First comment on RU-vid ever. I'm a relatively new triathlete and had sinky legs. 2 hour run, got it. 100m swim...heart rate 180. Fastest 100m was 2:08. Did literally ten minutes of drills from the things in this video; chest up, belly in, fewer kicks timed with the catch and my first 100m after was 1:44. That's 24 seconds in one session. Faster, easier, and HR was at least 30 beats lower. Revelation. THANK YOU!!
Exhaling through my nose has made a big difference! Thanks, I was tired after 15 meters originally. I can now complete the 25 meter length of the pool and I'm not exhausted. Getting easier every time I'm in the pool. Awesome videos, thanks very much! Cheers
I rarely comment on RU-vid videos, but I would like to thank you for your swimming tips. 2 weeks ago, I was struggling to swim more than 50 metres freestyle because I was getting out of breath. Yesterday, I comfortably swam 100m in under 2 minutes. Your technique made a huge difference in how relaxed and enjoyable my stroke has become. Cheers mate.
Your suggestions help me a ton!!! Before I can only swim 25m, at the end of it, my heart was racing and my body was working hard to get air. Your video makes me realize that I have been kicking too hard. The moment I slow down in my kicking, I can swim further as I'm able to keep my heart rate low. I also constantly tell myself to relax. Today, I was able to swim 100m for the first time! That's a huge improvement in just one week!!! Thank you so much!
That is so nice to hear! I am a new swimmer myself and I do struggle. The max I can do is 2 laps of 25 then I got to stop. I see your comment was about 1 year ago. I am curious to learn about your progress if you don't mind. Cheers
@@nathaliamedina5470 I switched over to use breast stroke instead of freestyle. Then, I can swim forever. It's a slower stroke, but that's okay with me. Good job in learning such an important life skill! Keep up the god work!
I just started freestyle .. it’s is a progression for me.. After learning how to properly breathe with my fins on, then w/o my fins learning how to keep my legs from dropping, then 15 meters, now at 25 meters..focusing many aspects of the high elbow stroke( my head, fingers first, the catch and pull) . So I’m sticking with it and am always excited I’ve gotten as far as I have. Yes, at first I was exhausted after the first weeks of finishing a 25 meter lap, but each day I’m less tired… more energized because of it being easier….I’m recently retired, 69 years old, and would love to show my 3 grandchildren not to fear the pool . Hang in there.. enjoy your progress!😉
I’m also exhausted after 25 meters BUT I’ve only had 2 lessons and I’m working on remembering technique , breathing etc, etc , determined to put it all together in time.
I started triathlon 5months ago I have no coach but I always listen to this and Im improving 🤙🏼 first tri I joined swim was 32mins and then next was 30 and then 29 and my last was 27mins I manage to join 4 triathlon. Thanks to you 🤙🏼
This was so well put together. I am a runner trying to get over an injury so have decided to take up swimming in the view of possibly doing a triathlon. I can swim but have never learnt any technique whatsoever. When I freestyle in the pool I get overtaken by 80-year-old women doing breaststroke! The positive side is I burn a lot of calories and gain fitness! Thank you very much I'm going to subscribe to your channel.
I struggle with the turn of the head in the water/air intake because a mouthful of water does have you coughing a lot. Think i have a reasonable streamline/posture in the water. 3'00"/100m roughly 1700+ meters 3 times a week. getting very close to continuously swimming for 50 minutes. The more tips we all watch/learn the better we all will become.
former swimmer here. I used to be in varsity, but we weren't taught these cutting edge techniques. So all my movements are power-based old school technique. I have so many questions: 1. [Overkicking] What's two beat? 2. [Balance] How do I know when my hip is dropping?
Incredibly helpful! Went from 150m max without stopping after a few weeks of training before this video. First training session after watching I was able to increase to 300m. Rested over the weekend and was able to follow it up with 1000m no stopping max!(probably could have even done a few more). Once I started to relax in the water and just focus on the techniques you shared, I got a rhythm with my stroke and breathing it became effortless!
Dude. What a find. You explain things in a way i have not heard. I've only been swimming since September 2021 and have really been struggling. A lot of what you said adds up. Going to try and implement some of these... if i can remember them all while in the water.
notes for myself (Ignore): Don't overkick Good posture, tall proud posture, chest out, belly in, activated glutes, Lean on your chest, press into the water, only crown of head above the water
Thanks for the video, it really helped me! For future videos, I would like to see more of someone swimming with you speaking over the footage as I feel like that would help much more to understand the movements.
This video helped me do my first 500m breast stroke non stop. before I saw this I was only able to go 50-100m before needing a rest. thanks for the help!
Brilliant presentation......even the accompanying ads are health related and excellent products...I tip my hat to you and will incorporate these lessons
I've seen on other channel videos (where they've analysed some elite swimmers smooth swimming footage) that they're doing the catch and kick on opposite sides, rather than the same side. What's the rationale behind having left side catch and left side kick together vs alternate sides? (Thanks.. great content)
I get tired after 15-20m. If you think that's bad I struggled after 5 metres initially..I'm slowly making progress. I know one day my swimming should not be that much more difficult than a casual walk.
I started swimming again after about 20 years. I am 66 and in decent shape. I am using swimming to improve my golf game. I never knew hips played an important role(no pun intended) in swimming until catching your videos. It is amazing how much you use you entire body which to the none swimmer is somewhat counter-intuitive. However, I am really focused on my heart rate. I am not exhausted after 25 or 50 meters but I stop to check my heart rate and it is between 110-130. I am trying to get my heart rate down to 100-110. I am in America but like the way you explain the technique. I want to keep my HR in the ZONE for 65% of my swim. I have only been back for 2 weeks. How many folks my age do you work with? Who am I going to get to video tape me?
It's mostly about keeping streamlined and less panic. Just relax and breathe!! I learned to swim at 30. Now at 37 I swim good. Make use of salt water rockpools if there are any. Saltwater pool much easier to float and less effort so you can focus on your breathing, stroke,etc. Swimming pool water feels much heavier as a learner!
Hi there. 1st thing:Thank you for posting these videos for free. Much appreciated. 2nd: am still trying to not be tired after 50 or 100m. I use a 2 beat kick, breath bilaterally every 3 strokes, and avg 200 or 215 per 100. 1 spend 3 to 4 hrs a week on swimming since december. But my technique seems to break down when I try more than 100m non-stop. Or if I try to go faster. I am hoping that some of your tips will help. I love the section of this vid with the chap with that 2 beat kick. What I aspire to. :)
I didn't know that one should blow out through the nose rather than the mouth when swimming, i'll have to try that next time i'm in the pool. Thanks for the advice. It's surprising how many small technique adjustments are required for the perfect stroke and flip turn. My flip turn was kind of incorrect, and i didn't kno it until i saw it on another video where it explained the technique.
Newbie here trying to learn to swim. I'm terrible at the moment. Taking loads of water in through the nose no matter what I do. I have a plug thing today to try. Thanks for this video, looking forward to trying your advice today in the water.
I used to get super panicky and struggle to swim 50m heart rate sky high. I now kick 10x less and slow my arm stroke and make sure my head is down, now my recent pb is 1500m no breaks average 2min per 100m (yes its slow but my goal is distance!!)
Too much exhaling through mouth; no overkicking; poor balance (posture); assertive approach to starting catch position; catch mechanics; keeping body and head low. Thanks for input.
Excellent video, I changed my movements, I used to swim 400yards in 10 minutes and 50sec, right after I changed my movements I made it to 9mins and 40sec
Seriously good video, I'll give it a try asap, not expecting miracles but hopefully little things will make enough of a difference to a leg sinker. Thanks mate.
I’m considering joining the navy seals a year from now and I only know the very basics of swimming. My endurance is shit, and entry requirements include swimming a combat side stroke for 500m in 8-10 mins. I’m hitting the ground running though, because I’ll need to go above and beyond what’s demanded
CSS seems like a fine wine type of stroke. Have you begun to master it? For my job freestyle is allowed but honestly I want to perfect the side stroke. Seems so efficient when you see someone who mastered it.
@@Tsunomato I’ve maintained consistent training, although I no longer want to be a SEAL. I dropped the idea of military altogether for a while until later reconsidering a non-SF route. I settled on the airforce due to career prospects, only to find out, week before my graduation, that I’m ineligible for military due to medications I’ve taken in the past. The only way to qualify for a waver is to be off meds for a period of something like 15-24 months. I have no idea if I still wanna do military, but I am off the meds. If, in two years college isn’t working out, I’ll give AF a shot.
@@fukusamon4277 nothing happened. I’m actually back to training to be a SEAL, but what I said before is still true, that I can’t even attempt to qualify for at least a year. It has nothing to do with what is demanded. I’ll always try to go above and beyond what’s demanded, but that doesn’t mean I’ll always have the same exact goals.
Very knowledgable coach, explains what to do and details why you do it, this guy really knows his stuff and explains it very well, a professional at work.
My main problem is on breathing. I have got a video on breathing from this channel which shows 3 stages of breathing process : 1. Inhale 2. Slow release 3. Fast release I will learn how to do stage 2 and 3.
I'm beginner. I learned swimming 2months ago. Now I only can reach 15m and I'm exhausted. Yep! I think I did over kick cos I felt burning on thighs. I'll continue practice next year 😁
I'm pretty sure I'm doing all of these incorrectly, haha. I'm training for a triathlon and I can do breaststroke forever with a low heart rate. But, it'll take twice as long as the fast swimmers. And if I try 100m freestyle? My butt gets kicked and heart rate is through the roof. I'll be trying all of this in my workout today and be more focused on form rather than speed. Thanks for the tips.
Great video , thanks - have subscribed. My observation is around breathing. As someone who, while generally fit and healthy, got out of breath after 25m freestyle it was a revelation to be told at some swimming lessons to actually breathe! Sounded a little crazy at first but discovered that I was not alone in holding on to the in breath - either by exhaling too slowly or/and very intermittently, even holding the breath completely sometimes. It took much concentration, effort and many drills to get used to exhaling through the nose consistently and feeling the lungs empty rather than constantly rushing to inhale with lungs that are already half full. Was also told that not exhaling enough could lead to too much CO2 retention which can cause other problems? Also, I have horribly sinking legs and thanks for all the tips which I'll have a go at. I once heard that another consequence of not exhaling enough could lead to too much buoyancy in the upper body. Would be interested to hear whether you think that's a big issue or just something at the margin.
Excess CO2 leads to headaches, muscle pain, etc. It's just not good you really gotta practice and work on finding out how fast you should exhale. The type of stroke and distance also play a role in that as well. Also there isn't really such a thing as too much buoyancy you want to be as on top as possible so that you don't have to work as hard on recovery and don't have to kick as much.
I am a pretty good swimmer but i have a problem with the breathing. I really want to learn how to breathe from the side on the stroke but Every-time i try i get water in my nose.. i do also hold my breath and feel so exhausted after a short distance. I really wish i had someone to actually teach me physically. so i take a breath and as im swimming i slowly breathe out through my nose in the water? Then on the stroke i am supposed to take another ? Is that right.
I am at a point where I swim arrow freestyle for about 200m without stopping with no problems and my technique feels relatively smooth and relaxed but after that I unintentionally start doing mistakes like dipping head too much kicking gets out of sync putting too much effort into the catch and I tend to swerve to the left hand stroke gets weaker as I have to lift head to breath and all goes wrong. I am figuring my errors through your videos thanks a bunch!!! Next time I am trying all your tips in smaller sessions.
Super-helpful video. Thanks a lot, especially about getting your lead hand in the water instead of slow motion, hovering-style stroke. Buddy at 7:55 is swimming very low in the water.
6k runner but terrified of the idea that my arms gonna fail me in the middle of the sea.I am going to go horizontaly instead of going out for the sea, less fear and less panic attacks at least until i get better.I keep trying smth is changing in my shoulders, i think breathing is key as in swimming seems the opposite of running.Have to keep trying.Thanks for the video it helps a lot.
This is embarrassing! I have been fighting with my breathing for a long time, modifying all kinds of techniques, postures and out of pool exercises including using a Power Breath. Breathing less, shallower breathing blah blah blah. It appears that I was not breathing often enough! Was bilateral, now unilateral. I now have more energy and power going into the wall and can swim sets of 100 M, which for me is an amazing breakthrough. Maybe as I become fitter I will be able to reduce the breathing. I've got to sort out over heating after a session (even during if the pool is slightly warm) that puts my metabolism under stress and my HR flips from 90 to 180. It may be due to Warferine.
Nose or mouth makes no difference. I wear a nose clip to stop nasal flushing. Key is to bubble out under water and breath in over water (other way doesn’t work 😀). A lot of people hold breath and then try to exhale and inhale when they turn - bad. Also try to get into bi-lateral habit. Really helps with body position and stops body snaking up the pool. Cut kicking to a minimum it adds relatively nothing to speed. Does help with body position however. 2 beat kick is good. Good video 👍🏻😁
I am not tired anymore, I got a snorkel from Finis, 😂. 3/4 of my swimming session is with it and 1/4 without it.. it works really well. Any other advice, I ‘ll take it… thank you so much…..❤
I am basically on a brink of a heart attack after 25m. I just started and they told me to wear a nose plug because I get horrendous amounts of water in my nose otherwise.
lifiting the head to the side only to breathe is the hardest part. I always end up with a mouth full of water sooner or later and most of the time it is sooner rather than later.
I suddenly managed to swim 400m without getting out of breath. Previously I was kicking too hard, now I'm just kicking enough to keep my body horizontal. The other thing I changed was breathing out more slowly so the air (and therefore oxygen) spent longer in my lungs, before I was blowing it all out almost immediately after taking a breath. These videos have been so useful.
If I do my flip turns but I have many people, it will be difficult to breathe at the same rhythm because I can't keep same trajectory. Also, I must stop in water, watch around and push without any momentum from my flip. I stop and go instead of turning. However, this is not someone else's the problem, I swim with myself. The point is I have a lot of difficulty to reload my energy after effort, so a break is not a good thing to me except if I want to do a lower effort. I keep 20 pounds over my weight and can't swim 25m dolphin kick underwater.
Seriously! Use the snorkel and the training fins until your strength and form are developed. Don't try to kick with the fins on. Just let them hold your feet up and lengthen your lines in the water. The snorkel allows you to totally focus on stroke with your face in the water. For me, the fins went away first. To my mind, the kick does not propel me forward. It is like a metronome to which I clock the movements of my upper body. I still haven't mastered breathing without the snorkel. I especially struggle in the chlorinated pool and seem to do better in natural water. Even so, I am stronger than ever and can do laps in their dozens when only a few months ago 400 continuous meters seemed unreachable.
Great take....ever learning....up to 75 meters at once ....just love what swimming does to me.....assertive hand into water to keep legs up.....chest into water to keep legs up....new thoughts...Thank you!
Thanks for the informative video. I started swimming in addition of gym and really love it but have this exact problem. I can do 100 meters just fine but run out of breath after that and have to stop after every 50 meters. I like to swim 2 to 3 km at a time and would love to be able to do at least 500m without stopping so I need to focus on these great tips in the future to reach that goal.
I can't get my breath "dry". It feels like the water is not breaking around my head like in those videos, because when I lift my head only half way, I still get water in my mouth and it psyches me out. Any tips for that?
When I use a kickboard I actually do not move fwd - maybe only a few meters - then I am exhausted, but feel like I an kicking really hard! Tips? Thanks! Love your videos.
Sadly I can't breathe out through my nose as I have to wear a nose clip when I am swimming in pools as I am super sensitive to the chlorine. Fine in open water swimming though. Thank you for the other tips! :)
Swimming feels so easy for me, I feel like I’m flying through the water at 25m but anything more and my elbow feels too tired to get out of the water. I’m not even kicking and I’m swimming crazy fast. My arms just glide and my hand is in the perfect position cause it always felt natural to me but for some reason, I get tired after 25m. What do I do?
