Winter 2022 Lesson Series

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  • #32298
    Mat Hudson
    Keymaster

    Hello Louise,

    It was great to start working with you.

    We practiced submerging the face and exhalations underwater.

    Concepts practiced:

    • bubbles from the nose
    • creative just enough positive pressure in sinuses to prevent water coming in
    • moderate the amount of exhale
    • hold breath at first, then exhale slowly to extend duration
    • observe changes in buoyancy as you let out no, moderate and most of your air

    When we are swimming it is better that we fill the lungs at the start and then exhale only a partial amount and refill on each breath cycle. I recommend practicing very slow exhalation and letting out (what feels like) just 1/4 or 1/3 of the air in your lungs. Make this your normal pattern. Partial exchange like this will also help maintain buoyancy of the body. Let out too much and one loses buoyancy and one feels more desperate for the next inhalation.

    We reviewed ‘Build the Frame’ in Balance Position and we reviewed ‘Form Streamline Shape’.

    I recommend pushing off into Balance Position so that you glide along parallel to the surface and hold that long, Tippy Toes (cue) frame of the body, such that your lower body stays close and parallel to the surface a little longer each time before succumbing to gravity. Rest the upper body fully on the ‘water mattress’ and tie the lower body to it through the frame, thus allowing that lower body to ride near the surface longer than if you let go of it.

    As the duration of holding body parallel to the surface improves then you can transition to Balance Position to Streamline to maintain the same frame, feeling the lower body stay close to the surface longer.

    I’d also recommend working with the ‘shifting weight’ cue as you move from Balance Position to Streamline to practice holding your body in that rotated position a little longer each time. As you rotate, hip and shoulder always move together as one unit.

    I believe you’ve done some 1-arm drill with Coach Jamee – you can also practice holding streamline on one side, and then paddling with the other arm, letting the body go flat as both arms are in front, then rotating the body (shifting weight) to a controlled and stable degree with each arm paddle. Move calmly and in a controlled way, because you are meant to challenge your body to maintain balance in that rotated position from the center of the body and not from the movement of the arms (or legs). Notice if one side is easier to control than the other, and work improving control on the weaker side.

    We will expand on these next time, and start developing more backstroke skills.

     

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