Advanced Technique Videos for Front Crawl

Talk

• 11

  10.58am 11th February 2012
  Michelle from Australia

  Is the swimmer putting the thumb in first and then changing the pitch of the hand? Or is it an illusion? Particularly the right arm of the male swimmer demonstrating ‘arms’.
• 10

  2.43pm 8th February 2012
  Morag Allan from Ellon Aberdeenshire

  HI, i struggle with breathing in the front crawl i don t seem to be able to progress with my laps, i breath every three strokes, but run out of steam, i do the breaststroke and backstroke no problem.could it be a problem with my leg kicks to fast or to slow
• 9

  9.10pm 1st February 2012
  Splashy Queen from Nottingham

  Lovely videos but - still struggling to turn.  Could we see it in slow motion, please?
• 8

  4.20pm 6th September 2011
  Suz from lancashire

  Don’t breathe on every stroke Brian.  Every 3 so you alternate is what lots of people do.  I find every 4 so I breathe on my right side is best for me.  Have a go and see what’s best for you.
• 7

  6.22pm 3rd September 2011
  Brian from knottongley

  AS AN ASTHMATIC LEARNING TO DO TO THE FRONT CRAWL,I;M FINDING IT HARD TO BREATH ON EVERY STROKE ANY SUGGESTIONS.I CAN SWIMAMILE DOING THE BREASTSTROKE BY PUTTING MY HEAD UNDERWATER BUT FINDING IT DIFFICULT DOING THE FRONT CRAWL
• 6

  3.58pm 30th July 2011
  Archana from United States

  I agree with the coach (#5). A national swimming champ gave me the cue to increase speed while swimming, that is to NOT breathe at every stroke. The more your face is under the water, the faster you can get because breathing out at every stroke slows you down. The technique he taught me is to hold my breath until every 3-4 number of strokes and then lift your face up to grab some air. For e.g. stroke stroke stroke (stroke+breathe)- stroke stroke stroke (stroke+ breathe)... In short- go as far as you can without lifting your head up but have a pattern of breathing and don’t wait until you run out of breath. It needs to be synchronized.  I personally find this super efficient.
• 5

  11.27pm 6th February 2011
  SwimCoach101

  I would just like to say, as a coach, and someone who has been swimming since before I could walk, that I disagree with the statements about the breathing. If it is necessary, by all means, take a breath, but as you develop as a swimmer you need to develop a breathing pattern. I teach my swimmers to breath only on an odd number of strokes (ex. ever three, or every five) and not to alternate this during practices. This develops muscles equally on both sides of their bodies as well as increases lung capacity. In a swim meet or sprint race is the only time you may change your breathing pattern. As the action of breathing does slow you down and decrease your speed, often swimmers will choose not to breath during the last 4-10 strokes of their sprint. That’s just my opinion. I’m sure there are many others too.
• 4

  1.48am 31st December 2010
  Teresa Griffith from London

  Of course not.  If you breath bi-laterally (to both sides) this is better for your muscles and body.  In open water race situations it allows you to breath away from waves or disturbances.. you are not tied to a single side..
• 3

  7.44pm 7th December 2010
  Lewis from darwen

  Hi on the breathing demo the swimmer breaths on the same side every time. When I have been swimming I have been alternating the side that I am breathing on. Would it be better if I aim to be breating on the same side each breath?
• 2

  7.22pm 23rd November 2010
  Kevin from Colorado

  Brian, do you mean strokes rather than breaths?
  You should breathe whenever you want to as long as it doesn’t interrupt your stroke/rhythm. The reason is, you NEED to get fresh oxygen into your system after expelling the CO2. So I’d recommend you breathe every 2 or 3 strokes… no more! Going longer won’t help you in any way & by 4 strokes you’re making it a breath holding exercise, not fluid, rhythmic breathing. Holding your breath traps poisonous CO2 in your system & puts you under stress. Keep exhaling (approx. 75% of the CO2) while your face is in the water, then forcefully exhale (approx. the last 25% of the CO2) the last bit as your nose/mouth clear the surface so you can inhale completely.
• 1

  9.20pm 28th October 2010
  Brian from London

  On breathing was the demo to indicate you can take 3 breaths then 4 breaths followed by 2 breaths or was that unintentional?