Goals:
- Keep head low and behind the bow wave.
- Lift the chin to breathe, not the front of the head.
- Have “one goggle in the water” and have water touch the side of your mouth.
- Pinch the mouth closed on one side to keep the head low to the water surface
- Keep stroke rate/tempo constant when you breathe (most people slow down to breathe)
Self Analysis: Video at water level from the side and front
Sensory Drill:
Breathe after every 3 strokes. Lift the head up high on the front for the 1st breathe and lift it less and less each time until you find a bow wave to breath behind
FEEL: Notice how your hips sink proportionately to how high you lift your head
Finds: Review your videos
- Do you lift your head or can you see a bow wave from the front of the head down under the mouth?
- Are you turning your head too far or do you have 1 goggle in the water with the side of the mouth at the surface?
- Are you taking too long to breathe and cause you to slow down your tempo to breathe?
Fixes: Remember you are working on fixing several problems at the same time, so use the proper equipment to solve your stroke problems as you also work on correcting breathing problems.
Comprehend: The Tech Snorkel is designed to train pinching one side of your mouth and breathe out the other side. For these drills, use the InHaler in the side of the mouth that is breathing. Tuck it in the upper corner of your mouth and rotate your chin up so the InHaler stays level with the water surface as you breathe. If you lift the top of your head, you will lose the bow wave and the inHaler will aspirate water as you try to breathe.
Drill 1: Single-Arm stroking with non-stroking arm down, breathing towards stroking arm (practice laps w/ each arm)
Drill 2: Singe-Arm stroking with non-stroking arm down, breathing away from stroking arm (practice laps w/ each arm)
Drill 3: Single-Arm stroking with non-stroking arm down while breathing both away and towards arm