Victoria - How can you swim less than 30% of your next race and still complete the whole distance? Work on your body position off the dive and turns.

Unless you never swim in a pool, learning and practising proper streamlining technique when you push off the wall can save you many strokes in workouts as well. The fastest you’ll ever be in your swim is right after the start and, to a lesser degree, after each turn. (That is if you can plant your feet on the wall – don’t miss that turn!)

Do you remember your Red Cross swimming lessons, when you had to do the “torpedo” glide? A perfect body position is still important today. Unfortunately, it’s something that easily falls apart as we age.

For a good streamline, you have to make sure your body is in the right position, as tight as can be, in order to create as little drag as possible.

Make sure:
• Your hands are on top of each other
• Your arms are straight and tight
• Your head is down
• Your back is flat. It should feel like your belly button is pressing into the spine.
• Your legs are extended legs with feet pointed.

You should look like an arrow, from your fingertips to your toes. If you can find and hold that position whenever you push off the wall, you’ll end up faster by swimming less.

If it’s that simple, why don’t we all do it, all the time?

For some swimmers, a lack of flexibility makes it impossible to have the arms in the right position (A couple of months/years of stretching and it will come - guaranteed!)

For others, a lack of core strength makes it difficult to hold the body position. (Time to enroll in those “butts and abs” workouts.)

And, finally, some swimmers have never learned the skill of streamlining: they need a coach to watch and give them feedback until they learn the right position.

Once you have mastered your perfect streamline, keep doing it in practice. Stay focused after each wall, hold your body tight, and picture yourself as a seven foot tall swimmer reaching for the other wall.

How long should you hold your streamline position? It will vary according to your speed and body type. The key is to start your stroke once you’ve slowed down to your swimming speed. Move your arms too soon and you will break your streamline and slow yourself down. Start to swim too late and you will have lost your momentum. You will feel dead in the water.

Like so many things in life, it’s all a question of timing. Practise, practise, practise and eventually you will know what the right timing is for you. It will vary for each stroke and for each race and speed. Feedback from a coach can also help you get your timing just right.

Notice that I haven’t talked about kicking in your streamline. In my mind, there is no set rule for Masters in that regards. Today, the kids are all taught a very small/fast dolphin kick off every start and turn (except for breastroke).

Can Masters learn that skill and apply it effectively? They might after a lot of practice. Should you attempt it in your next race? Probably not. My advice is to experiment with different kick/timing during your training first and see what’s best for you. Ask for feedback often and keep practising.

Bonne chance!

WMV Video Clip