Rubbing Ears Proper Freestyle Follow Through

Rubbing Ears - Proper Freestyle Follow Through

OK, so we’ve covered the minimum on freestyle pull.  Now you want to get your arm back to the point of the torpedo.  Again, we want to keep the streamline shape so we can keep the body flowing through the water.  To do that, your recovery must be streamlined too.  Lot’s of people screw this part up.  They just swing their arms out, slowing themselves down and sometimes even whacking the poor people sharing the same lane.  Both are pitiful.  Here’s what’s wrong.  Like the pull, you want your arms to come along side your body.  Only you must bend your elbow.  Do this - again, in front of your mirror.  With left hand extended and right hand by your hip, draw your right hand up to your ear -then straight up and adjacent to the hand pointing up.  Try to keep your elbows as close to your body as possible.  Yes, it’s awkward.  Now try it reversing the hand positions.  When I taught my daughter this technique, I told her to bump her ears with each stroke.  She became the fastest swimmer on the team from the get-go.