Almost everyone can swim from an early age, but most haven’t learned anything since then. Even if the breaststroke is generally considered easy, the technique is not that simple. Margot Guldiman from Byrne Swimming School knows what to look out for.
head in the water
“Keep your head under water if possible,” is his tip. “This prevents the spine from bending in the neck area. This leads to the famous neck pain.”
Legend:
With the right swimming goggles, diving while breaststroke is no longer a problem.
key principle
Sure, not everyone likes to dive: contact lenses, mascara, hairstyle – many drive their heads out of the water. “Just keeping your chin and mouth under water when doing the breaststroke means it’s taking the load off your spine,” says Guldiman.
wear swimming goggles
But if you want to do the perfect breaststroke, your whole face should be submerged in water so your spine forms a straight line. This is why swimming coaches recommend swimming goggles. The models that are on the market today are really tight. Mascara and contact lenses stay where they belong.
Breathe properly while swimming breaststroke
Many recreational swimmers find it difficult to breathe and coordinate activities. While breaststroke, stretch your arms forward and exhale at the same time.
The best way to think of it is this: you stretch out your arms.
“The best way to think of it is this: you stretch your arms out in front,” says Guldiman. And you do it with your nose. This way no water gets in.
wrong leg movement
Progress in the breaststroke depends on proper foot movement. The arm pull contributes little to this. After each leg kick, the feet and legs should touch. “Many don’t realize that they aren’t making symmetrical movements,” says the swimming instructor. You then come into a slightly slouched position, but still swim straight ahead.
Are you already crawling or just squirming?
If you are really good at crawling, you can spectacularly pull length after length along the length of the water. But some become lame after five moves. But don’t worry, you can learn to crawl in old age, Guldiman knows that.
Anyone who crawls regularly will have no problems raising their arms even in old age.
Crawling keeps you fit without putting any strain on your joints and is generally associated with a lower risk of injury. Therefore, it is also suitable for the elderly. “If you crawl regularly, you won’t have any problems lifting your arms as you get older,” says Guldiman. A typical exercise in senior gymnastics.
Practice creates masters
This applies in particular to crawling animals: crawling re-starters in particular need regular training. The leg, body, arm, head and breathing techniques are sophisticated. Goal: get into the rhythm. This is especially true for breathing. Guldiman recommends the triple rhythm. This means that you will inhale after three puffs. In this way you breathe evenly from the left and right and thereby relax your neck and spine.
The same applies here: If you have taught yourself to swim, it is best to hire a swimming instructor.