from it—and breathing on both sides helps keep everything even.
Work on:
Turning your head with your body (no lifting!)
Keeping one goggle in the water when you breathe
Practicing breathing left and right
Breathing both sides improves balance, helps your stroke stay straight, and makes you a more complete swimmer.
Coach tip: Even if you race breathing one side, train both sides at practice.
🍍 Final Splash
Better freestyle isn’t about working harder—it’s about swimming smarter. Stay balanced, grab the water, and breathe both sides. Do that consistently, and the speed will show up.
Keep having fun. Keep improving.
See you at the pool.
— Coach Mac
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