Balance
Second in a series of three articles
By Coach Doug Garcia
Last month I talked about balance relative to sports outside of swimming such boxing, Zumba and skateboarding. This month, I’ll explore the challenges of balance as it relates to swimming.
Recently I had a swimmer ask me, “Why do I swim so much faster when I’m pulling?” This is not the first time I’ve heard this question, and it’s a common experience for a many swimmers. The biggest reason why this happens is the pull buoy.
If you look at excellent or elite swimmers, their body position in the water is very horizontal, or balanced, without a pull buoy. The balanced swimmer more efficiently moves through the water—think less resistance. Swimmers who are not balanced in the water will feel faster with a pull buoy because it artificially raises the lower half of the body to a more balanced position. Add a pair of large hand paddlesequation and there’s no question the swimmer moves faster through the water.
The other morning I watched two swimmers, both from the same lane and both strong experienced swimmers. The first swimmer’s body position in the water was very balanced, her feet were gently breaking the surface consistently, and she was a bit faster than the second swimmer.
The second swimmer’s body position was good, but not as balanced as the first swimmer and her kick did not consistently break the surface. The differences between the two swimmers were quite subtle, but when measured over a longer swim, and with other efficiencies, this difference was enough to make one swimmer faster than the other.
Remember the goal here is not to develop a kick that breaks the surface, though that is a good thing; the goal is to achieve a balanced position in the water. This balancing act is a challenge for less experienced swimmers. Many who enter the sport later in life are concerned with getting air, and as a result they swim with their head higher in the water and compromise their body balance. This balancing challenge is not just in freestyle. All the strokes need a balanced body position to be efficient.
Am I saying don’t swim with a pull buoy or paddles? No. I am saying that you need to be aware of your body balance. The pull buoy can simulate what a wet suit might provide, but learning to keep your body balanced without the artificial aids is critical to improve your swimming efficiency.