ELEMENTS
OF SPEED
GETTING
FUNDAMENTALLY FASTER
by Jim Rusnak
THE START
"The key to the start is
to get off the blocks quickly, and with the proper
technique, to maximize your speed and length of each
start," said Andrew Baer, a coach at Stingrays
Swimming in Marietta, Ga., and Georgia Swimming's
2002 Age Group Coach of the Year.
In teaching his swimmers
starts, Baer works on reaction drills to help them
get off the blocks faster, as well as the mechanics
of the actual start.
Baer conducts the reaction
drills on dry land, and after his kids have the hang
of it over the course of several days or a week, he
moves them to the start itself.
"Teaching your muscles to
react quickly and practicing the proper technique
are the key elements to a fast start," he
said. "Remembering that you can never
emphasize the streamline enough is important as
well."
Baer teaches his swimmers to
concentrate on the following points while learning
the start. The concepts are the same whether
swimmers are using a conventional grab start or a
track start:
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At
the sound of the horn, use your arms to shift
your weight forward. Explode outward and
upward, lifting your head and arms in unison. |
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Establish
a streamline position with your arms quickly,
and drop your chin between your arms. |
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Hold
a tight streamline upon entry. "your
goal is to have your entire body travel
through the small hole that your hands and
arms create," he said. Continue
to hold that tight streamline throughout the
dive. |
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Begin
your kick. You can use a dolphin kick
for either freestyle or butterfly, but for the
start, remember to use a smaller, faster
dolphin kick.
"Remember," Baer said, "you
are moving faster than race pace, and the
purpose of the streamline and kick are to
maintain this speed (for as long as possible)
up to 15 meters." |
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As
you begin to lose your speed from the dive,
switch to your traditional dolphin kick for
butterfly, or flutter kick for freestyle. |
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Be
sure to begin your first arm stroke below the
surface of the water. You want to have
your hand(s) pass by your hip on the first
stroke as your head breaks the surface of the
water. |
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Never
breathe on your first stroke, except
on back and breaststroke. |
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For
breaststroke, you will be doing an underwater
pullout. "The streamline position
is even more critical in this dive," Baer
said. "Be sure to finish your kick
and know how deep you are, so that you will
surface upon the completion of your
pullout." |
