The front crawl, also known as freestyle, is performed by rotating your body and arms while kicking your legs in an alternating up-and-down motion. Here’s a breakdown of the technique:
1. Body Position:
- Lie face down in the water: Keep your body as horizontal as possible to minimize drag.
- Head position: Submerge your head in the water, looking down at the bottom of the pool. Your waterline should be near your hairline. Exhale slowly and continuously through your mouth and nose.
2. Arm Stroke:
- Reach: Extend one arm forward, pushing it in front of your head, squeezing near your ear. Aim to reach as far as possible to maximize the length of your stroke.
- Catch: As your hand enters the water, cup it slightly and angle it downward to "catch" the water.
- Pull-Through: Pull your arm down and back through the water, keeping your elbow high. Think about pulling your body forward over your hand, rather than pulling your hand backward.
- Push: As your hand reaches your hip, push it backward to fully extend your arm, completing the power phase of the stroke.
- Recovery: Lift your arm out of the water, bending your elbow and keeping it high. Swing your arm forward over the water to return to the starting position, minimizing resistance.
3. Leg Kick:
- Flutter kick: Perform an alternating up-and-down motion with your legs.
- Keep your legs relatively straight: Your kick should originate from your hips, not your knees.
- Ankles should be relaxed: Point your toes to streamline your body and reduce drag.
- Small, rapid kicks: Focus on generating propulsion from your hips and thighs, rather than relying on large, inefficient kicks.
4. Breathing:
- Rotate your head to the side: Turn your head to the side during the arm recovery, inhaling quickly through your mouth.
- Exhale underwater: Slowly and continuously exhale through your nose and mouth while your face is submerged.
- Maintain body position: Keep your body as streamlined as possible while breathing to avoid disrupting your stroke.
- Bilateral breathing: Alternate breathing on both sides to maintain balance and develop a more symmetrical stroke.
5. Coordination:
- Synchronize arm strokes, leg kicks, and breathing: This is crucial for efficient and effective front crawl swimming.
- Practice drills: Isolate individual components of the stroke to improve technique.
- Maintain a consistent rhythm: Establish a comfortable and efficient rhythm for your stroke, kick, and breathing.
In summary, front crawl requires coordinating body position, arm strokes, leg kicks, and breathing to propel yourself through the water efficiently. Practice each element individually, then combine them for a smooth and powerful swimming stroke.
