Courtesy of Gary Hall Sr., 10-time World Record Holder, 3-time Olympian, 1976 Olympic Games US Flagbearer and The Race Club co-founder.
How a swimmer initiates the freestyle pulling motion, setting up for the catch, is vitally important. Once the motion begins, there is no turning back. If the pulling motion is wrong, the chances are good that the error in technique will repeatedly occur with every stroke taken. One typical example of this freestyle pulling error is the out sweep.
The out sweep occurs when the swimmer starts the pull by initiating the catch with an outward motion of the hand. I often see the out sweep happen either with one hand or with both hands, but most commonly occurs with the hand opposite the breath side. The swimmer uses the out sweeping motion of the hand to gain leverage for the head to turn for the breath. The out sweep is particularly common among young girls.
There are three problems with the out sweep of the hand:
- By moving the single hand outward, that outward force results in the body moving in the opposite direction (action/reaction..Newton’s third law of motion). The out sweep causes a slight zig-zagging motion of the swimmer.
- Once the hand and arm begin to move outside of the line of the motion of the swimmer, the drag starts to increase immediately and significantly.
- When the hand is outside of the pulling elbow, rather than inside, the propulsion decreases.
There isn’t as much pulling power outside the elbow as there is inside the elbow. It is as if the swimmer is trying to use the hands and arms like they are oars, rather than ….well arms.
The best way I have found to correct this out sweep error in technique is by using the ISO paddles manufactured by Finis. This is not how the paddles are being marketed, but who cares? If they correct this problem, then I am okay with that. The key is to wear them correctly – yellow paddle on the left hand and gray paddle on the right hand (remember by the acronym yellow has an L in it and gray has an R in it). The swimmer should place the middle finger through the little slot on the top of the paddle and squeeze the fingers and thumb together on the top side. Forget about the other holes in the paddles. You don’t need them. The little flange on the side makes it difficult (not impossible) for the swimmer to out sweep with the hands.
This week in our Race Club webisode, you will see some of our age group swimmers who have a bad out sweeping habit correct the problem immediately by using the ISO paddles. If you are an out sweeper, we hope that you will rid yourself of that bad technique and develop a faster freestyle by using these Finis products.
Yours in swimming,
Gary Sr.
Gary Hall, Sr., Technical Director and Head Coach of The Race Club (courtesy of TRC)
Like The Race Club on Facebook
Follow The Race Club on Instagram
Follow The Race Club on Twitter
Connect to The Race Club / Gary Hall Sr. on Linkedin
THE RACE CLUB
Because Life is Worth Swimming, our mission is to promote swimming through sport, lifelong enjoyment, and good health benefits. Our objective is for each member of and each participant in The Race Club to improve his or her swimming performances, health, and self-esteem through our educational programs, services and creativity. We strive to help each member of The Race Club overcome challenges and reach his or her individual life goals.
The Race Club provides facilities, coaching, training, technical instruction, video, fitness and health programs for swimmers of all ages and abilities. Race Club swim camps are designed and tailored to satisfy each swimmer’s needs, whether one is trying to reach the Olympic Games or simply improve one’s fitness. Our programs are suitable for beginner swimmers, pleasure swimmers, fitness swimmers, USA swimming or YMCA swimmers, or triathletes; anyone who wants to improve swimming skills. All of our Race Club members share an enjoyment of being in the water and use swimming to stimulate a more active mind and body.
Not trying to nit-pick here. Legit want to verify because I’ve always had a lack-luster pull and can distinctly remember seeing videos in college and being told by one of my team mates that my left hand went out…GHS is saying to wear them correctly you should have the yellow on the left and the grey (or black) on the right. But when I go to the link above the picture clearly shows a swimmer with the grey on their left hand and the yellow on the right hand. The position of the paddles in the add also would indicate this is the way Finis intends on having the swimmer use them. Are we doing the opposite of what the… Read more »
The paddles are actually designed such that they can be worn on either hand. When the gray paddle is worn on the right hand they help correct the out sweep. When worn on the left hand, they help correct the in sweep. We see both errors commonly and sometimes in the same pulling motion. We focus on correcting one problem at a time, and for the out sweep, wear the gray paddle on the right hand. It really helps!
Funny, whenever a swim technique fault is discussed, I always think- I do that! Damn!
Thanks, this was helpful! BTW “yellow has an L in it and gray has an R in it,” is a mnemonic device not an acronym.
Yes…thanks for that reminder! I should have known better. Mnemonics got me through medical school anatomy class