Diff’rent Strokes
for
Diff’rent Folks
Russell Mark, USA Swimming
Mark Hesse, USA Swimming
Scott Colby, USA Swimming
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
The best definitely look different…
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
“Old School Breaststroke”
“Rookie Breaststroke”
…here’s what all of the best do well
Keep moving forward – Minimal “stop & go” action
Maintain speed & body position through the midpoint of the arm stroke and breath
Surge chest, head and arms forward into the line
Highest speed on the forward surge
Flow – Akhiro Yamaguchi 200
Breast World Record -2:07.01
Kevin Cordes – 1:48 200 Breast
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
Make The Pieces Work Together
Line of the body
The Arm Stroke Set-up
Timing of the kick
1+1= 3
It’s about more than just arms and legs
Races are won in the spaces between the strokes
Create & Sustain The Best Line
The Line
Engage the ‘core’ throughout the stroke
Transfers energy into forward movement
The Line
Engage the ‘core’ at the peak of the stroke
Flatter back
Move through the sinking position
quickly
The Line
Engage the ‘core’ at full arm extension
Surge chest, shoulders points & crown
of the head forward
The Line
Engage the ‘core’ through the extension
Maximizes distance per cycle
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
The Line
“Body Surf” the kick
It Starts With Your Arms & Breath
The armstroke sets up your line and timing
Scull out wider
than shoulders
Breathe & surge
forward on
inward scull
It Starts With Your Arms & Breath
The shape of the pull unlocks the body surge
Rounded stroke
Keep arms ‘out of the way’
Arm Errors
AVOID:
Pulling back too soon – X is not the spot
Lifting head too early
Pulling back too far
Lifting the body up too high
Breathe across
the water
Timing The Legs
Heels lift towards the end of insweep
Recovery of the heels must be FAST
Timing The Legs
Start to push back at end of
upper body surge
Jessica Hardy / Rebecca Soni
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
Mark Gangloff / Brendan Hansen
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
After the Kick
Maintain tone/energy/springiness in the legs
After the Kick
After the Kick
Hold on to the water with the bottoms of
your feet
DRILLS
½ Breaststroke Pull Drill
6 Flutter K between Strokes –
“Russian”
“Pretzel” Drill
Denver Hilltoppers Drill Sequence –
Coach Shawn Smith
Denver Hilltoppers Drill Sequence –
Coach Shawn Smith
Denver Hilltoppers Drill Sequence –
Coach Shawn Smith
3-5 Kicks Underwater
3-5 Pulls Underwater WRONG!
3-5 Pulls Underwater CORRECT!
Other Drills
2P/1K
4,3,2,1P/K
4,3,2,1 K/P
Upside Down Underwater
Single Arm
Paddles/Fins
The “secret” for a legal kick for novices?
What drills do you do?
Flow
Breast Turns
Touch wall on upsweep – Rotate backward
Stay low – Roll back with mouth below
water level
“Elbow your brother, call your mother”
Legs go STRAIGHT UNDER – foot on foot
Breast Turn –
Underwater
Notice similarity
in pushoff
position with the
freestyle turn
Breast Turns – Above Water
Rebecca Soni, ‘08 Olympics 200 BR
Soni
Jones
Breast Turn Drills
Teaching Techniques
• On Dryland: use a wall or fence
• The start of every repeat is a practice
opportunity “READY POSITION!”
Drills
• Fly kick in > Back kick out (2x2)
• Hold breath on 1st stroke
• Double/Triple pullouts
• Pullouts to the cones or mirrors
• Pullouts across the pool, or to Lane #__
“Bounce” off Wall
“Elbow Your Brother,
Call Your Mother”
Midpool Turns – Backward Rotation
Midpool Turns – Backward Rotation
Midpool Turns – Rotation to side
Midpool Turns – “No Wall”
Fly Turn - Ripple
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
Pullouts
Body line is the priority
Have a vision of the ideal pullout
Timing: “3 – 2 – 1”
“Apple, peaches, pumpkin pie” etc.
Arms similar to fly stroke
Pullouts
Put kick where the line stays the best
Smaller dolphin kick from the
knees works best
Hands must move apart before
kick initiated
Dolphin at Beginning of Pullout
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
Dolphin Variations
CLUB DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Sport Performance Consultants
Conclusion:
Improve Breaststroke “Overnight”
Ride the Line
Stroke with Streamlined Legs
Kick with Streamlined Arms
Conclusion
Not Good