What Is High Elbow Swimming? | 4 Tips For Freestyle Swimming Technique
High elbow swimming is a technique used in freestyle swimming to improve efficiency and reduce drag. It involves keeping your elbow high and close to your body during the recovery phase of the stroke, which helps maintain a streamlined body position and generates more power during the pull phase. Here are 4 tips for mastering high elbow swimming:
Start with a Good Body Position Before you focus on your arm movement, make sure your body is in the right position. Keep your head down, your hips high in the water, and your body aligned with the direction you're swimming. This will allow you to maintain a smooth and efficient stroke.
Keep Your Elbow High As you pull your arm through the water, keep your elbow high and close to your body. This will help reduce drag and increase power in the pull phase of your stroke. Aim to keep your elbow above your wrist and your forearm perpendicular to the water.
Use Your Core Muscles High elbow swimming requires strong core muscles to maintain proper body alignment and stability. Engage your abdominal muscles and use a slight rotation of your torso to help generate power in your stroke.
Practice Makes Perfect Like any swimming technique, mastering high elbow swimming takes practice. Start with shorter distances and gradually work your way up as you become more comfortable with the technique. You can also incorporate drills such as sculling and single arm swimming to help improve your form.
In conclusion, high elbow swimming is a technique that can help improve your freestyle swimming efficiency and speed. By keeping your elbow high and close to your body, using your core muscles, and practicing regularly, you can become a more efficient and powerful swimmer.