Advanced swimming techniques for competitions

Mastering the Aquatic Edge: Advanced Swimming Techniques for Competitive Success

Competitive swimming is a relentless pursuit of speed, efficiency, and power, where fractions of a second can separate victory from defeat. Beyond the fundamental ability to navigate water, advanced techniques become the bedrock upon which champions are built. This article delves into the intricate details of sophisticated swimming mechanics, exploring how elite swimmers optimize every stroke, turn, start, and finish across all four competitive disciplines to gain a decisive aquatic edge.

The Unifying Principles of Advanced Swimming

Before dissecting individual strokes, it’s crucial to understand the overarching principles that underpin all advanced swimming techniques. These are not merely suggestions but hydro- and biomechanical imperatives:

Streamlining: The absolute cornerstone of speed. Reducing drag is paramount. This involves maintaining a taut, elongated body position with the head in line with the spine, minimal frontal resistance, and precise entries and exits from the water. Every movement, from a kick to an arm recovery, must be executed with an awareness of its impact on drag.
Feel for the Water (Proprioception): Elite swimmers possess an uncanny ability to "feel" the water, sensing pressure points and manipulating them for maximum propulsion. This isn’t just about strength; it’s about applying force effectively through a stable, unyielding "paddle" (hand and forearm) against the water.
Core Engagement: The core is the powerhouse of swimming. A strong, engaged core facilitates efficient transfer of power from the hips and shoulders to the arms and legs, stabilizing the body and enabling powerful rotation, which is critical for all strokes.
Continuous Propulsion: Minimizing "dead spots" or moments of zero propulsion is vital. This often involves overlapping phases of arm and leg action, ensuring a constant drive forward.
Rhythm and Timing: Each stroke has a distinct rhythm. Mastering this internal cadence, and knowing when to apply power and when to relax, allows for sustained speed and energy conservation.

Advanced Stroke-Specific Techniques

1. Freestyle (Front Crawl)

The fastest of the four strokes, freestyle demands a seamless blend of power and hydrodynamics.

Early Vertical Forearm (EVF) / High Elbow Catch: This is the holy grail of freestyle propulsion. Instead of pulling the hand straight down, the swimmer aims to quickly establish a high elbow position above the hand, creating a large, stable "paddle" with the forearm and hand facing directly backward. This maximizes the surface area pushing water backward, generating significant thrust. The initiation of the catch should occur early in the stroke, almost immediately after entry, with the fingertips pointing down.
Body Roll and Hip Drive: Power in freestyle originates from the hips. A powerful, deliberate body roll (approximately 45-60 degrees to each side) allows for a longer, stronger pull by engaging the lats and core. The hip of the stroking arm rotates down, driving the arm into the catch, while the opposite hip rises, preparing for the next stroke. This roll also aids in arm recovery over the water, reducing shoulder strain and drag.
Optimal Breathing: Breathing should be quick, shallow, and occur within the body roll, minimizing disruption to streamlining. The head turns just enough to clear the water, with one goggle remaining in the water. Exhalation should be continuous underwater, preparing for the next inhale. Bilateral breathing (every 3rd stroke) is often preferred for balance and body symmetry, though race strategy might dictate breathing every 2nd stroke.
Two-Beat vs. Six-Beat Kick: The six-beat kick provides continuous propulsion and maintains body balance, ideal for sprints and shorter distances. The two-beat kick, synchronized with the opposite arm’s entry, conserves energy and is often preferred for longer distances or open water, focusing on balance and body rotation rather than primary propulsion. Advanced swimmers choose their kick based on race distance and individual biomechanics.
Underwater Recovery: While not often discussed, the hand and forearm recovery under the water (after the push phase) should be quick and streamlined, setting up for the next early catch with minimal resistance.

2. Backstroke

Often considered "upside-down freestyle," backstroke shares many principles but with unique technical demands.

Continuous Body Rotation: Similar to freestyle, a pronounced body roll (around 45 degrees) is critical. This allows for a deeper catch, stronger pull, and easier arm recovery. The rotation is continuous, driven by the hips, ensuring one shoulder is always higher than the other, preventing a flat body position.
Hand Entry and Catch: The hand enters pinky-first, directly in line with the shoulder, with the arm fully extended. Immediately upon entry, the hand and forearm should begin to "catch" the water, establishing an EVF (though the elbow is less visible from above). The thumb-first exit initiates the recovery.
Head Position: Maintaining a stable head position, looking straight up (or slightly back towards the feet), is crucial for maintaining a high hip position and overall body alignment. Tilting the head compromises streamlining and balance.
Continuous Six-Beat Kick: Backstroke relies heavily on a strong, continuous six-beat flutter kick for propulsion and to keep the hips high, preventing them from sinking. The kick should originate from the hips, with flexible ankles and a relatively shallow kick.

3. Breaststroke

The slowest but most technically demanding stroke, breaststroke is a delicate balance of power, glide, and precise timing.

Streamlined Glide: The most critical phase. After each pull-kick cycle, the swimmer must achieve a completely streamlined position with arms extended forward, hands together, and legs together, maximizing the glide phase. This is where efficiency is gained or lost.
Whip Kick (Frog Kick): The power of breaststroke comes predominantly from the legs. The whip kick involves bringing the heels towards the glutes, then rotating the feet outwards (flexing at the ankles), and forcefully driving the legs backward and inwards in a powerful, circular motion. The knees should remain relatively close together to minimize drag. The recovery of the legs should be quick and compact.
Arm Pull and Recovery: The arms pull outwards and downwards in a "keyhole" or "heart" shape, sweeping inwards towards the chest, then recovering forward in a streamlined position. The elbows should remain relatively high during the pull to maintain a good catch. The head should emerge for breathing during the inward sweep of the arms and then quickly tuck back into streamline as the arms extend.
Timing and Rhythm: The coordination is critical: pull and breathe, then kick, then glide. The pull-and-breathe phase is quick, followed by a powerful kick, then an elongated glide. There should be no hesitation or dead spots in the cycle.

4. Butterfly

The most powerful and visually dramatic stroke, butterfly is defined by its undulating body motion and simultaneous arm and leg action.

The Dolphin Kick (Undulation): Butterfly is essentially two dolphin kicks per arm cycle. The undulation originates from the head and shoulders, travels through the core, and culminates in a powerful kick from the hips. The first kick is a "downbeat" as the hands enter the water, and the second, more powerful kick, is an "upbeat" as the hands finish the pull phase, just before recovery. This continuous wave motion provides constant propulsion and lifts the body for recovery.
Simultaneous Arm Pull and Recovery: The arms enter simultaneously, shoulder-width apart, and pull in a "keyhole" pattern similar to breaststroke, but with a more powerful, continuous sweep. The push phase should be strong and accelerate towards the hips. The recovery is over the water, with the arms sweeping wide and low to conserve energy and set up for the next entry.
Breathing Timing: Breathing is typically done every other stroke, or every stroke in shorter races, lifting the head minimally forward just enough to clear the water during the arm recovery, then quickly tucking it back into line with the spine. Breathing too high or too long disrupts the critical undulation.
Connection Between Undulation and Arm Stroke: The entire body works as one unit. The power from the dolphin kick assists the arm pull, and vice-versa. There should be no separation between upper and lower body movements.

Crucial Race Components: Beyond the Stroke

Advanced swimming isn’t just about the stroke; it’s about optimizing every phase of the race.

1. Starts

A powerful start can provide an invaluable initial advantage.

Track Start (Preferred): Placing one foot forward at the edge of the block and the other at the back. The front foot drives forward, while the back foot pushes powerfully off the block.
Grab Start: Both feet at the front of the block.
Explosive Push-Off: Regardless of the start type, the push-off must be explosive, driving the body forward with maximum horizontal velocity.
Streamlined Entry: The body enters the water in a perfectly streamlined position (hands clasped, arms extended, head tucked between arms), minimizing splash and drag.
Underwater Dolphin Kicks: After entry, maximize the allowed 15 meters of underwater dolphin kicks. These are typically faster than surface swimming and allow the swimmer to maintain momentum. The kicks should be powerful, originating from the core, with the body in a tight streamline.

2. Turns

Turns are critical transition points where races can be won or lost.

Freestyle and Backstroke (Flip Turns):
- Approach: Maintain full speed into the wall.
- Initiation: A quick, compact somersault initiated close to the wall.
- Tuck: Legs tucked tightly to the body, feet landing squarely on the wall.
- Push-Off: A powerful, explosive push-off from the wall in a perfectly streamlined position.
- Rotation: Simultaneously rotate onto the stomach (freestyle) or back (backstroke) while pushing off.
- Underwater Dolphin Kicks: Again, maximize the 15-meter underwater phase for speed.
Breaststroke and Butterfly (Open Turns):
- Two-Hand Touch: Both hands must touch the wall simultaneously.
- Quick Tuck: Bring knees towards the chest while rotating the body under the water.
- Feet Placement: Place feet firmly on the wall, ready for push-off.
- Push-Off and Streamline: A powerful push-off into a full streamline, followed by a single pull-down (breaststroke) or full dolphin kick cycle (butterfly) before surfacing.

3. Finishes

Never ease up into the wall.

Maintain Speed: Carry full stroke speed into the finish.
Explosive Touch: For freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly, reach for the wall with an extended arm, touching with fingertips. For breaststroke, a two-hand touch is required.
Timing: Advanced swimmers learn to time their last stroke perfectly, ensuring maximum propulsion right into the wall, avoiding a glide that can lose precious time.

Training Methodologies for Mastery

Achieving mastery of these advanced techniques requires dedicated, intelligent training:

Drills, Drills, Drills: Specific drills targeting EVF, body roll, kick mechanics, and turn components are essential. Video analysis during these drills provides invaluable feedback.
Strength and Conditioning (Dryland): A strong core, powerful legs, and resilient shoulders are vital. Dryland training focusing on functional strength, flexibility, and injury prevention directly translates to improved technique and power in the water.
Periodization: Integrating technical work into a broader training plan that includes endurance, speed, and recovery phases ensures continuous improvement without burnout.
Mental Preparation: Visualization of perfect technique, race strategy, and maintaining focus under pressure are as important as physical training.

Conclusion

Advanced swimming techniques are not mere embellishments; they are the finely tuned instruments through which competitive swimmers unlock their full potential. From the precise angles of an Early Vertical Forearm to the explosive power of a track start and the seamless flow of an underwater dolphin kick, every detail matters. Mastery is an ongoing journey, demanding relentless practice, meticulous attention to biomechanics, and an unyielding commitment to refining every movement. By embracing these sophisticated techniques, swimmers can truly master the aquatic environment and carve their path to competitive excellence.