6 keys for freestyle swimming

When the athlete dives into the water, he must use a swimming technique that is appropriate for his condition. The front crawl swimming technique is one of the most used and complete, because when swimming front crawl the user achieves greater cardiovascular work, enhancing their strength, flexibility and endurance.

If the swimmers in action can perfect the front crawl swimming style, the better their results will be. That is, they will be able to develop a better propulsion and movement of their bodies in the water.

The front crawl in swimming not only helps to optimize the athlete’s performance but also to dose the work done in the aquatic environment. Through this technique, your swimmer’s body will feel safer and perform movements in a more natural and controlled way.

Likewise, it will reduce the chances of presenting an injury and it will be less likely that fatigue will persist throughout your sports routines. In general, it is a swimming style that will allow the participant to enjoy their training.

Keys to achieve the crawl technique

When looking for how to swim well, you will find several keys that will help you perfect the technique. Here are some of the most essential.

1. The breath

When swimming front crawl the breath should be short, but you should take a deep breath, because if you breathe fewer times you will be able to swim faster . You must breathe in through your mouth when you turn your head to get it out of the water and then you must expire both through your nose and through your mouth with your head in the water. You should always start this breathing process once your hand on the side you are inhaling from completes the push.

2. Body position

If you maintain a correct position of your body you will easily learn how to swim well at front crawl. To do this, said position must be hydrodynamic to reduce the resistance to advance through the water and perform good propulsion. The hips have to be erect and the gaze in a diagonal direction.

The whole body should remain as aligned as possible towards the line of advance. On the other hand, it must be borne in mind that, if the stroke is made with the right arm, the body deviates somewhat to the left and if the stroke corresponds to the left, the opposite occurs. Said deviation will diminish the possibility of advancing in a straight line. To avoid this, it is important to apply the same force in each stroke cycle.

3. Arm action

Within the front crawl style it is of vital importance that the arms remain active and drive the whole body. In the front crawl the entry is made by dipping the fingers first, then the wrist, forearm, elbow and arm. The hand should go in front of the head and the palm turns partially outwards. The elbow is raised and semi-flexed. The grip on the other hand is the preparation of the traction, in which the hand should be directed towards the bottom and the elbow should be raised somewhat.

Subsequently, the pull that is the propulsion is performed. To do this, the arm is flexed about 90°. The pull is made with one hand towards the hips opposing the other hand. The palm of the hand should face backwards, the fingers should be together and the wrist very firm.

For the thrust the hand will have to be out and up towards the thigh. The thrust will be made below the hips. Finally, recovery occurs when the hand is submerged in the water. The shoulder will have to come out after the elbow, forearm and hand.

Throughout this great work of the arms, it is very feasible to count the strokes , since in this way there will be more awareness of how the front crawl swimming technique is being applied and if it is possible to cover the space with fewer strokes or time.

4. Legs running

The front crawl kick is essential to maintain a good position and move linearly. This must be started from the hip and the movement is executed as if it were a whip. Both legs must be closed and together, as well as avoiding bending the knees to a great extent. On the other hand, they must make a continuous movement from top to bottom and the feet must always remain in the aquatic environment.

5. The roll

When swimming in front crawl the roll, that small turn of the longitudinal axis , should not be less than 45 ° on each side. The front crawl roll will allow the swimmer to decrease forward resistance. The body will not remain completely in contact with the water and, in addition, it will allow a more efficient recovery and traction.

6. The weather

By knowing how to swim and putting into practice the various techniques, you must put aside the obsession with time. When you start it is normal to want to swim as fast as possible and beat your personal best. However, the important thing is to hone your results by improving your technique and being persistent with your swim .

You should always keep in mind that coordination is a fundamental factor in the front crawl technique, in order to integrate all the keys mentioned above. Also, you must make a good swimming team. For example, using good swimming goggles you could observe the lines on the ground to go in a straight line and avoid colliding with other swimmers. In this front crawl you should try to stretch as much as possible in the water, as this will return you to the technique.

In conclusion, the choice of the crawl technique or another will depend exclusively on the athlete and the objective that he wishes to pursue in his training. The front crawl is a very fast alternative to swimming. It also allows you to burn around 250 calories for every 20 minutes of activity. Therefore, the athlete easily manages to improve his physical appearance. And if he wants to challenge himself, he could even learn how to swim backstroke technique style or integrate it with other safe strokes.