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How to Suck Less...

Saturday, 16 February 2013 00:10

By Tim Walton

Something to think about!

Certain patterns and trends seem play out with most swimmers, regardless of their natural swimming ability. Over the course of several hours of lessons/assessments I may see a national caliber athlete, a relative beginner, triathlete or an aspiring age group swimmer. During a lesson, regardless of the swimmers ability it is a near guarantee that I will be able to show a swimmer how to swim significantly faster. Why? The concept is not to show them any magical set, or additional effort, rather pointing out and showing the athlete areas of "how to slow down less" through improved technique. Incredible energy loss from a miss timed kick, indirect hand entry, deceleration in and out of walls, poor alignment, loss of momentum etc, are the key focal points to address. Keeping on track, online, engaged, directed, using basic principles of Balance, Streamline and propulsion are akin to the expression of firing on all cylinders. When you see athletes...

in multiple sports appear to separate from the field near the finish, we tend to think that the athlete has another gear. Upon more thought,