Message from Nick Gillingham M.B.E.
Welcome to swimZone and the swim
fitness programmes.
World Champion Breaststroke
swimmers Nick Gillingham M.B.E.
and Adrian Moorhouse M.B.E. have
developed a technique video
‘Ultimate Breaststroke’ which is
available through swimZone™ for
£19.00 inc. p&p. RRP. £22.50.
Following my retirement from elite
sport, after three successful Olympic
Games, I have found that swimming still
needs to be a part of my life in creating
a healthy balance.
Keeping fit, and in particular swimming,
can stimulate the mind and body in
order to take on life’s challenges and is
regarded as the best form of exercise
both physically and mentally and is one
of the most popular family sports
throughout the world.
To place an order
Tel: 00 44 (0)121 682 0411
Fax: 00 44 (0)121 682 0395
E-mail: [email protected]
Swimming can be made easier and more enjoyable with better stroke
technique. Learn to relax in the water as the secret to efficient swimming
is rhythm and timing. Develop trust for the water by improving your
technique, strength, endurance, speed and recovery with swimZone.
Whether swimming is your favourite pastime or your primary sport for
keeping fit and healthy, swimZone will help you to fully enjoy the sport.
If you have ever had an interest, passion, or simply wondered about the
advantages of swimming regularly then take to the pool and enjoy this
exciting and exhilarating environment.
Enjoy, as much as I have, the magic of the water and the sense of freedom
it gives.
Yours sportingly
Nick Gillingham M.B.E.
Double Olympic Medallist
TM swimZone is a trademark of Nick Gillingham Esq. M.B.E.
Copyright © 2003 Nick Gillingham Esq. M.B.E.
Designed and produced by Rob Langston: 0121 308 0440 e-mail: [email protected]
Developed by Nick Gillingham M.B.E.
Introduction to
swim fitness
Understanding Individual
Stroke Techniques
Developed by: Nick Gillingham M.B.E.
Double Olympic Medallist
Recognition of Strokes
What is swimZone™ all about
• An individual swim fitness programme for
•
•
•
FRONTCRAWL
FC
all ages and abilities who wish to have
swimming as part of their lifestyle
Improves water confidence and ability
Strengthens heart and lungs by improving
aerobic condition
Helps create good tone and condition for
the whole body avoiding impact to joints
and muscles
What makes the swim fitness
programme different
• Develops and enhances water skill base
• Identification of correct skill performance
• Develops reliability through strategic
•
BREASTSTROKE
BR
programming
Places emphasis on the importance of
planning and goal setting
Key principals to understanding
the swim fitness programme
• Review the manual before getting started
• Review some swim tips or top tips before
each swim session
• Work through the cyclical programme at
your own pace
• Only move to the upper zones once you
BACKSTROKE
have completed a full swim cycle - you may
wish to try an upper zone swim session or
repeat the swim cycle before you move to
complete an upper zone
BC
How to get started
• A full medical check should be undertaken
• swimZone™ is undertaken at your discretion
•
BUTTERFLY
FLY
•
01
after your medical check
Identify your own personal ability and by
consultation with your swimming
co-ordinator at your local leisure centre
or health club
Select your stroke card or swim fitness card
from poolside, reception or swimZone™
manual
introductory frontcrawl
• Body Position
Lying flat and streamlined with your face in
the water in a horizontal position.
• Pulling Pattern
Alternating arm action placing your hand
in front pushing it back towards your thigh
close to your body past your hip and lifting
your elbow and hand out of the water to
recover the arm forward.
• Kicking Action
Constant alternating leg kick using the
whole of your leg pointing your feet and
toes and creating a small splash keeping
your legs in line with the body.
• Breathing
Regular consistent breathing by controlled
turning of the head to the side.
• Timing
Ensure coordination of pulling, kicking and
breathing into a continuous fluent
movement.
• Turns
Touch Turn. View the wall with your last
arm stroke, touch with one hand, lift your
knees towards your chest, place both your
feet on the wall and pivot to the left or
right, push with your touching hand
followed by a push with both your legs.
Hands and feet come together following
the push off the wall to develop good
streamlining.
• Dive
Stand firmly on the poolside with toes
around the front edge. Place hands to the
side or front of the legs; Hands & Fingers
will secure body position with body weight
very slightly forwards. Dive out down the
pool to full stretch; At the highest point of
the dive drop the head towards the water
surface, the whole body then enters
through the same point of contact on the
water surface which the hands, arms and
head has cut as if you were diving through
a hoop; Come out of this position and into
a streamlined position following entry into
the water in order for the body to become
streamlined. Hold a streamlined position
for a short time underwater and start a
continuous frontcrawl leg kick to maintain
speed. It is possible to find greater speed
whilst
underwater
due
to
good
streamlining and momentum. Ensure the
leg kick helps drive the body to the water
surface. Never dive into shallow waters.
understanding the individual stroke techniquess
introductory frontcrawl
02
understanding the individual stroke techniquess
introductory frontcrawl swim tips
frontcrawl swim tips
Streamline Frontcrawl. Push off the wall on the
water surface or underwater with hands
overlapping and the body stretched out. Kick
for a few seconds. Walk back to the wall and
repeat as necessary or swim easy for the
remainder of the length.
Finger Touch Frontcrawl. Let your fingers skate
across the water surface as you move your arm
slowly forward, allow the hand to cut into the
water with forefingers and thumb first. Keep
your legs kicking in order to support the body.
This will develop correct arm recovery.
Catch-Up Frontcrawl. Allow the stroke
technique to slow down with a pause at the
front of the stroke where the hands come
together and meet up for one or two seconds.
Maintain a good streamline position. Keep your
legs kicking to improve your technique.
Bilateral Breathing. Breath to the left side and
then the right side of the stroke to create good
balance in the water, you will be taking one
breath for every three strokes. Keep the face
low on the water surface as you breath into the
trough space you have created. Breathing to
both sides helps reduce stress to the neck.
03
introductory breaststroke
• Body Position
• Dive
Following the leg kick your body will be
stretched out and streamlined lying flat in the
water at which point the pull commences and
the lifting of the head and shoulders takes
place to breath.
Stand firmly on the poolside with toes around
the front edge. Place hands to the side or front of
the legs; Hands & Fingers will secure body
position with body weight very slightly forwards.
Dive out down the pool to full stretch; At the
highest point of the dive drop the head towards
the water surface, the whole body then enters
through the same point of contact on the water
surface which the hands, arms and head has cut
as if you were diving through a hoop; Come out
of this position and into a streamlined position
following entry into the water in order for the
body to become streamlined; Hold a streamlined
position underwater and execute one
breaststroke arm pull past your hips and one full
leg kick as the hands recover forwards
underwater, the head then breaks the water
surface to breath, ensure the leg kick helps the
body to the water surface. It is possible to find
greater speed whilst underwater due to good
streamlining and momentum. A slightly deeper
dive is required for breaststroke giving depth to
achieve the pull and kick action. Never dive into
shallow waters.
• Pulling Pattern
From the stretched streamlined position both
hands press out and round in a small circular
action in front of the shoulders.
• Kicking Action
Simultaneous kick bringing the feet towards
your seat. Turning the feet out kick round and
back in a circular pattern and bring the feet and
legs together again as the body stretches out.
• Breathing
Lifting the head clear of the water and to the
front of the stroke during the arm action and
before each kick.
• Timing
From the stretched streamlined position the
hands and arms pull during which action the
breath is taken followed by the kick followed
by a stretch, returning again to the streamlined
position.
understanding the individual stroke techniquess
introductory breaststroke
• Turns
Always touch the wall with both hands and lift
the knees towards the chest and place your feet
on the wall after the hands make contact then
push one hand forwards underwater pointing
in the direction you wish to swim. The other
arm will move over the water surface. Start to
push off the wall with your legs. Hold a
streamline position following the push off the
wall keeping hands and feet together before
you resume full stroke.
04
understanding the individual stroke techniquess
introductory breaststroke
breaststroke swim tips
Kick Breaststroke on your back with arms
stretched down the pool above your head
pressing over your ears in a streamlined
position and looking up towards the ceiling.
The knees will be kept under the water surface.
Develop a symmetrical kick. This will help stop
the knees coming forward under the body
when swimming full stroke.
Treading Water with alternate breaststroke legs
will condition the legs for full stroke swimming.
Treading water can be executed at low intensity
or high intensity with or without the movement
of hands adding variety to the pool session.
Underwater Breaststroke swimming will help
condition the lungs. Swim one stroke on the
surface of the water and two strokes
underwater with rest intervals at every length.
known as hypoxic training this will improve the
lung capacity. Only swim for as long as is
comfortable.
Kick Breaststroke with hands held together
around your seat. This will develop good
strength endurance for the legs as high
resistance through the water is created from
the body position.
05
introductory backstroke
• Body Position
• Dive
Lying flat and streamlined, almost horizontal in
the water with the back of the head in the
water looking up towards the ceiling.
Start in the water, hold on to the poolside with
both hands about shoulder width apart. Place
both feet on the wall. Pull the body into the
wall by creating a tuck then take the hands and
arms backwards past your head and allow the
head to follow the arms back as you push back.
After the push off, start to kick, and then
resume full stroke.
• Pulling Pattern
Alternating circular action over and under the
water. Hand entry into the water is controlled
and in line with the shoulder. Hand recovery
out of the water is close to the thigh.
• Kicking Action
Steady alternating kick in line with the body
ensuring whole leg movement and knees kept
under the water surface. Feet and toes making
a small amount of splash.
• Breathing
Breath is taken regularly as and when required
and at least once during every arm cycle.
• Timing
Coordination of kicking and pulling
continuous movement.
into a
• Turns
Touch Turn. On the last stroke into the wall
stretch your arm out to hold the wall with one
hand, lift your knees towards the chest and turn
to the left if your left hand is on the wall or
right if your right hand is on the wall, place
your feet on the wall. The arm that is not
holding the wall will stretch out above the head
then take your arm from the wall over the
water surface in line with your shoulder and
push off the wall on your back. Ensure both
arms are stretched out above the head on the
water surface hugging the ears.
understanding the individual stroke techniquess
introductory backstroke
06
understanding the individual stroke techniquess
introductory backstroke
backstroke swim tips
Streamline Kick. Kick on your back with arms
stretched out down the pool hugging your ears.
Hold a small float or place one hand on top of
the other to ensure a streamlined position
Ensure the chest is high and clear of the water
surface with the hips held high. Do not sit in the
water with low hips. Ensure the body is high on
the water surface to create good streamlining
with head looking upwards.
Double Arm Backstroke or Old English
backstroke will keep or increase flexibility
across the chest. Watch the arms and hands
recover over the water surface. As the arms
recover the little fingers cut into the water first.
Once the hands and arms have entered the
water, push the hands and forearms towards
your feet.
Catch-Up Backstroke is executed with a one or
two second pause once the opposite hand has
met up with the other. Swim catch-up with one
arm by your side or stretched out above your
head. This will slow the stroke down in order to
concentrate on the pull. Keep the legs kicking.
Side Kicking. Kick your legs while on your side
with one arm stretched out down the pool and
your ear resting flat on your upper arm. The
opposite arm will be at your side close to the
thigh. The leg kick should not be too wide and
no more than the depth of your chest. Start the
kick from your hips kicking through to your toes
with feet and toes pointed.
07
introductory butterfly
• Body Position
• Dive
Undulating dolphin like motion through the
water and stroke cycle whilst lying on your front.
Stand firmly on the poolside with toes around
the front edge. Place hands to the side or front
of the legs; Hands & Fingers will secure body
position with body weight very slightly
forwards. Dive out down the pool to full
stretch; At the highest point of the dive drop
the head towards the water surface, the whole
body then enters through the same point of
contact on the water surface which the hands,
arms and head has cut as if you were diving
through a hoop; Come out of this position and
into a streamlined position following entry into
the water in order for the body to become
streamlined. Hold a streamlined position for a
short time underwater and start to execute a
dolphin leg kick to maintain speed. It is possible
to find greater speed whilst underwater due to
good streamlining and momentum. Ensure the
leg kick helps drive the body to the water
surface. Never dive into shallow waters.
• Pulling Pattern
A simultaneous double arm circling action with
hands entering the water in front of the
shoulders approximately shoulder width apart,
after the underwater pull the hands lift over
the water surface to the front of the stroke for
the next pull.
• Kicking Action
A simultaneous kick starting at the hips with
movement down through the legs to the feet
and toes pointed. Always keeping legs and feet
close together.
• Breathing
Lifting the head to the front during the arm
action as you pull underwater towards your hips.
• Timing
Kick Pull Kick Pull with the breath taken as you
pull underwater towards your hips for
improved timing.
• Turns
On the last stroke reach for the wall with both
hands. Touch the wall with both hands and lift
the knees towards the chest and place both feet
on the wall. One arm then moves forwards
down the pool the other arm is taken over the
water surface and the hand meets up with the
other. As you push off the wall on the water
surface, stretch down the pool with hands and
feet held together to develop good
streamlining before you resume full stroke.
understanding the individual stroke techniquess
introductory butterfly
08
understanding the individual stroke techniquess
introductory butterfly
butterfly swim tips
Single Arm Butterfly to exaggerate the high hips.
Alternate right and left arm every half length or
whenever comfortable. This will develop the
rhythm of the stroke and will also help reduce
fatigue in the shoulders as it is difficult to
maintain full stroke for long distances.
Catch-Up Butterfly to help create a high hip
position relieving the strain of full stroke. This is
swam as single arm butterfly but starting the
second pull with the opposite arm just as the
hands meet up at the front of the stroke.
Swim one full stroke over the water and dive
underwater to kick two or three dolphin kicks
(fly kick) before resuming one full stroke on the
surface. You must drop your head down
underwater to allow your hips to lift, you are
then able to kick underwater. This will develop
the undulation of butterfly and will improve
your lung capacity.
Kick Dolphin Legs whilst on your side. Stretch
one arm down the pool above the head holding
the top of a small float, keep the other arm by
your side close to your thigh. Keep your feet
together as you kick to opposite sides of the
pool. This will help increase flexibility in your
shoulders as well as condition the legs.
09
Wellbeing plan
Pulse Rate (Heart beats per minute may vary with age)
Easy Effort
100 - 120
beats per minute
Moderate Effort
120 - 140
beats per minute
Strong Effort
140 - 160
beats per minute
Maximum Effort
160 - 180+
beats per minute
The below calories are approximate figures and
dependent on the differing abilities, genetics,
metabolism and body composition of each
individual swimmer. Different fitness activities
will have a variable result of calories lost,
therefore, it is recommended that any fitness
programme should have a goal of improving
body composition. When exercising at the
correct level of intensity fatty tissue is replaced
with lean tissue through regular exercise
leading towards a much better wellbeing.
Calories lost in relation to a given effort and the number of lengths / time swam for frontcrawl
and backstroke. The calorie count below increases by 5% for breaststroke and 10% for butterfly.
Card 1
16 lengths
20 minutes approximately
100 - 120 bpm
90-100
calories
16 lengths
20 minutes approximately
120 - 140 bpm
120-150 calories
16 lengths
20 minutes approximately
140 - 160 bpm
150-200 calories
16 lengths
20 minutes approximately
160 - 180+ bpm
200-300 calories
Calories lost in relation to a given effort and the number of lengths / time swam for frontcrawl
and backstroke. The calorie count below increases by 5% for breaststroke and 10% for butterfly.
Card 2
24 lengths
25 minutes approximately
100 - 120 bpm
95-105
24 lengths
25 minutes approximately
120 - 140 bpm
126-158 calories
24 lengths
25 minutes approximately
140 - 160 bpm
158-210 calories
24 lengths
25 minutes approximately
160 - 180+ bpm
210-315 calories
The most appropriate level to swim at in order
to lose weight, burn fat and fatty acids is to
swim at a pace of moderate effort allowing the
heart rate to beat at between 120 and 140 beats
per minute (bpm). If the heart rate is higher
than this the body will burn sugar stored as
calories
glycogen in the muscles with the result of high
levels of hunger and a possible feeling of
disorientation at the end of the swim session. Use
a pace clock to check your pulse rate and
appropriate rest between swims. A ten second
count multiplied by six will give you the
approximate beats per minute.
understanding the individual techniques
Wellbeing plan