Read time: 3min.
By Coach Yan Busset
Why Activating Your Back Muscles is Key for Efficient Freestyle Swimming
Have you ever wondered why your freestyle times aren't improving, no matter how much you train? The answer might be hiding behind you. Many swimmers, particularly beginners and age groupers, make a critical mistake: they fail to engage the largest muscles in their body: the lats. In this article, we’ll uncover why activating your back muscles is essential for efficient freestyle swimming and how improper technique could be holding you back.
The Power of the Lats:
The latissimus dorsi, or lats, are the largest muscles in your upper body, stretching from your lower back to mid back. They’re much bigger and stronger than the muscles in your arms and shoulders. When properly engaged, they allow for a stronger catch and more powerful strokes, resulting in a faster and more efficient swimming style. Relying solely on your arms and shoulders can lead to fatigue, slower times, and increased risk of shoulder injuries. By using your lats, the strength required for the stroke is distributed more evenly across your back, reducing the strain on your shoulder joints.
The Crucial Role of Technique:
One of the most common mistakes swimmers make is dropping their elbow during the pull phase of their stroke. This error not only reduces the effectiveness of the stroke but also prevents the engagement of the lats, which are essential for maximizing your power in the water. The early vertical forearm (EVF) and activating the lats early in the stroke are crucial because the front catch and the beginning of the pull account for 80% of your propulsion. Without engaging your lats from the start, you're missing out on most of your potential power and speed.
Four Ways to Perfect Your High Elbow:
Simply telling someone to keep a high elbow might not be enough to ensure proper technique. Here are four practical methods to help you engage your lats correctly and maintain that all-important high elbow position:
Single Hand Drill with a Kickboard: Use a kickboard to focus on one arm at a time. Hold the kickboard in front of you with one hand and perform the stroke with the other, moving slowly enough to see what's happening and correct your technique, one arm at a time. This drill helps you concentrate on keeping your elbow high and engaging the lats effectively.
Stretch Cord on the Dryland: use long elastic bands such as stretch cords off the water to feel when your lats are correctly engaged, reinforcing the proper muscle activation and elbow positioning.
Balloon or Barrel Visualization: Picture a balloon or barrel in front of you that you need to roll your arm around. This visualization naturally forces you to maintain a high elbow, ensuring that your lats are engaged and your stroke is as efficient as possible.
The "Elbow Eye" Trick: Imagine that your elbow has an eye at the end, and this eye needs to look at the roof. This out of the box mental cue will help you keep your elbow in the correct position, preventing it from dropping and compromising your stroke efficiency.
Have you ever noticed that the super muscular guy in the lane next to you isn’t swimming any faster, or that a kid can swim twice as fast as you? It’s probably because they’re swimming smarter, not harder. One of the key point is that they’re using their lats more effectively, ensuring their technique is spot-on with proper hand, forearm, and elbow positioning. The key to swimming faster lies in this better technique, not just brute strength. By focusing on engaging your back muscles and maintaining a high elbow, you can start swimming smarter and watch your times drop.
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