Swimming form and training

Greetings to all of my future fish!

I’m going to highlight some ideas to help you start on the right track in the pool. Swimming is a sport everyone can do. It’s one of the best forms of low impact exercise that exists. Let’s help you morph from a thrasher into a smooth swimmer.

Swimming lessons or join a club:
As a swimming instructor and coach for the better part of a decade now. I see people in the pool all the time and they approach me on how to refine their technique. My biggest suggestion is to take a few lessons (private or group) with a certified instructor. If you can, seek out an instructor that is both an instructor and a swimming coach or team member. They will have the most experience in the craft and can help best refine your stroke.

If your competitive side says, “let’s do this,” join a club team or masters program. The coaches will help you hone your stroke and get you on a great path to becoming a better swimmer. Also, swimming is a great way to stay in shape during the colder winter months. There are quite a few meets to compete in. They will help you gauge how you’re progressing. And they’re really fun!

Go to a practice:
Bismarck and Mandan have quite a few of the coach/instructors available. If this isn’t a viable option, go to a swimming practice and watch what they do. Take notes. Seriously! One of the best ways I’ve learned for people (other than lessons or joining a club) is to watch what the better swimmers do.  I still do this today. I love watching the NCAA and Olympic level swimmers compete. I watch and scrutinize every little thing they do – which only helps to make me a better swimmer.

A few good questions/things to watch for are:
How do their hand enters the water? Is it smooth? Do they enter thumb side down or is it flat like a paddle? Do their hands enter quietly (helps to slough bubbles and create a good handpull)? Where is their head position? How do they breathe? When do they breathe? How many strokes per breath? What does their arm recovery look like? Do they have nice high elbows or do they straight arm it?

All of these are tips to watch for when you visit a team practice. Mimic them to the best of your ability. Become extremely aware of all of those things you are doing during your pool time. Have a good friend watch you. Be open to suggestions. We can do a stroke wrong a thousand times and it will become habit. Once it’s a bad habit, it’s very hard to break.

I hope this helps you get started on the right foot. Dive in! Get wet and have fun!

Until next time fishes! Keep your gills wet!

-Jesse