Streamline – Important for starts and turns on ALL strokes Always try to stay as “skinny” in the water as you can. Like an arrow! Butterfly – Think of going forward, not up and down! Head starts to lift for a breath as the hands pass the belly button and hips. Breathe just as the hands are leaving the water. Tuck your chin into your chest and look down as your hands pass your shoulders on the recovery Recovering your arms with a “pinkie lead” and your palms up allows you to get your arms over the water with ease! Tuck your chin as your hands recover over the surface. Press your chest down and forward as the hands hit and hips rise. Whether you’re breathing or not -‐ Undulation (wave motion of the body) begins with your head and core. 1. Look slightly forward as you pull 2. Tuck your chin slightly as you recover your arms forward Backstroke Rotating from shoulder to shoulder allows for deeper pull, better streamline and stroke length Notice eyes are on the sky, not looking back at feet. Allows for less resistance and better streamline. Arms remain long and straight out of the water on the Recovery, but underwater the power comes from bending the elbow, pointing the fingers out/palm toward feet and throwing the water to your feet. 90 Degrees is the most the elbow should bend. Breaststroke Pull-‐Breathe-‐Kick and LUNGE into your stretch as skinny as you can be! Underwater Pullout – Always think “no resistance streamline”. Notice how he’s shrugged his shoulders up by his ears to make himself skinnier. Also, toes are pointed. This position is after his strong underwater pullout – Only time on Breast that you can pull to legs. This is near the end of his stroke – He is getting ready to squeeze his hands and arms together, preparing for his recovery. He is also starting to recover his legs for the next kick. Head is down, in line with the body, eyes on the bottom = Less Resistance Very important to keep hands strong and firm, in line with elbow to create one large pulling surface. Always think “Skinny” – like an arrow piercing a target! Freestyle “Webbed” fingers means – don’t waste energy squeezing your fingers together in any stroke. Keep them firm and strong and close together, but not squeezed tight. Very Important – Right hand is still in front as the left hand is recovering to the shoulder. A more neutral spine (eyes looking more down than forward) allows for better rotation, longer stroke and higher hips = less resistance! Like Backstroke, Freestyle is swum from shoulder to shoulder. Rotation is extremely important in these two strokes! Rotate the head and body together! Too hard to turn to the side for a breath when lying flat on the water. Speed is important on all turns. ALWAYS practice turns at Race-‐Pace Notice – seated position at wall = more power and control off the wall. She is on her back, slightly toward her side when her feet hit. Her hands are above her head, already starting to streamline! Palm is pointing down! Hand is relaxed, but firm! Think “Great Steamline and Skinny” on all dives! Notice – the head is down, eyes on the bottom. Elbow points Up and Out! In all strokes, the elbow must be high to “Hold the Water”. Otherwise we “drop our elbows” and “slip”. Yuck!