Arm Entry

How you put your arms in the water when you do the freestyle can be a big deal. Do it wrong and you impede your progress. Do it right and you can actually make yourself go faster. Watch different people do freestyle. Watch how some will put their arms in the water with their elbows sticking out to the side and their hands coming across the front of their heads. These people are in effect putting up a barrier in front of them each time each arm enters the water. Of course, this slows down waterever benefit they may have gotten from their previous pull and from their kick. Look for the people who are doing the stroke correctly. They put their hands in the water straight in front of them. Doing so creates no resistance to water flow and they get into position to pull the water just as fast. They even set themselves up for a longer pull - and a longer pull means you go futher with each stroke. Try it!