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Skills: Month 1

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Choosing Your Cues

In addition to these given below, you may view the standard TI cues and drill outlines on the Freestyle Drill Resource page. For even more ideas you may view many others on our 101 Cues page.

 

Choose You Skill Level

 

Level 1 Skills: Head Position

During Cycle 1 these are the different features of the head position to work on:

•  Keep the head in line with the spine laterally – avoid side-to-side tilting of the head.

•  Keep head neutral (weightless) between gravity pushing down and water pressure pushing up – avoid lifting the head higher or pushing it down lower.

During Cycle 2 these are the different features of the head position to work on:

•  Keep the head in line with the spine while turning to breath – avoid tilting the head up to reach the air.

•  When finished inhaling, return the head to this aligned, neutral position immediately.

 

 

Level 2 Skills: Consistent Stroke Count

During Cycle 1 and 2 these are the different features of stroke length to work on:

•  If you are not yet able to use a personally optimal SPL, and are still working towards that, look for one or two features of your streamline you can improve to lower your current consistent SPL from N to N-1 over the course of this month.

•  If you are using a personally optimal SPL, then look for ways to make your current SPL feel easier to sustain, by looking for finer ways to lower drag in brief moments of the stroke cycle.

 

 

 

Pool Skills: Consistent Push-Off and Glide

During Cycle 1 these are the features of push-off to work on:

•  Place feet in same position on every push-off.

•  Position body in same streamline shape before push-off.

•  Improve your streamline shape – arms straight, hands crossed, ears between your shoulders, look straight down.

•  Push-off with consistent amount of force.

During Cycle 2 these are the features of the glide to work on:

•  Push-off at same depth each time.

•  Break out (break the surface) at same distance, same timing, same side each time.

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