Freestyle Masterclass - Breathing, Kicking, Recovery & Propulsion

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Freestyle Masterclass - Breathing, Kicking, Recovery & Propulsion

Written by Suzanne Atkinson Sunday, 04 December 2011 01:13

For the first time, Steel City Endurance is offering a Total Immersion Freestyle Masterclass. What is it and how can you benefit?

The Total Immersion basic techniques are great for helping many people, adult learners in particular, develop comfort and ease with freestyle. But there comes a point when you can swim long, and maybe even swim fast...but those pesky details of comforatble breathing, a well co-ordinated two beat kick, and shoulder friendly recovery & propulsion still seem to elude you. Total Immersion's approach to these vital components of faster, more comfortable swimming continue to build on balance & streamlining, while going beyond the "youtube" videos and self-coaching material.

In the freestyle masterclass we will dedicate 1 class each week to each of these four advanced skills. We recommned that you sign up for all four sessions as mastery of each one will help you create a complete freestyle stroke suited to your unique body & fitness. Each session will include appropriate dry-land & in-the-water drills, rehearsals, whole stroke swimming thoughts and integration into practice design. A tempo trainer is suggested, but not required. Can be purchsed after checkout from Steel City's website.

Week 1: Effortless Breathing

Breathing is important for the obvious reasons, but many struggle with proper breathing mechanics, timing and in particular technique. Keeping the head low and breathing into your bow wave sounds simple, but execution eludes many. This class will include drills and whole stroke thoughts to fine tune your breathing until it's as smooth, streamlined and sublimeas your non-breathing strokes

Week 2: Energy saving 2 Beat Kick

A functional kick that also saves energy seems like a paradox to many triathletes, but by takign advantage of the forces availabe to you, namely gravity and body roll, a well-timed 2 beat kick can aid in streamlining, body rotation and energy saving propulsion. Examine the beautiful 2 beat kick of long distance world record holder Sun Yang in the 1500m World Championship event in Shanghai from 2011: This week's class will include both dryland and inwater exercises & drills to help you tune into the coordination needed to learn this kick and maximize it's effectiveness while saving energy for the bike & the run.

Week 3: Elegant Recovery Stroke to save the shoulders

The first place speed is built into the freestyle stroke is with a brisker recovery while maintaining traction in the stroking arm. Unfortunately the recovery of the arm over the water can make or break your ability to progress beyond basic balance & streamlining. Most Americans have week, tight upper back muscles that restrict the movement of the shoulder blade and inhibit the recovery arm causing hesitations and sinking in the stroke. This class will focus on learning to relax and activate the upper back muscles in the proper way, protect the shoulder joint & rotator cuff, and get your recovery arm under control with a high elbow that suits your personal physical build & flexibility.

Week 4: Effective Propulsion for creating power

While many wish to start here, an effective propulsive stroke is best saved to last, since adding power to the stroke is the most expesive way to get faster. Until drag, streamling, balance and breathing are all developed, additions to power simply leak out through inefficiencies in the stroke. In this class we will work on developing your kinesthetic, tactile & proprioceptive response to pressure in the water in order to help you move through the water, instead of just moving water around. Direct forces behind you in a biomechanically friendly fashion and save your rotator cuffs!