Swimmer: My hips?? How do I “use” my hips?Me: Push, drive, snap those hips!
Swimmer: I’m trying to “push, drive, snap” my hips…but nothing happens!
Me: Use 500% more hips!
Swimmer: Wow…that was amazing! I really moved forward!
These are just a few of the conversations that I often have with new swimmers. The single most important part of an efficient swim stroke is their hips (I.E., their core)…but trying to get folks to FEEL that propulsive power for the 1st time can be challenging.
So, we patiently wait, we patiently keep working. Until one day, it happens…and that day is always exciting! Jim Carpenter had his “a-ha” hip moment last lesson! He finally felt the amazing burst of speed that comes from MORE hips combined with LESS arms & legs. Way to go, Jim!
In Jim’s own words:
“About a year ago my stepson proposed that we swim the Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim together in the San Francisco Bay. After a few months of training, I knew my existing skills just weren’t going to work. So, I signed up for swim lessons. Lo & behold, last week I made a breakthrough on my swim drills by engaging my hips in my stroke! This is the culmination of several weeks of small incremental gains & it really has fired me up to continue the process of revamping my swim technique. My confidence is high that I’m now on the right track & I’m ready to get after it! Learning a new skill can be a tough task, but it also can be very rewarding!”
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