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Techniktipps

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Kategorie: Technik
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TECH Tips: The Art of Lateral Movement

I often wonder why it is that so many of today's coaches still advocate "pulling straight back" or "pulling one's hand through the water," especially through the catch phase of all four strokes. Perhaps this is because, when viewing a swimmer's stroke from above the water's surface, an illusion is created in which it appears that swimmers pull straight back.

If, however, you observe most great swimmers from beneath the water's surface, you inevitably come to a very different conclusion: the best ones incorporate a lot of lateral movement into their underwater pull patterns, placing more emphasis (whether they realize it or not) on "holding their ground" on a particular piece of water—with as little slippage as possible—than on hand speed. By doing this, they actually propel the body past the stationary hand; they do not pull the hand "through the water."

Sculling
The key to "holding your ground" lies in lateral movement, commonly known as sculling. The key to sculling lies in having complete control of the pitch of one's hands and, more specifically, the pinky (amerikanisch: kleiner Finger !).

The pinky is important because it is the finger that controls the pitch of one's hand, which has a direct influence on the swimmer's ability to hold their ground, create lift and reduce slippage.

The principle is simple: if the pinky is kept up through the entire catch phase of a swimmer's stroke, concentrating more on lift (which reduces drag) than forward momentum, slippage is greatly reduced. Keeping the pinky up also initiates a reaction which forces a swimmer to utilize the proper muscle groups (triceps, shoulders, lats and abs) and, in turn, helps create synchronicity in the timing between a swimmer's hands and hips—the most important principle in swimming any stroke efficiently.

The Importance of Relaxation
In my opinion, relaxation is the most commonly neglected principle in swimming, not only with novices, but even with world-ranked athletes. It is imperative to remember that to utilize the effects of sculling, the swimmer must be completely relaxed from elbow to fingertip, and especially in the forearm.(see figure 1) The forearm is where all of the muscles are housed that control the pitch of the hand (pinky included).

If your swimmers can keep their forearms, wrists and hands completely relaxed, they should be able to integrate these principles into their strokes quickly, eventually with more distance per stroke and much less fatigue.

Marcel Wouda
Figure 1: Marcel Wouda remains completely relaxed-from elbow to fingertips-throughout his stroke.

Lateral Movement Is the Key
The key to reducing slip in any of your swimmers' strokes is to make sure that they never put pressure on the water or drive with their pinky in toward the body (palm side (Handfläche) in). In other words, they should always put pressure or drive away from the body's center of gravity, sculling to the outside. That holds true for both the catch and finish phases of all strokes except for breaststroke, which lacks a true finish phase.

When you think about any strength-based task we do on land, it is clear that the task is more easily accomplished when taking a wide stance. All exercise activities—from pull-ups to push-ups to bench press to squats—are more easily achieved by taking a wide stance and driving away from one's center of gravity, utilizing the strength of one's entire body. These same principles apply to swimming.

Catch Phase Emphasis
During the catch phase of a swimmer's stroke it is important never to let the pinky drop toward the body's center. Instead, the swimmer should drive to the outside, keeping the pinky higher than the forefinger through the entire catch phase of the stroke. (see figure 2)

Maria Hall
Figure 2: Maria Hall illustrates perfect form in the catch phase of her breaststroke. Her elbows are high and stationary, and her pinky remains higher than her forefinger.

I always try to concentrate on creating lift instead of forward momentum, keeping the elbow stationary and as high as possible while doing so (see figure 3). By pressing down and to the outside, your swimmers will not only create lift (reducing drag), but also slow down the catch phase of their stroke. This, in turn, will allow time for their hips to create drive in conjunction with their hands, resulting in additional drive from the center of gravity.

Yann de Fabrique

Figure 3: Yann de Fabrique also demonstrates ideal form in the catch phase of his butterfly. His elbows are high, and his pinky is higher than his other fingers, which creates lift.

Vertical sculling drill (elbows at the surface), breaststroke pulling with a tube and Tarzan drill are excellent drills to emphasize the principles of front-end lift (see accompanying "Recommended Drills").

Finish Phase Emphasis
"Holding one's ground" through the entire pull pattern, especially through the finish phase (see figure 4), is another one of the swimming principles most neglected by novice and world-class swimmers alike. It never ceases to amaze me when I see great swimmers turn their palms in toward their hips as they finish their stroke (freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke), basically dropping their pinky in toward their body.

Lateral4

Figure 4: After Yann has held his ground throughout the entire butterfly stroke, he finishes by pushing away from his body.

I feel that to reduce slippage, it is essential for a swimmer to push away from his body, keeping his pinky facing out from the hip (palm side out). I ask my swimmers to imagine themselves pushing away from their body at a 45-degree angle as their hand passes by their center of gravity (or belly button).

Keep in mind that if your swimmers are rotating properly, pushing away from their body laterally helps them "hold ground" and maintain their feel for that piece of water they should be propelling their body past through the entire pull pattern.

Vertical sculling drill (elbows at side), catch-up drills (both with flutter and dolphin kick) and single-arm butterfly or freestyle drills are great for emphasizing these principles (see accompanying "Recommended Drills").

Don't Be Fooled by These Illusions
As coaches, we sometimes forget that there is an optical illusion created by water's lack of gravity and viscosity. (see figure 5) & (see figure 6) Remember that there is no "up" or "down" when in the water. We coaches sometimes imagine that we are viewing people on a two-dimensional movie screen that begins at the water's surface.

Technik
Figure 5: De Fabrique keeps his pinky higher than his other fingers and drives toward the outside during the catch phase of his freestyle stroke. When you rotate the photo 45 degrees (small photo) so he appears to be flat, his pinky position is even more evident.

Technik
Figure 6: As the body rotates in the freestyle, the rotation creates an illusion. De Fabrique does an excellent job of driving away from his hip as he finishes his stroke with a nice, high elbow. When you rotate the photo 45 degrees (small photo), this becomes even more apparent.

Wrong! Swimmers don't skim across the water on a flat stomach or back, pulling their hands through the water to propel themselves. I feel it is important to keep in mind that there is a third dimension—depth—to water, and that our swimmers wiggle, rotate, duck, dive, and, one hopes, hold their ground as they travel through the water when they swim.

Hang In There!
Don't let your swimmers become discouraged when you find that working these principles into their stroke slows down their tempo significantly or seems more difficult at first. Remind them that it takes a little more time and energy to propel one's body past a hand holding onto a stationary piece of water than it does to allow the hand to slip through the water.

Making this change will involve having your swimmers use muscle groups they're not accustomed to using in their strokes. It will take time—usually at least one month—to condition these dormant muscles to the new technique. So, from a coaching perspective, it is best to address these issues at the beginning of a season rather than during a taper or the final training phase of a season.

About the Author
Troy Dalbey, double Olympic gold medalist in 1988, is head coach of the Phoenix Swim Club Masters. His 17-18 boys 200 yard freestyle record (1:33.28), set in 1987, still stands.

Recommended Drills
Here are some drills that will help your swimmers learn the principles discussed in "The Art of Lateral Movement." Remember, think "lift" on all these drills.

Vertical Sculling High (elbows up)
Here the emphasis is on outward pitch, keeping the elbows stationary and at the water's surface. With the pinky higher than the forefinger, press with the triceps, not the biceps. Putting a weight on your more advanced swimmers' ankles can help develop more strength in this drill.

  • Vertical Sculling Low (elbows at the side)
    Bring the hands up to the navel, thumb up. As the swimmer presses down and away from the hip, he should concentrate on keeping the pinky away from the body (past the suit line on the leg). Once again, utilize the triceps while extending away from the body. Adding weight at the ankles for your more advanced swimmers is recommended, as well.
    Bring the hands up to the navel, thumb up. As the swimmer presses down and away from the hip, he should concentrate on keeping the pinky away from the body (past the suit line on the leg). Once again, utilize the triceps while extending away from the body. Adding weight at the ankles for your more advanced swimmers is recommended, as well.

  • Tarzan (head-up freestyle)
    Concentrate on front-end lift, keeping the pinky higher than the forefinger with very little emphasis on the finish phase. While doing this drill, the swimmer may drag his or her legs with a two-beat kick for rotation only.
    Concentrate on front-end lift, keeping the pinky higher than the forefinger with very little emphasis on the finish phase. While doing this drill, the swimmer may drag his or her legs with a two-beat kick for rotation only.

  • Catch-up with Tarzan catch
    Concentrate on lift out the front, working on forward momentum during the finish phase of the stroke with the palm driving away from the hips as the swimmer accelerates out the back. It is essential for the hip to rotate ahead of the hand during this drill, and that this drill be done after some Tarzan drill preceding it to develop feel.
    Concentrate on lift out the front, working on forward momentum during the finish phase of the stroke with the palm driving away from the hips as the swimmer accelerates out the back. It is essential for the hip to rotate ahead of the hand during this drill, and that this drill be done after some Tarzan drill preceding it to develop feel.

  • Catch-up with Dolphin Kick
    Easy kick out front (ride that glide), power kick out back, utilizing the abs and hip snap as the swimmer propels himself past the hand and the particular piece of water he is holding onto (palm out as he finishes, of course).
    Easy kick out front (ride that glide), power kick out back, utilizing the abs and hip snap as the swimmer propels himself past the hand and the particular piece of water he is holding onto (palm out as he finishes, of course).

  • Single Arm Freestyle/Butterfly
    This drill is always done with the opposite arm out front for leverage. There should be a hesitation out front very similar to the catch-up drill to allow time for the hands and hips to achieve synchronicity (palm out).
    This drill is always done with the opposite arm out front for leverage. There should be a hesitation out front very similar to the catch-up drill to allow time for the hands and hips to achieve synchronicity (palm out).

  • Breaststroke Pull with Tube
    Keep those pinkies out during the outsweep. Use the pectoral muscles, not the biceps, leaning on the forearms for leverage, when working the insweep. Remember, think lift.
    Keep those pinkies out during the outsweep. Use the pectoral muscles, not the biceps, leaning on the forearms for leverage, when working the insweep. Remember, think lift.

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