GoSwim Live Zoom Meetings

Important Note to the Viewer

LESSONS: 166 VIDEOS

March 25, 2025 - Distance Per Cycle

Distance Per Cycle: The 4th Pillar of Teaching Better Swimming The key to long-term improvement as a swimmer is this: Increase distance per cycle while maintaining the same tempo and breakout distance. This week we look at ways to increase distance per cycle in all four strokes, and give some sets to help you develop this all-important skill. Come join us! Monday Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia: Head In butterfly, one of the best ways to increase distance per cycle is to minimize up-and-down movement. Olympian Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia maintains a stable head/neck alignment and lands the hands forward and high, with head and eyes below the arms. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2324-butterfly-head It’s all about efficiency 0808 Press but shallow press 0878 Direct an early connection 1096 flow and direction 2853 low and forward breathing 2932 soft hand entry 3665 hands no wider than elbows 3751 hand exit sweeping out 3829 hand entering directly in front of shoulders 5213 stressed to body position 5292 the natural reaction to distressed body position 5549 stressed body position 5627 the resulting action 11475 this is as deep as it gets Tuesday Ash Delaney: Backstroke Aussie Olympian Ash Delaney shows us two key ways to increase distance per cycle in backstroke: 1) Let the legs and feet follow the rotation of the hips, and 2) Don’t break the wrist during the pull. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1715-backstroke-ash-delaney 0522 the line 0576 the power 0612 the finish 0678 the catch 0699 the power 0740 the finish 0788 Constant kick 5590 not just the arm but the entire body 10601 distance per cycle is impacted by body line Wednesday Felipe Lima: Breaststroke Head When trying to increase distance per cycle in breaststroke, it’s all about improving your LINE. Brazilian Olympian Felipe Lima shows what a great breaststroke LINE can look like. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2617-breaststroke-head 0641 escaping surface tension 0669 following the natural flow of the body 0715 drawing the hips 0762 proper timing 0842 finish the stroke 20120 efficiency in the line 20909 Head stays down and in line during the out sweep 20919 hands in head up to air hips forward 21202 arms extended head down prior to kick 22088 complete the stroke 31280 eyes down an extension 31466 eyes down on out sweep 32088 eyes down at corners 32612 hands in Head up to air Thursday Jason Lezak: Connect the Catch to the Core Jason Lezak gives a masterclass in how to increase your power – and distance per cycle – in freestyle. The key is to connect the catch to the core – to swim with your entire body and not just with the arms. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/353-connect-the-catch-to-the-core 0545 connected timing 0574 Energy going forward 0684 connected timing 1352 purposeful direction 1648 purposeful direction during breathing 2253 driving the hand forward 2539 driving hand forward during breathing 3835 submerged after breath 5027 low and balanced breath 10118 driving from the legs 11511 getting everything possible from the stroke 25375 completely submerged 32036 harnessing the power of the body 33411 purposeful path of the hand 34643 purposeful path of the hand 43588 watching the connection 45225 watching the path of the hand 52798 maximizing each arm 55477 complete the drill 60394 take away the instinct 61710 my favorite frame 63491 the final result 64147 the breath Friday Glenn in EP: Freestyle Rate In this clip, shot in the Endless Pool, Glenn uses a FINIS Tempo Trainer to hold his stroke RATE the same, but slowly increases the speed of the flow, requiring him to swim faster at the same stroke rate. Notice how this assignment causes many aspects of his stroke (especially kick and pull) to change. In the pool, a similar set would be 4 X 50, holding stroke rate but getting faster on each 50. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2840-freestyle-rate 1139 water at speed one 1617 water at speed two 2619 water at speed three 3540 water at speed four 4658 tired Saturday Discovering Freestyle Efficiency Step 2 In this set of 4 X 50, the goal is to maintain the same stroke count for each 50, but to get faster on each 50. The swimmer will quickly learn how to increase distance per cycle by adding power to the pull and kick, and by sharpening awareness of streamline and breakout. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1008-freestyle-discovering-efficiency-step-2 13 first lap 14 second lap 3729 3513 11223 3325 14570 3212 21698 2922 14923 one additional dolphin 20020 Long wall 21653 Long finish Failure Sunday All Drills: Wax On…Wax Off Here’s an example of the flip side of our equation. In a short set of 25s, the goal is to maintain SPEED but take fewer strokes on each 25. It’s another way of getting the swimmer to increase distance per cycle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1878-wax-on-wax-off-set 0523 nine strokes 12.5 seconds 1938 10 strokes 13.3 seconds 3521 11 strokes 12.1 seconds 4961 12 strokes 11.7 seconds 11368 12 strokes 11.3 seconds two dolphins 12541 11 strokes 11.7 seconds two dolphins 13987 10 strokes 11.3 seconds three dolphins 15416 nine strokes 11.5 seconds three dolphins I’m barricading he can’t get in BONUS Bruno Fratus: Slow to Fast In this set of 4 X 25, Bruno Fratus shows how to get faster while holding on to one aspect of technique: reaching full extension on every stroke of freestyle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2374-slow-to-fast

March 17, 2025 - Underwater Velocity

Underwater Velocity: The 3rd Pillar of Teaching Better Swimming This week we look at the 3rd pillar of teaching better swimming: maintaining underwater velocity off the start and off every wall. We’ll zoom in as four world-class swimmers demo their start, streamline, and breakout technique in every stroke. Then we’ll take a close look at the key things you can work on to improve your own underwater velocity: streamline, underwater dolphins, and breakouts. Come join us! Monday Dave Denniston Turns & Pullouts: Introduction In a swimming race, you’re at max speed when you hit the water after your start. The next fastest you’ll be is when you push off the wall after each turn. Races are won not by the person who swims the fastest, but by the person who slows down the least. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/878-introduction 0650 underwater velocity isn’t just about underwater dolphins 0935 it’s about the cleanliness of entry on a dive 1591 it’s about cutting the smallest hole through the water 2419 it’s about cleaning up every edge 3410 it’s thinking of staying small in every position possible 3754 especially when you don’t think about it 4335 it is the line 5867 it’s thinking about the cone of disruption 13960 all the way through to the breakout Tuesday James Guy: Butterfly Breakout The difference between a powerful – and a painful – length of butterfly is often the breakout. UK gold medalist James Guy shows us a world-class streamline and breakout. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2609-butterfly-breakout 0510 streamline 1188 low breakout 2002 slightly downward exit off the wall 2578 Dolphins to parallel 3897 gradual incline to the surface 11743 initiating the first stroke while still underwater 14228 forward not over Wednesday Margaret Hoelzer:: Backstroke Start and Underwater Former 200 backstroke world record holder Margaret Hoelzer shows how to maintain velocity off the start and into the breakout. Watch for an unbreakable streamline, control of her trajectory, and her signature shoulder dip into massive rotation at the breakout. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/942-backstroke-start-and-underwater 0795 streamline 1488 not overly done underwater dolphins 1878 gradually moving toward the surface 2353 Head in line 2594 notice there have been no bubbles 2737 rotating for the first catch 3010 driving the lead arm forward not allowing it to collapse 3010 the exhale begins 3103 shoulder is clean for first recovery Thursday Cullen Jones: Freestyle Breakout from the Blocks The key to improving your underwater velocity is not complicated: streamline. The hard part is to do it Every. Single. Time. Gold medalist Cullen Jones shows how. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1038-freestyle-breakout-from-the-blocks 0455 streamline 0855 narrow breakout 2021 smallest hole possible 2112 forward and down to breakout 3701 look how long it takes to break the surface 3849 look at how little of his body breaks the surface 5589 driving forward 10487 streamline 12040 gradual upward movement toward the surface 12457 merging with the surface 14642 transition from dolphin to flutter 15743 practicing heavy flutter in speed 21061 dolphin to flutter to breakout Friday Step-4 Step 3 with Rate Once you’ve learned the proper underwater dolphin, it’s time to add some rate and speed. Increasing your rate will automatically limit the amplitude while holding the overall shape and action of the underwater dolphins. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3503-step-4-repeat-step-3-with-rate 0972 have your constant 1621 create your maximum movements 4664 maintain maximum movements while increasing the tempo 1259 maintain maximum movements while increasing the tempo 12646 don’t forget the back half 13898 maintain maximum movement while increasing tempo 15101 don’t forget the back half 20320 push to failure 21356 failure in either rate or underwater velocity Saturday Turns - FOIL Monofin Head-Lead Dolphin In working to develop a better underwater dolphin, this drill isolates the a stable head to help you learn to send all your energy forward. Why do it: Simply put, you probably can't work enough on your underwater dolphins, so here's another way to do that. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1774-turns-foil-monofin-head-lead-dolphin 1265 per usual create a control mechanism 3585 keep the head as stable as possible 5145 as you increase effort and tempo maintain stability 10024 increasing the effort while maintaining stability Sunday All Drills: Turns – Underwater Dolphin To make the most out of every pushoff and start, incredible underwater dolphins will change your entire potential in swimming. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1916-turns-underwater-dolphin Just play the video All of this comes down to one thing Daily practice and consistency There are no secrets

Mar. 11, 2025 - Breakout Distance: The 2nd Pillar of Teaching Better Swimming

Breakout Distance: The 2nd Pillar of Teaching Better Swimming The key to long-term improvement as a swimmer is this: Increase distance per cycle while maintaining the same tempo and breakout distance. This combination of skills ensures that improvements come from better swimming technique, rather than just relying on a strong push-off, a bigger kick, or a faster stroke rate. This week we look at one part of the equation: breakout distance. We’ll assume you have a certain level of mastery for your underwater dolphins. We’ll explain how to use a FINIS Tempo Trainer to determine how many dolphins you should take, as well as their optimal size and rate. And we’ll give you some sets to help you experiment. Come join us! Monday Turns: Practice Underwater Dolphins For freestyle, here’s how to learn CONSISTENCY in how many dolphins to take before transitioning to flutter kick for the breakout. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2724-turns-practice-underwater-dolphins 0526 start by setting up a pattern 0944 transition from dolphin to flutter 1133 transition from flutter to swim 1982 depending on the speed of the race determines how short the transition 2510 too shallow 2998 you can start by skipping the dolphins 3650 maintaining a stable body line 4025 Breaking out each step again 4236 making a definitive separation to the flutter kick 4835 shortening the duration of the flutter 5138 angle of attack off the wall 5402 transition to flutter and first stroke occur at the same time 10284 timing the breakout so it’s not too deep 10989 continuing to practice the sequence Tuesday Butterfly Drill: Dolphin Initiation For butterfly, here’s how to determine WHEN to initiate your first dolphin kick, and how to develop CONSISTENCY in your breakout distance. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/998-butterfly-dolphin-initiation 0730 experimenting with when to initiate the dolphin 2036 experimenting with both the start and the turn 2967 immediately initiating the dolphin on entry 4102 immediately initiating the dolphin on the turn 4778 experimenting with maximizing the initial glide 5840 experimenting with maximizing the initial glide off the turn 10546 splitting the difference 11329 splitting the difference off the turn 11796 immediately initiating the kick 12051 timing to a static line 12383 increasing the glide 12609 timing to a static line 12993 glide dolphin and time 13464 timing the turn immediate 13731 timing the turn long glide 14317 timing the turn splitting the difference Wednesday Butterfly: Breakout Practice To develop consistency in your butterfly breakout distance, it’s important to know where your body should be just prior to your breakout and first stroke. Once you’ve learned this position, then you can experiment with how many kicks – at what rate – will get your to that position. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1978-butterfly-breakout-practice 0454 immediate but small dolphin 0805 feet breaking the surface prior to the head 0841 Head nearly completely out but no breath 1155 becoming parallel to the surface as soon as possible 1404 gradual climb to the surface 1943 look how stable the front end is 3089 become horizontal as soon as possible 3645 gradual climb to the surface 4325 parallel to the surface before the breakout 4674 Drive forward not up 11137 look at the eyes Thursday Backstroke Drill: Underwater Dolphin – Size For backstroke, here’s how to determine how big and how fast your dolphin kicks should be. Measure it. Count it. Time it. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/819-backstroke-underwater-dolphin-size 0553 the master 1143 elegance 2321 Extreme body angles 2619 simply trying too hard 3702 increasing rate limit amplitude 4567 better head position 5431 Chin on chest 11051 still too tucked 12647 better head position what’s the quick fix for this 13229 better position 13318 tucking the chin on breakout Friday Underwater Dolphins – Increasing Rate Working on how many dolphins you take off each wall is just one part of the equation. Just as important is how quickly you take those kicks. Here’s how to experiment to find the optimal combination of number and rate. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1960-underwater-dolphins-increasing-rate 0787 set a standard tempo 30.46 gradually increase the rhythm 3701 increase the rhythm again 4208 max rhythm 4522 limiting amplitude 5849 set the rhythm and time to a static spot 10060 increase the rhythm time to the static spot 10560 max rhythm time to the static spot 11057 once you determine the proper rhythm at fins 11955 matching the rhythm with fins is harder and is more work 15369 after some training go back to no fences 20471 Time to the static spot again Saturday All Strokes: Tempo Trainer Underwater Dolphins Here’s a quick set that uses a FINIS Tempo Trainer to help the swimmer determine the ideal size and rate of their underwater dolphins. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2185-all-strokes-tempo-trainer-underwater-dolphins 2821 horizontal breakout 3117 set a time for a kick forward or a kick backwards 3626 have the swimmer match the tempo for a set number of dolphins 10438 increase the rate keep the number of dolphins the same 11923 Time either a static spot or 25s 13000 add data to your experimentation 14465 take the guess work out Sunday Adding Dolphins We love this short set to help swimmers search for their ideal number of underwater dolphins. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2696-adding-dolphins 0563 add dolphins and strokes to get an overall count 1858 increased dolphins decrease stroke by one each time 3266 continue the process until failure or 15 m BONUS Data Testing Underwater Dolphins Glenn explains how to use the GoSwim app to help a swimmer determine how many underwater dolphins to take. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3451-data-testing-underwater-dolphins

Feb 25, 2025 - Tempo: The 1st Pillar of Teaching Better Swimming

The key to long-term improvement as a swimmer is increasing distance per cycle while maintaining the same tempo and breakout distance. This combination of skills ensures that improvements come from better swimming technique rather than just relying on a strong push-off, a bigger kick, or a faster stroke rate. This week, we look at one part of the equation: tempo. Tempo is measured as a swimmer’s time to complete one full stroke cycle (defined by two “hand hits” in freestyle and backstroke). Come join the discussion – and bring your FINIS Tempo Trainer! Monday Breast Drill: Tempo Trainer Kick on Your Back One of the easiest ways to get comfortable with a FINIS Tempo Trainer (TT) is to wear it while doing breaststroke kick on your back. You’ll quickly understand what happens when you play with the rate of your kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1062-breaststroke-tempo-trainer-kick-on-your-back Tuesday Free Drill: Freestyle – Building a Longer Stroke Watch Glenn introduce a young swimmer to the idea of stroke rate by using a FINIS Tempo Trainer. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1710-freestyle-building-a-longer-stroke Wednesday Free Drill: Freestyle/Backstroke – Tempo Trainer Kick We love this kick set, performed with the Tempo Trainer at a crazy-fast rate, to help swimmers focus on the tempo of their flutter kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1903-freestyle-backstroke-tempo-trainer-kick Thursday Breast Drill: Endless Pool Tempo Variations To fully understand TEMPO and its effect on overall speed, swimmers need to learn how to maintain their speed while reducing rate, i.e., taking longer strokes. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1458-endless-pool-tempo-variations Friday Glenn EP: Freestyle Rate What can you learn with 40 arm strokes and a FINIS Tempo Trainer? In the words of Glenn Mills: “It’s hard to go fast at a slower rate.” https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2840-freestyle-rate Saturday Breast Drill: Brendan McHugh – McHugh Rate Secret to speed in breaststroke: Learn to find your breaststroke LINE on every single stroke…then train your body to find your LINE more quickly. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2047-breaststroke-mchugh-rate Sunday Sarah Katsoulis: 50 Breaststroke Here’s Aussie Olympian Sarah Katsoulis swimming an easy 50 breast in 38.2 with 6 strokes per length. Notice how she reaches full extension (finds her LINE) on every stroke. Then check out how video 4 in her video series, where she still finds her LINE when swimming 34.4 with 6 strokes per length. This control of rate and technique is true mastery. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1823-sarah-katsoulis-50-breaststroke-1

Feb. 18, 2025 - The Four Pillars of Teaching Better Swimming

Teaching swimmers how to increase their skill is a complex challenge, requiring an individualized approach for every athlete. In this week’s Zoom, we share our thoughts on how you can simplify this process. We’ll talk about four key concepts (pillars) that provide a framework to guide your coaching and set design. These four concepts are: 1) Tempo, 2) Distance Per Cycle, 3) Breakout Distance, and 4) Underwater Velocity. Join us this week as we give an overview of the concepts, then join us over the next four weeks as we take a deep dive into each of the individual concepts. TEMPO DISTANCE PER CYCLE BREAKOUT DISTANCE UNDERWATER VELOCITY Monday - TEMPO - DISTANCE PER CYCLE Masters Tempo Trainer Workout Here’s a simple set that introduces swimmers to Pillar 1: Tempo. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1694-masters-tempo-trainer-workout Tuesday - TEMPO - DISTANCE PER CYCLE Increase Freestyle Stroke Rate While we typically try to challenge swimmers to slow down their stroke rate to learn efficiency, we also need to teach them how to increase their stroke rate while using less force in each stroke. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3012-increase-freestyle-stroke-rate Wednesday - DISTANCE PER CYCLE - BREAKOUT DISTANCE Freestyle: Reduced Stroke 100s This set will introduce swimmers to Pillar 2: Distance Per Cycle https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1881-freestyle-reduced-stroke-100s Thursday - TEMPO - UNDERWATER VELOCITY All Strokes: Tempo Trainer Underwater Dolphins Pillar 3 is Breakout Distance – how far from the wall a swimmer starts swimming after a turn or start. A Tempo Trainer can help each swimmer find the optimal distance they should travel before taking their first stroke. Here’s a plan for how to experiment. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2185-all-strokes-tempo-trainer-underwater-dolphins Friday - BREAKOUT DISTANCE Pushoff Target When teaching any of the Four Pillars, it’s important to create measurable targets for the swimmer. One example of a VERY measurable target is the swimmer’s breakout point. Here’s how to give them a target. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1448-pushoff-target Saturday BREAKOUT DISTANCE - UNDERWATER VELOCITY Turns: PASA Pushoffs Pillar 4 is Underwater Velocity, the speed at which a swimmer moves under water. First step in teaching this skill is to make swimmers aware of the things that affect velocity. Letting them feel the effects of a BAD streamline can make an impression! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2081-turns-push-off-awareness Sunday - TEMPO - DISTANCE PER CYCLE - BREAKOUT DISTANCE - UNDERWATER VELOCITY All Strokes: Stroke Count Counting strokes – and then trying to maintain stroke count or manipulate stroke count – during any swim set is one of the best ways to teach Pillars 1, 2, and 3. Everything the swimmer does, from push off, to streamline, to stroke rate, has an impact on stroke count. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2321-all-strokes-stroke-count BONUS - all comes back to balance Core Control Core control and excellent streamline technique are factors in each of the four pillars. Here’s our favorite way to teach these skills. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2982-core-control

Jan. 28, 2025 - Teaching the Forward Start

Teaching the Forward Start This week we continue our series on how to teach the things that are the most difficult to teach – yet are the most basic skills a swimmer needs. As every age-group (and masters) coach knows, one of the biggest challenges is teaching kids how to start from the blocks and to do relay starts without getting DQ’d. This week we tackle the basics of learning to dive. Monday Drill – Deep Pool Vertical Entry If you've got a big group of kids who need to learn forward-start basics, start 'em here. Fun, safe drill teaches how to have a rigid bodyline and a clean entry. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1609-starts-deep-pool-vertical-entry 0479 jump in the pool 1549 no instructions except keep the hands by the side 2695 start to focus on straight body line no bend 3315 start to focus on pointed toes 3579 pointed toes with a straight body line 4937 Watch for the forward splash 5810 pointed toes straight body line 10588 move to streamline position 11867 straight body pointed toes streamline 12440 flat feet versus pointed feet 15161 smallest splash possible Tuesday Steve Haufler – Streamline Jumps Steve Haufler starts teaching the forward start on land, with streamline jumps. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2109-streamline-jumps 0533 just jump 1552 the natural connection of swinging arms and shifting momentum 1582 connecting the pieces together 1926 into a streamline position with pointed toes 2322 do the best possible for the athlete 2537 slight head tuck to make sure the streamline is together 2733 the trophy start Wednesday Cullen Jones (4-Step Dive Progression) When Olympic gold medallist Cullen Jones teaches kids how to dive, he uses this four-step process. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/929-forward-start-4-step-learning-progression 1278 seated fall 3231 kneeling 4256 hands in the water prior to leaving the dec 11438 a little bit of push 12135 a little more push 13061 crouching 13529 hands in the water before the feet leave the deck 15744 a little bit of push 20415 a little more push 21045 a little more push 23213 foot placement 24585 crouching 24848 hands nearly in the water feet still on the block 25955 slight push 30808 slight jump 32013 a bit more jump Thursday Drill – St. Andrews Starts We love this progression for teaching the forward start and for teaching kids how to pierce the water on their entry. The flat-back dive really works! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2050-starts-st-andrews-starts 0667 connecting Steve with Cullen 1933 jump 2775 posture 3370 toes 4001 momentum from the arms 4954 take it to the blocks Friday Steve Haufler – Side Fall Over Noodle When teaching young swimmers to dive, you need a huge tool kit. Here's one trick from teaching guru Steve Haufler. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2121-side-fall-over-noodle-streamline-dive 0451 Crouch on deck 0548 with a noodle target 0613 make it over the noodle 0876 Crouch on deck 1726 pointed toes Saturday Drill – Dive and Glide What kind of line do you carry into the water from your start? Here's how to improve. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1907-all-strokes-dive-and-glide 1225 start to glide 1555 patience 2095 bodyline control 4639 bodyline control 10245 patience 11279 keep the toes pointed and body dynamics 13157 continue to play Sunday Drill – Relay Starts – Teamwork One of the best ways to add FUN to your program is RELAYS! Relays also provide incentive for swimmers to learn how to dive, and how to dive well. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1982-relay-starts-team-work-with-york-ymca 0703 timing the swing 1001 hand touch then foot leave 1393 vary the athletes to build more awareness 1633 Male swimmer female starter 1894 Target the head not the arms 2932 where is the head in relation to the wall when the swing starts 3652 the importance of practicing the finish 4560 understand the perspective of the athlete 5460 the stroke will help determine how close the swimmer is when the swing starts 01274 red suit on backstroke finish

Jan. 21, 2025 - Resilience with Kim Vandenberg

Join us for a special Zoom this week featuring Kim Vandenberg, USA Bronze medalist in Beijing (4 X 200 free relay). We’ll take a close look at Kim’s butterfly and freestyle technique and how it kept her injury-free throughout her career. But mostly, we’ll talk about resilience and the personal growth that can follow after every storm. You can reach Kim at her website and on her social media? https://www.kimswimstudios.com https://www.instagram.com/kimswim https://www.instagram.com/kimswimstudios Please Donate Fire Fund | Friends of Marquez | Pali Fire Relief https://gosw.im/4hkO3jz Monday Kim Vandenberg: Freestyle – Above Side Slow Motion Kim’s freestyle seems effortless and displays excellent technique: stable rotation, core control, low breath and balanced breathing to both sides, steady six-beat kick, and high-elbow catch. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1684-freestyle-above-side-slow-motion Tuesday Kim Vandenberg: Freestyle – Head On Under Water Effortless technique here, including steady and stable head position, high-elbow catch and direct pull pattern. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1642-freestyle-head-on-underwater Wednesday Kim Vandenberg: Butterfly – Hips – Under Water Kim’s butterfly also seems effortless, due in large part to her excellent technique. Watch for high hands and deep chest at the catch, two kicks per stroke, and constant undulation through the hips. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1592-butterfly-hips-underwater Thursday Kim Vandenberg: Head On – Under Water – Slow Motion Clear, underwater footage of Kim’s butterfly pull. Note the width of the hand entry and catch, the “diamond” shape described by her arms during the pull, and the continuous action of the arms. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1589-butterfly-head-on-underwater-slow-motion Friday Kim Vandenberg: Butterfly Head and Recovery Kim seems to flow effortless through the water. Watch for the continuous arm action, the shoulder-width hand entry, and the lack of up-and-down motion with the head and neck. All aspects of her technique work to sending her body forward through the water. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1575-butterfly-head-and-recovery Saturday Kim Vandenberg: Breakouts – Below Water Kim’s butterfly and freestyle breakouts are picture perfect. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1515-breakouts-below-water Sunday Kim Vandenberg: Starts – Above Water Kim has some of the most splash-free entries we’ve seen. Watch ‘em in slow motion to see her technique. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1514-starts-above-water

Jan. 14, 2025 - Teaching Freestyle Flip Turns

Teaching the Freestyle Flip Turn This week we continue our series on how to teach the things that are the most difficult to teach – yet are the most basic skills a swimmer needs. This week’s topic – the freestyle flip turn – has the added distinction of being the skill most desired by new swimmers. Join us as we explore how to teach what swimmers most want to learn! Monday Steve Haufler Turns: Teaching Progression for the Freestyle Flip Turn Steve Haufler gets us started, showing us where we’re headed when teaching the freestyle flip turn, and outlining a ten-step progression to get there. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/758-teaching-progression-for-the-freestyle-flip-turn 0528 bubbles and flips 10040 Head leads immersion at mid pool 13454 Head lead submersion and flip at mid pool 15143 Flip with a noodle 22194 push the hat back 25929 midpole flip 33182 practice approach to the wall 40818 swim flip and push off 42580 Roll from back to front slowly 45870 the complete turn Tuesday Turns – Freestyle Flip Turn Step 2 Here’s step 2 of our five-step progression for teaching the freestyle flip turn. Grab a pool noodle and let’s get started! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1003-turns-freestyle-flip-turn-step-2 0459 grab the noodle with both hands 0595 Flip without letting go of the noodle 1065 hold the noodle behind and kick forward 1427 flip without letting go the noodle 2588 take it to the wall push-up on your back 3233 noodle keeps the hands high 4647 hand stay stationary 11546 po boys instead of noodles Wednesday Turns – Freestyle Flip Turn Step 4 Here’s step 4 of our five-step progression. Time to ditch the noodle and use the hands to add some speed going into the wall. Keep the hands and arms weightless as you somersault straight over. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1005-turns-freestyle-flip-turn-step-4 0288 review previous steps 0844 approach the wall with the hands held behind 1230 Flip without moving the hands 2070 flip without using the hands 2678 start in position 11 2912 drop one hand to the side 3177 drop the other hand to the side 3458 flip without using the hands Thursday Turns – Freestyle Flip Turn Step 5 In the fifth and final step of our teaching progression, the swimmer learns how to place the feet on the wall to angle smoothly into position to swim freestyle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1006-turns-freestyle-flip-turn-step-5 0582 to review the previous steps 2793 from a push off look at how your feet are placed 5142 initiate the role with the torque on the wall 10704 body roll starts with the push 12343 be aware of your foot placement 13468 can be slightly to the side 14682 height or depth of feet make a big difference Friday Kara Lynn Joyce: Flips Flips Flips Three-time Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce demonstrates one of the best drills for flip-turn experts AND for those just learning how to flip. Flip straight over and snap into streamline. This imprints weightless hands and the ability to be ready to push off as soon as the feet hit the wall. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/671-bonus-flips-flips-flips 0816 Head down flip 1611 head down flip 2268 head down flip 3175 flow into the flip with a continuous forward motion 4587 same motion through the turn Saturday Joao de Lucca: Flip Turn – Step 3 – Tight Tuck The tighter the tuck, the faster the spin, the faster the turn. How tight is tight? Brazilian Olympian Joao de Lucca shows us what’s possible. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2072-flip-turn-step-3-tight-tuck 0269 where are the eyes 0380 Down 0404 expose the back of the head 0461 momentum does not require the use of the hands 0551 how small can the ball BE? 4838 Direction of push 4935 using the wall for torque Sunday Kristian Golomeev: Flip Turn Step 6 Olympic sprinter Kristian Golomeev has a six-step progression for perfecting his flip turn. Notice how similar his steps are to those of Steve Haufler’s and GoSwim’s progression. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2270-flip-turn-step-6 0463 eyes down 0903 expose the back of the head 1176 turn the palms down 1345 tight tuck 1719 positioning of the feet 1998 Drive and use the wall for torque BONUS VIDEOS

Jan. 7, 2025 - Freestyle Side Breathing

This week we begin a new year and a new series: how to teach the things that are the most difficult to teach – yet are the most basic skills a swimmer needs. Not surprisingly, Steve Haufler has many ideas and insights on this topic. He’s also got practical solutions! Join us this week as we explore how to teach freestyle side breathing. Pick up the book mentioned in the Zoom - The OXYGEN Advantage Monday Steve Haufler Positioning Techniques: Introduction by Steve Haufler Steve Haufler shares his Ten Habits of Effective Teaching. Can’t think of a better way to start the year…or this new series. Be inspired! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/770-introduction-by-steve-haufler 2042 everything’s about balance and comfort 2325 stability in line into breath 3125 immediate correction 3886 immediate correction 10057 getting used to the extended hand 10985 rotate to air 11556 control the head rotation 14749 repetition of single movements 15861 balance in line 21095 Comfort and security 22012 rotation not left 22382 directly down 22600 teach one on one 23176 teach eye to eye 24898 talk to your students 30000 keep it simple 31874 keep it positive 33695 know where you’re headed 41982 review 43592 keep your teaching fresh 50342 be patient 51939 teach hand to hand Tuesday Steve Haufler Positioning Techniques: Freestyle Positioning Techniques Steve’s 3-step process for teaching freestyle breathing. It all starts with the exhale! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/771-freestyle-positioning-techniques 0661 freestyle body position 5800 freestyle kick 22663 freestyle breathing 52149 freestyle pole 72059 putting it all together Wednesday Steve Haufler Teaching Progressions: Freestyle Breathing Teaching side breathing doesn’t have to be a struggle! Here are Steve’s tips for getting the results you want to see. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/435-freestyle-breathing 0666 position 11 freestyle 1274 position 11 with breathing 1990 using props 2324 using the eyes 3244 breathe 11369 bubbles and breathe 12033 position 11 swim with one arm 15596 position 11 swim with both arms 22585 bubble arm and breathing arm Thursday Steve Haufler Freestyle: 5: Side Breathing Here’s Steve’s progression for imprinting a freestyle breath that does not disrupt a swimmer’s bodyline. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1780-freestyle-swim-lesson-5-side-breathing 1393 Single goggle breathing 2682 single goggle breathing 3688 look at the top of the head 4592 learn the breathing position 4854 body rotation 5794 Head and body roll together 11646 over rotation for comfort and air 15240 body alignment and balance 20317 turn the head to air 21440 make sure the body is on its side 22318 learn extension 23432 the most important position for freestyle 30132 make sure the warmer remains on their side 31305 Study this position 31737 make sure you practice to both sides Friday Steve Haufler Freestyle: Advanced Freestyle 8: Correct Head Position While Breathing Make it a New Year’s resolution to get yourself a Styrofoam head for teaching! It really works, especially when teaching rotary breathing in freestyle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1805-advanced-freestyle-swim-lesson-8-correct-head-position-while-breathing Saturday Freestyle 101: Extended Balance – Nose Up, Nose Down One of the most effective drills we know for teaching adults (and kids) how to maintain a stable line during the breath. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1741-extended-balance-nose-up-nose-down Sunday Building a Balanced Breath: Step 1 Once swimmers have the muscle control to maintain a stable line from fingertips to toes, this is one of the best drills for adding the breath while maintaining that line, https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2369-step-1-building-a-balanced-breath

Dec. 30, 2024 - Top-Viewed Athletes of 2024

Dec. 30, 2024 - Top Viewed of 2024 Top-Viewed Athletes of 2024 This week, we feature GoSwim’s most-watched athletes of 2024. It’s a selection chosen by YOU, and we hope the videos remind you of key themes from our weekly webinars. Thanks for joining us and supporting our work. We wish everyone a happy holiday and great swimming in 2025! Monday Sara McLarty: Practice Your Buoys Triathlon coach Sara McLarty shows fun ways to practice open-water skills in the pool. In this video: turning at the buoy. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/317-practice-your-buoys 0630 practicing Bowie turns 1089 there’s always one of course 1436 waiting too long to make a correction 2314 set up a temporary Bowie in a pool This Bowie is an inflatable ball with an equipment bag on a weight belt with a weight 3636 if you don’t have a ball use a person 4246 if you don’t have a person use a marker on the bottom 5231 create an organized path 10845 side-by-side 11842 use the lead arm to hug the buoy 14828 90° turn Tuesday Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia: Butterfly – Head One thing that stands out in Kelsi’s butterfly technique: the way she maintains a steady head/neck alignment throughout the entire stroke cycle. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2324-butterfly-head 0549 Head slightly up and forward 0814 pressing down with the head 1085 release the chin forward into the breath 1355 slightly deeper press on non-breathing stroke 1742 very direct path of hands 2349 I slightly down chin surfing on the surface 2877 stay low on your breath 2932 soft hand entry 3671 Power position of the arms 3753 sideways release of the recovery 3829 hands landing directly in front of the shoulders 5221 show the release of the chin into breath Wednesday Kristian Golomeev: Feet-First Scull on Your Back – Alternating Arms We did many Zooms on sculling this year. As a recap, here’s sculling jedi Kristian Golomeev. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2258-feet-first-scull-on-your-back-alternating-arms 0459 incredible balance and control 0705 Point the toes create rigid legs 0972 hands alternating the skull 1293 Palm always facing the back wall 1592 sweep in sweep out 3043 incredible balance 3299 head in line 3641 sweeping action of the arms 5008 Palms nearly always visible to the back wall 5889 rigid body fluid hands Thursday Bruno Fratus: Freestyle – Hands We talked a lot this year about “feel” for the water. Bruno Fratus shows what it’s all about. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2376-freestyle-hands 0579 reaching full extension during breath 0632 timing of the stroke is very catch up when he swimming slowly 0771 reaching for extension 2138 integrity of line 2496 integrity of line 4653 the feeling of extreme reach 5667 Watch how long he holds the arm in extension 5940 Watch the connection with the polling arm and rotation of the body 10132 Head completely underwater 10959 Head completely underwater 11105 Watch how fast the head get its breath Friday Denniston Driils: Breaststroke with an Extra Kick In August, Staciana Stitts Winfield joined us on the Zoom to talk about her book, STOLEN DANCE. Watch Staciana (and Dave Denniston) demonstrate one of our favorite drills for teaching breaststroke timing, https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/187-2-up-1-down 0217 breaststroker’s favorite drill 0584 extra breaststroke kick in the line 0833 draw the hips forward 0990 kick into the line 1725 draw the hips forward 1937 kick into the line 2080 extra kick in the line 2313 separate the hands before breaching the surface 2425 Pierce the water through one hole drawing the hips forward 4045 wide hands before the head comes up 4155 as you go up to air draw all the hips forward 4519 go slightly deeper to accommodate the extra kick 5152 pay particular attention to the path of the hedge shoulders as they draw the hips 5364 the legs buckle into the recovery 11691 slightly deeper to accommodate the extra kick 12011 and to get a better feeling of going up to air and drawing the hips 12114 legs buckle into the recovery 12791 Head shoulders chest up as the hips come forward to set up the recovery of the kick Saturday Steve Haufler Butterfly: Mistakes – Improper Arm Recovery We were honored to have Steve join us on many Zooms this year. Thanks, Steve, for teaching us how to teach butterfly and for giving us innovative ways to “fix” incorrect stroke technique. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/154-mistakes-improper-arm-recovery 0705 what not to do 1123 immediate pole 1594 coming up too high 1695 diving down too deep 2194 kick too big 2510 go to land 2613 feel the relaxed wrist with weighted hands 4805 take it to the water 5328 drop the weights float forward hands-down 5408 recover the hands 10903 build the feeling of leading with the wrists 14768 Drop the weights 15557 fall forward to a prone float 20040 recover the arms with the hands in the same position Sunday Steve Haufler Freestyle: Advanced Freestyle 1: One-Eye Breathing When we need to know how to teach a skill, we turn again and again to Steve Haufler, which is why his FREESTYLE BASICS was GoSwim’s most-watched course in 2024. Congratulations, Steve, and thanks for being such an important part of GoSwim. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1782-advanced-freestyle-swim-lesson-1-one-eye-breathing 0470 low single goggle breath 2284 low single goggle breath 2475 Focus on exhale 5357 getting the mouth above the surface 10275 look through the bottom eye 10758 Focus on body line and extension 12402 get the athlete comfortable 13088 work on the final position 14108 instinct is to lift the top of the head 14318 so we have to help the athlete keep the top of the head down 14985 shallow water standing 15799 Half the face in 21367 give them something to look at 23190 make sure you work on both sides BONUS Kara Lynn Joyce: Freestyle Catch Kara was touched out for the 7 spot this year, but it wouldn’t be a year-end roundup without a clip of her extraordinary freestyle technique. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1173-freestyle-catch

Dec. 23, 2024 - Building a Narrow Breaststroke Kick

Building a Narrow Breaststroke Kick Swimmers like to do big, wide breaststroke kicks because they FEEL powerful. Getting swimmers to understand and FEEL that a smaller, narrower kick is more productive can be difficult. This week, Glenn takes us through a teaching progression that builds awareness for how the legs affect your speed in breaststroke. Monday Building a Narrow Breaststroke Kick: PDF Fins Alternating Kick – Annotated Start the learning process with fins (we use FINIS PDFins), alternating dolphin kick and breaststroke kick. The dolphin kick promotes a narrower breaststroke kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2584-pdf-fins-dolphin-kick-annotated 0482 good breakout line 0522 good feet draw into the first stroke 0544 hands forward before kick 0726 shoulder hip to knee line 0743 shoulder hip to knee line 0906 slight hip draw 1114 as the hips are drawn the knees buckle 1330 Think long 2376 forward not down 2578 as far forward as possible prior to kick 2975 think along Tuesday Building a Narrow Breaststroke Kick: PDF Fins Breaststroke Kick – Annotated Continue the learning process by eliminating the dolphin kicks. Focus on minimizing the resistance created when setting up the kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2588-pdf-fins-breaststroke-kick-annotated 0372 same as first exercise 0538 same set up 0569 only draw for breaststroke kick 0561 shoulder hip to knee line 0738 shoulder hip to knee line 0941 extended prior to kick 1336 shoulder hip to knee line compared to 0569 (120° - 125°) at point of kick 2003 137° 2727 135° 3815 not just thinking of the shoulder hip to knee angle but also the shoulder to knee width 5097 important to get the blades outside of the water flow 5478 we have to remember to think in 360° 5867 and sometimes we go too far and make things too narrow Wednesday Building a Narrow Breaststroke Kick: Dolphin Breaststroke The fins come off, but the focus is the same: Minimize the hip/thigh angle as you set up the kick, and keep the width of the kick narrow. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2591-dolphin-breaststroke 0706 eventually we want the thought process of the knee draw to also come into consideration on the underwater pull 0885 126° 1203 132° 2651 underwater kick looks a little better 3381 141° maybe too shallow 4628 the kick used in the underwater pull is typically bigger than the normal kick 5304 while the kick can be this narrow the emphasis must shift towards the front end if so Thursday Building a Narrow Breaststroke Kick: Breaststroke – Annotated. The final step in the progressing is whole-stroke breaststroke, focusing intently on the hip/thigh angle as well as the width of the kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2593-breaststroke-annotated 0864 129° 1043 138° 2740 trying to find that sweet spot 3001 back to the line 3238 back to the line and focus on distance per cycle for young athletes 4015 Watch the hips 4238 the first kick is too small 4435 the second looks much better 4626 heels at shoulder width and looking for when the feet get perpendicular to the wall 5826 heels to the highest point 5836 feet perpendicular to the side walls The question is can we skip that last little bit of the draw Friday Felipe Lima: Breaststroke – Hips We love how Felipe maintains a wide hip/thigh angle as he sets up the kick – and then minimizes the width of his kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2618-breaststroke-hips 0437 the pitch of the feet 0614 drawing the hips 0655 heels are a bit wider as Felipe has wider shoulders 0676 feet perpendicular to the walls 0899 extended prior to feet engaging 1725 knees about shoulder width 1745 feet slightly outside the body line 2110 Watch the thighs stop moving and the heels recover 2590 I stop moving heels recover Saturday Building a Narrow Breaststroke Kick: Flutter Breast Board Kick Oh no! Glenn shows how and why breaststrokers should spend more time flutter kicking to improve their breaststroke kick. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2594-flutter-breaststroke-board-kick Just play the video and talk about the dynamics between the up-and-down movement and muscle memory Sunday Roque Santos: Breaststroke Kick Olympian Roque Santos shares his focus point for keeping the breaststroke kick narrow and hidden. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/489-breaststroke-kick 0866 137° 1192 draw two lines approximately shoulder width 1313 show how the recovery is inside the shoulders 1357 show the feet are outside the lines 2374 very typical for young swimmers 2647 not finishing the kick and the arms have started 3931 closing the feet as best as physically possible 4338 narrow finish clapping the feet together 10829 associate the wrong feeling 11893 feet outside the body 12354 feet outside the body 15093 Watch the slow continuous movement forward 22338 incorrect 22965 correct

Dec. 10, 2024 - Sculling: How to Teach It

Sculling: How to Teach It Sculling it the quickest way to achieve that elusive “feel” for the water, yet most swimmers and teams don’t do enough of it. One reason is that sculling can be difficult to teach and to learn. This week, with help from Steve Haufler, we’re sharing our secrets for teaching the critical skill of sculling. Come join the discussion! Monday Better Pushoffs: Vertical Sculling Vertical sculling allows you to learn the basic movements of sculling without having to worry about air. It also allows the coach to TALK to the swimmer, giving real-time feedback to speed the learning process https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2976-vertical-sculling 0564 working on a soft field using flotation 1044 Watch the slight pitch of the hands 1214 thumbs down on the out 1390 pinkies down on the end 1881 soft kick to stabilize 2808 arm stable from shoulders to elbow 3288 only movement from elbows to hands 4144 at fins 4659 seems stability with the hands 5033 alternating hands 5279 move to symmetrical 5590 soft kick no fins 1-0142 working on stability of the head 11842 straight legs 12319 more intense Tuesday All Strokes: The Ins and Outs of Sculling Images to help you understand why and how sculling works to move you forward. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1569-all-strokes-the-ins-and-outs-of-sculling 0425 same look as vertical scaling only horizontal 1617 trying to develop an overall feel for the water 2326 stable from shoulder elbow 2460 elbow hand pivoting the palm 3035 stay soft 4586 feeling pressure has been a game we’ve played forever 4885 learn how to pitch the hand impacts the element around it 5935 just play with the water 1-0169 keep the fingers open 10424 keep the fingers closed 11100 finger slightly open 11779 stability 12593 only movement from the elbows to the hands 13306 would prefer the elbows are in front of or even with the shoulders 13854 shoulders in a better position stability 14724 soft hands 20269 soft hands 21949 only movement from the elbows to the hands 23724 heads stability 30379 take the vertical 30698 start to lean forward keep the arms doing the same thing 30965 eyes down and continue to do the same thing 30376 instead of creating Lyft you’re creating forward propulsion Wednesday Steve Haufler: Toys: Strapless Paddles Learn Steve’s genius progression for teaching swimmers how to scull. Strapless paddles are just one of his secrets. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1274-strapless-paddles 0472 the ability to keep the palms on the paddles means constant pressure 0973 Play in the water 1700 try to isolate the feeling of the hands 3813 slightly grip the paddle so it doesn’t fall off 3873 let go of the paddle so you’re not gripping 3955 grip to recover 4809 grip to hang on 4834 let go to learn press 10247 the goal being to keep the paddle facing backwards for as long as possible Thursday All Strokes: Trailing Hands Sculling – On Your Back Sculling in all directions will help you understand how to make a constant connection with the water. This also allows coach to give real-time feedback to the swimmer. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1512-all-strokes-trailing-hands-sculling 0910 always watch the softness of lead athletes hands 1430 front skull strapless 1671 see the slight bounce in the head 2464 try to keep the fingers down On your back 2922 fingertips up pushes you backwards 4088 fingertips down push pushes you forward 5317 this is not sculling 5935 which ever way the palms are facing you will go in the opposite direction 10664 fingertips up going away from the wall Friday Kevin Clements: Sit Scull Sure, you’re giving up some yardage when you scull. But think of the gains! Heightened feel for the water and abs like this guy’s! https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1496-sculling-sit-scull 0999 Head looking forward completely out of the water leg showing from knees to toes 1431 stability 1730 knees to toes connected with the surface of the water 1910 shoulder to elbow stable 2083 elbow to hands moving 2925 expose the shins 3321 continue looking forward 3664 stability and control of the entire body 4659 Full ab workout 5091 a combination of lift and propulsion 5717 this is a workout Saturday Glenn EP: Sculling vs. Pushing A video is worth a thousand words of teaching. Images like these can help swimmers visualize and understand the difference between sculling (productive) and pushing (not so productive). https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3263-sculling-or-pushing 0342 pushing 0676 where are you creating force 0699 slicing the hands in 1362 EVF 1390 fingertips down 1435 fingertips down 1476 Palms pitched backwards 1534 Palms pitched backwards 1672 shoulder to elbow stable 1803 elbow hands movement Sunday Masters: Masters Teaching – Front Scull When we teach sculling, we like to have the swimmer transition repeatedly from sculling to swimming – putting into practice the lessons of the scull. https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1579-masters-teaching-front-scull 0541 Front skull with buoyancy 1528 lift air when necessary 1961 go from skull to swim focusing on high elbow 4313 elbows on the surface of the water 4512 give a target 4690 fingertips down 5069 watching the fingers 10165 all the focus is on the fingers to the elbows 10428 compare the catch position with the sculling exercise 11656 shoulder to elbow to hand position 11978 shoulder to elbow to hand position