DC SPORTS DOC is designed to assist the aging athlete to improve posture, enhanced mobility and stability, as well as provide information on elements of training and fitness. The goal is to help the aging athlete move better, feel better and to move more often.
The following video demonstrates key principles of freestyle swimming and how to connect body rotation to the catch, anchor and arm pull phases of the stroke.
Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove. Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar. He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques. You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.
One of the key components to an efficient and powerful freestyle, is establishing the "early vertical forearm" to connect with the largest surface area of water during the arm pull phase. Being connected to the water sounds excellent, but being able to do it. and do it repeatedly can be extremely challenging.
The hand and wrist are traveling under neath the elbow.
The elbow is held high or in-line with underside of the torso.
EVF with R. arm as left arm begins entry. This
is a good example of a front quadrant stroke.
Example of a "high-elbow-hinge" at the
point of the EVF.
EVF with elbow pop and overlap
of the pull arm and entry arm
Here are some things to think about.
To establish an early vertical forearm (EVF), your recovery arm must travel and enter along the path or line of the shoulder. If the recovery arm is out-of-position, the path of motion of the arm will be to narrow or to wide, resulting in compensatory in-and-out movements that'll defeat the ability to establish a EVF.
Keys:
Must have appropriate amount of body rotation.
Exiting hand on recovery arm must lift from the elbow, establish itself on the imaginary shoulder line or where the shoulder would be if you were lying face down (prone).
Arm entry occurs along the shoulder line with palm facing down and finger-tips flat during reach phase
From reach phase, perform flexion at wrist to initiate catch and continue into elbow flexion to establish EVF. This is referred to as "a high-hinged-elbow".
Hand and wrist travel down and elbow "pops" out to the side, allowing arm to travel on the shoulder line.
The elbow is at the depth of bottom of the torso during the EVF and beginning of the pull phase.
The EVF in freestyle allows for maximum pulling surface area, aids in the alignment of the arm pull and creates a better connection with the rest of the body.
Here is a brief a video from GoSwim TV, showing an alternative use of hand paddles to establish the EVF.
Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove. Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar. He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques. You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.
Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove. Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar. He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques. You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.
Here is a quick overview of the "3" most common freestyle mistakes made by beginners from the Davis Masters Swim Coach, Stu Kahn.
1st. Mistake: Is over-rolling to the side when taking a breath. Results in a whole host of problems from legs opening up into scissors causing increased drag, loss of body balance and connection to other parts of the stroke, such as recovery arm position and alignment on entry.
Cue: The body will follow the head, so keep one goggle in the water and head along side the lead arm.
2nd. Mistake: High head position in the water. As with the over-rolling to the side, keep the head along the lead-arm.
Cue: Look back towards the 5:00 an 7:00 position during the breath, but not forward or to the side
3rd. Mistake: Holding the breath. Holding the breath is linked to early fatigue due to CO2 build-up. This will definitely compromise your ability to swim further and faster.
Cue: Breath holding and timing of breath. Don't hold you breath. Breath in through the mouth during the recovery and breath-out through nose as the head turns into the water.
Also, notice the nice high elbow recovery and arm entry overhead in-line with the shoulder.
Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove. Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar. He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques. You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.
Head position in freestyle is a "key" component to overall body posture in water and connection of arms to the trunk during cyclical movements of the stroke. Coach Richard Quick always stressed to his athletes, "posture, line and balance."
Here is a quick review of how to position the head in freestyle from GoSwim.
Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove. Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar. He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques. You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.
Quality turns in swimming are in integral part to swimming success. The ability to perform turns in a time-efficient and technical manner is a key component to fast swimming. The following video should help to outline a step-by-step method for developing your turns.
The following video is from the GoSwim website which is loaded with valuable swimming advice.
__________________________________________________________________ Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove. Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar. He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques. You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.
For most swimmers, learning to flutter kick with correct technique and enough endurance is a demanding task mentally and physically. Both young and older swimmers alike often get frustrated and either resort to using fins, accept their limitations with kicking or train to improve their flutter kick capacity. I hope for you it's the 3rd choice. Embrace the challenge!
What is correct flutter technique?
Kick originates at the hips and stabilized by the core.
Ankles are loose and the legs remain long.
Limited bend in the knee, mostly a "soft or subtle" knee bend.
Avoid the "wide" scissor kick that increases form drag, slows the rate and tempo of the kick.
see photo below
The upbeat and down beat should be balanced in amplitude, and be within the contour of the body.
Strong lower core, hips and legs allow for adequate force production.
Rhythmic hi-tempo of the kick should be maintained for progressively longer durations.
Flexible, long leg & soft knee bend!
Wide or excess scissor kick
Dropped or excessive bend in knee
Some quick ideas to focus on in the pool and dryland.
Flexibility training in the ankles and hips (stretching & foam rolling)
Core training to help secure the ribcage to the pelvis in a neutral spine (no excess curve in the lower back).
see video below (90/90 deadbug exercise)
Strength in the thighs, hips and core (squats, lunges, jumps)
Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove. Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar. He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques. You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.
