SWIMMER Magazine Common Freestyle Breathing Mistakes

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.