Freestyle Swim Technique

If you are learning the freestyle swim technique, these tips will help you improve your performance. There are many ways that you can practice your freestyle swim technique that can help you build more powerful strokes, speed, and overall endurance. 

1. Learn proper body positioning. Taking the proper position of your body plays a major part to achieve an efficient freestyle swim technique. The position of the head can affect the general position of the body. In performing the freestyle stroke your head should be positioned straight and looking forward with the muscles of the back and arms in a relaxed state. It is best to keep the head aligned with the spine and the shoulders while keeping the body parallel to the bottom of the pool. Avoid bringing the head towards the chest as this may cause more resistance while swimming.
2. Do the proper breathing technique. The oxygen demanded of the body is higher when a swimmer exerts more effort. A good freestyle swim technique for breathing is to learn how to conserve energy to reduce the amount of air one needs during a freestyle swim. The key is to integrate breathing with your freestyle swimming by rotating the head smoothly on one side and keep the opposite arm well stretched to reach forward. You can practice breathing along with your swimming drill.
3. Perform the proper arm stroke. Proper arm movement is the key for increasing the speed in freestyle swimming. This freestyle swim technique can improve the propulsion of the body in the water. Avoid overreaching the arm forward prior to touching the water as this can cause the shoulder to fall deeper down the water that gives an opposing force as the body moves forward. As the hands pass over the shoulder during the arm stroke, it undergoes a pushing phase, which one needs to continue to perform until the arms is stretched back towards the hips.
4. Proper freestyle leg kick. A good freestyle swim technique is to perform a low paced leg kicking movement. The leg muscles can use more energy during swimming and this movement is only used under a calibrated movement. Most often, three leg kicks are performed per arm stroke but you may need four leg kicks for long distance swim to increase speed.
5. Proper body rotation for coordinated body movements. The leg kick, arm stroke, and breathing are well coordinated as one performs the proper rotation of the body. It is best to rotate the body slightly to engage the back muscles as you perform the arm stroke. Do not rotate the head unless you need to breath.