HydroSplash Swimming Lessons

Freestyle Swimming

The Basics of Freestyle Swimming

Freestyle swimming is also known as front crawl. Like every other swim style, front crawl requires specific technique application for arms, kicks, breathing, and body posture. Not learning a style correctly can lead to muscle strains/stiffness or even possible injuries. HydroSplash Swimming Academy Singapore will provide monitored training to help you learn freestyle swimming efficiently. Swimming can be a challenging sport to master. But once you ace it, you will relish the compelling benefits of swimming.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the fundamentals of freestyle swimming to master it correctly.

Fundamentals of Freestyle Swimming

Freestyle commonly involves windmill arc motion combined with specific kicks and body alignment. Here is how to freestyle swim.

Body Positioning of Freestyle Swim

Typically, body position determines the decrease of drag amount. For freestyle swimming, your eyes should be focused downwards towards the bottom of the pool. Your head position will affect the rest of the body alignment.

If you lift your head too much, your legs will lower down and make you sink. One tip to adjust your head position is that only half of your swim cap should be submerged in water. Your head should be in line with your spine. 

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ARM Strokes

The arm strokes in freestyle swimming have three phases. The first phase includes the positioning of your fingertips entering the water. It should enter at a 45-degree angle and then extend your arms forward. Try to expand your reach, which will help your body open up and initiate the catch. 

Next comes the early vertical forearm. Once extended, you must quickly move your arms vertically down, creating a paddle with your hand. Then, pull yourself forward and initiate the next stroke with the other arm. 

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Body Rotation

Freestyle swimming requires efficient rotating of shoulders and hips during the stroke. The body rotation will be initiated through the core and hips, followed by shoulders from side to side. It is essential to keep the head aligned straight. 

Breathing Technique

Learners often get nervous and confused about breathing through the swimming style. Your swimming coach at HydroSplash Swimming Academy Singapore will guide and educate you on how to breathe comfortably through freestyle swimming. Keep your head aligned during the rotation.

You will automatically have space over water but do not lift your head to breathe. The water line should be in the middle of the face during the rotation. You will have a pocket through which you can inhale, and once you rotate back to the center head position, you can exhale through the water.

Kicking Technique

Kicks for freestyle swimming should be smaller and faster. Initiating wider kicks will disposition your body alignment and balance. Start your kicks from your hips and not from your knees. If you are a beginner, experts suggest not to focus much on the lift but more on the catch and body position. 

Common Mistakes of Freestyle Swimming

  • Do not lift your head high to breathe. It will disturb your body alignment. 
  • Very little or over-body rotation will kill your stroke.
  • Beginners often use wider kicks, assuming for a greater push. But it will only consume greater energy and leave no significant impact on the swim.
  • Breath control is crucial for swimming comfort. Swimmers often hold their breaths and later find difficulty focusing on swim technique. While you rotate, you can have a pocket to inhale air and exhale through the water.
  • Swimmers often use a wider recovery arm and drop at once. It can cause additional drag and water turbulence. It can cause muscle strains or shoulder impingement. 
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How to fully Enjoy Freestyle Swimming

Swimming is known to reduce stress levels and enhance cognitive abilities. To fully enjoy swimming, focus on the sound of water when you extend your arms into the water. Feel the pressure of water moving against you and cherish how your body beautifully coordinates to create a perfect freestyle swim. 

Conclusion

Freestyle swimming provides a faster pace without using too much energy. It strengthens your core muscles and tones your body. This stroke might appear complex at first, but your can practice various drills to improve your catch, body alignment, and kicks. Drills are effective ways to improve specific body actions and give you greater stability. 

You can learn to swim through various online tutorials. But swimming is a practical activity that requires careful monitoring to strengthen the skill. Connect with HydroSplash Swimming Academy Singapore to get private swimming lessons under professional swimming coaches to learn swimming effectively.

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