When you assess your swimming technique you need to look beyond the style. Whether you choose front crawl, breast or butterfly there are some basic movements essential for a efficient swimming. However. one habit that most sports people unknowingly develop is the habit of trying too hard - this is evident in many swimmers. Training for speed can result in inappropriate actions - ultimately wasted effort.

People ask me "what was going through your mind in the race?" and I don't know. I try and ...let my body do what it knows
Ian Thorpe Australian Olympic gold medalist.

Thorpe has shown again and again that his body does know what its doing. We can assume, due to his phenomenal success, his learnt movement patterns at a subconscious level are efficient so he can let [his] body do what it knows. Of course this does not prevent him from continuing to learn and develop his skill.

In common with most sports, the top swimmers often attribute some of their best performances to being in a relaxed state. Pieter van den Hoogenband's experience of winning the Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medal perhaps shows us how best to perform. When the body is relaxed in the water, or put another way, absent of inappropriate muscular tension, the reflexes that control coordination of the limbs are able to function unimpeded. We share many reflexes with water-bound creatures, in fact one is called the 'amphibian reflex' which aids movements such as swimming, crawling, walking and running.

If you are 'fighting the water' you will be adding unnecessary tension to your neck and shoulders and decreasing the effectiveness of your swimming technique. The muscles at the base of the skull (sub-occipitals) are the most sensitive in the body and carry messages to the central nervous system to help coordinate movement. If the head is pulled back by excessive tension, caused by your attempt to push harder, it prevents the muscle spindles in the deeper sub-occipital muscles giving feedback on the changing position of the head.

Why should the position of the head be important? Dr David Garlick, the late medical scientist and Alexander teacher explains

The effect of neck muscle inputs [on movement] are comparable in importance to the inputs from the organs of balance in the inner ear (semi-circular or vestibular canals). The head contains the important special sensory organs of sight, hearing, smell and taste. As stimuli act on these senses, the head is turned to detect better a particular stimulus. Any movement of the head is detected with exquisite sensitivity by the neck muscle receptors. The strong inputs from the neck muscles then affect the muscles of the trunk and limbs to prepare the person to respond to the stimulus.

When you next swim see what you want to do with your neck and shoulders. Do you build up tension in anticipation of swimming? Can maintain an awareness of where your head moves on your spine. Ask yourself, whilst swimming, am I allowing my skull to move from the point (obviously the movement will depend on your stroke) or am I stiffening the neck and twisting unnecessarily. Try to remove some of the effort you are applying to your swimming technique and see if you can imagine moving through the water without fighting it. Maintain an awareness of the location of the shoulder and elbow joints; the hip, knee and ankle joints and see if you can keep them free to move.

If you were going to 'cheat' to make it feel easier, what could you do? Experiment with your swimming technique and don't be afraid to slow down or do less whilst learning in the water. If you can focus on the efficiency and economy of your movements the speed will come. All this can help to improve your body awareness and ultimately improve your swimming technique amd hence your performance.

Other ways to help your swimming technique
For any sporting activity you will need good coordination, a skill that often gets overlooked. Our unique Zone Fitness Program can help you to develop your skills of self-awareness and focus so you can allow your body to naturally coordinate itself.

Running for your life
An ideal cross training activity for swimmers. See our guide to starting out or, if you are an experienced runner, tips to assess your running technique.

Sports injury and rehabilitation
A frustration for many sports people. Learn how to use this period to re-assess your swimming technique and reduce further injury.

Recommended Reading

The Art of Swimming
by Steven Shaw
Excellent book for all types of swimmer. Covers how to make changes to your movement to improve the efficiency of your technique.

Want to ask a question? My view of what fitness means and how it can be attained is different to the conventional approach. If there is anything on this page that you would like to follow up please feel free to contact me

Copyright 2005 Roy Palmer (Art of Performance)
e-mail: contact@artofperformance.co.uk

SBI!