Balance
Third in a series of three articles focusing on Balance
By Coach Doug Garcia
In the October Tech Tip I wrote about balance as it relates to incorporating other activities into your overall exercise program. In November, I wrote about balance as it relates to swimming and body position. This month, I will wrap up the balance series by continuing the concept of balance in the water.
The teeter-totter effect
If you look at kids at a playground riding a teeter-totter, one kid goes up and the other goes down. I frequently see this effect with swimmers. As the head goes up to breathe, the feet drop, and as the head goes back down into the water, the feet rise again. Some swimmers have done this for so long, they’re quite efficient at the teeter-totter effect (similar to the person who never learned to type, after a while, they’re excellent at the hunt and peck method).
The difference between the best swimmers and the rest of us mortals is that they keep their body horizontal with no teeter-totter effect. How do they do it?
Pressing the T
To keep your body as horizontal as possible and avoid the teeter-totter effect, some of you have heard me comment, “Press your T.” The graphic at the right[SM1] shows the human figure with the T highlighted. The T area of the body is the most buoyant part – it’s where the lungs are! An efficient swimmer must press the T to get the body horizontal.
As most of us have figured out, the back end of our body sinks as soon as we raise our head. Pressing the T is critical to overcome this sinking position. Some swimmers press their T so hard they bury their head too far under the water, which means when they need a breath, they raise their head and go back to teeter-totter mode. The trick is learning how to press your T and find the right balance for you. A great visual is to swim downhill, but not so much downhill that you bury your head so far underwater that you must lift your head to breathe. If your body position is correct, all you need to do for a breath is to gently turn your head, not lift it. A balanced body position is necessary for all four competitive strokes.
One of the best drills to find that sweet spot is side kicking. Many newer Loveland Masters swimmers have experienced time in the water doing the side-kick drill. This particular drill is more about finding that sweet spot, or balanced body position, than it is about kicking or building leg strength.
As you can see, balance is critical for swimming (and many other sports). Just like looking where you want to go while riding a bike, relaxing through a fall in martial arts, or breathing through yoga moves, balance is a simple yet tough-to-master skill.
During our practice sessions, pay attention to your T and kick. During warmups and drills, experiment with your balance. What works? What doesn’t? As you figure out what works, make a conscious effort to try and achieve that balance during each practice. Eventually, it will become as natural as blowing bubbles!