Last Updated on April 15, 2024 by admin
In this article, we will provide advice, drills, hacks and tips, as an introduction to an efficient freestyle body rotation technique.
The benefits of freestyle body rotation
Correctly rotating the body during freestyle can provide the swimmer with many benefits these include.
- The ability to extend the reach of each arm and thus improve their distance per stroke.
- Enables the swimmer to engage their large and powerful shoulder, chest, arms and core muscles.
- It can help to generate increase increased speed, power and propulsion.
- It can also help to balance the swimmer’s stroke, especially with the introduction of bilateral breathing.
- Body rotation can make it easier for the swimmer to recover their arms.
- This can reduce the stress on the swimmer’s arms and shoulder muscles, thus reducing the chance of injury.
- It can also help to reduce drag,
- By placing the swimmer’s body in a more streamlined position as they stretch and recover their arm from the water as they breathe.
Related article on developing swimming distance per stroke
We have produced a related article on developing swimming distance per stroke. You can view it by clicking this link: developing swimming distance per stroke.
Related article on developing your swimming core
We have produced a related article on developing your swimming core. You can view it by clicking this link: developing your swimming core.
What is freestyle body rotation?
Freestyle body rotation (body roll) is the rotation of a swimmer’s shoulders, trunk (torso) and hips along the vertical (long) axis of their body while performing the freestyle stroke.
- To help achieve an efficient freestyle technique, these parts of the swimmer’s body should rotate simultaneously during each stroke.
- While reaching out with their arm to their maximum extent, on the completion of each stroke.
Leg kick
As the swimmer rotates their body, their legs will also rotate, therefore requiring them to kick on their side (laterally)
Breathing and head position
As the swimmer’s body rotates, their head should remain stationary and be looking slightly forward at the bottom of the pool.
- When breathing, they should rotate their head simultaneously with their body as it rotates.
- The swimmer should take a large quick breath, then slowly exhale in the water via their nose or mouth. (trickle breathing)
Related article on freestyle breathing drills an introduction
We have produced a related article on freestyle breathing drills. You can view it by clicking this link: freestyle breathing drills an introduction
Stroke rhythm
It’s important to the effectiveness of the stroke, that the swimmer performs their freestyle body rotation
- with a smooth continuous rhythm.
- without losing momentum.
- without any pauses or ‘dead spots’.
How much should a swimmer rotate their body?
Ideally, a swimmer should rotate their body between approximately 35 and 45 degrees on each side.
- Swimmers and coaches should make time to experiment to find the optimum amount of rotation required to make their stroke efficient.
Under rotation
Many swimmers do not have a balanced body rotation.
- Most commonly, they rotate correctly on the side on which they breathe and insufficiently rotate on their other side.
- Ideally, swimmers should adopt bi-lateral breathing when swimming freestyle, to help balance their stroke.
- Swimmers who under-rotate should regularly practice freestyle body rotation drills, such as those listed below.
Related article on freestyle breathing drills an introduction
We have produced a related article on freestyle breathing drills. You can view it by clicking this link: freestyle breathing drills an introduction
Over rotation
Some swimmers over-rotate their bodies, which can slow the swimmer’s stroke rate.
- This is usually a result of the swimmer over-rotating their head while breathing.
- Ideally, swimmers when inhaling should have one goggle lens completely in the water and through the other goggle lens, the swimmer should look across the surface of the pool.
- It may also be a result of the swimmer pulling too deeply on their arm stroke when breathing.
Freestyle body rotation drills
Listed below are some of our favourite freestyle body rotation development drills.
Lateral kicking with a kickboard breathing on one goggle
Purpose: This drill develops the lateral kicking technique, by introducing the correct head position while breathing during the freestyle stroke.
How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a push and glide from the wall at the end of the pool.
- The swimmer should rotate their body on their right-hand side (laterally).
- The swimmer’s head should be resting on the outstretched right arm.
- They should hold the edge of the kickboard with one hand
- They should have one goggle lens completely in the water and with the other goggle lens, they should look across the surface of the pool.
- The swimmer should complete this drill for one length/lap of the pool (25m) on their right-hand side.
- After a short rest interval, the swimmer should repeat this drill, but this time laterally kicking on their left-hand side.
- Younger and inexperienced swimmers may find it useful to use fins when first learning this drill.
Lateral kicking without a kickboard breathing on one goggle
Purpose: Once the swimmer has mastered the drill above.
- They should perform this drill as they did for the drill above but without a kickboard.
How to perform this drill: The swimmer’s arm should be completely out-stretched in the catch position and the swimmer’s head should be resting upon it.
Lateral kicking from side to side
Purpose: Once the swimmer has mastered the drill above.
- They should perform this drill as they did for the drill above, but kick from side to side, by the introduction of body rotation.
How to perform this drill: The swimmer should rotate their body on their right-hand side (laterally).
- They then start to perform five lateral freestyle leg kicks on their right-hand side, before rotating onto their left-hand side and repeating the five lateral freestyle leg kicks.
Lateral kicking ‘hands in pockets’
Purpose: To further develop a swimmer’s body rotation.
- They should perform this drill as they did for the drill above but kick and rotate their body from side to side with their hands by their sides (hands in pockets)
How to perform this drill: The swimmer should place both of their arms by their sides, ‘hands in pockets’.
- They should increase the intensity of their kick, on their side (laterally) steadily down the length of the pool.
- They should ensure that their body rotates completely from one side to the other, after every five lateral kicks.
6-3-6 Drill
Purpose: To further develop a swimmer’s body rotation
How to perform the drill: The swimmers perform six lateral kicks on their right-hand side, with their bottom hand extended.
- Then they perform three full strokes, which results in the swimmer then being on the left-hand side.
- Ensuring that their bottom hand is extended, they perform a further six lateral kicks
- The swimmer then repeats this drill for the length of the pool
Freestyle Body Rotation: Takeaways
Freestyle body rotation (body roll) is the rotation of a swimmer’s shoulders, trunk (torso) and hips along the vertical (long) axis of their body while performing the freestyle stroke.
- To help achieve an efficient freestyle technique, these parts of the swimmer’s body should rotate simultaneously during each stroke.
- While reaching out with their arm to their maximum extent, on the completion of each stroke.
The benefits of freestyle body rotation
Correctly rotating the body during freestyle can provide the swimmer with many benefits these include.
- The ability to extend the reach of each arm and thus improve their distance per stroke.
- Enabling the swimmer to engage their large and powerful chest, back and core muscles.
- Which in addition to their arm and shoulder muscles.
- It can help to generate increase increased power and propulsion.
- It can also help to balance the swimmer’s stroke, especially with the introduction of bilateral breathing.
- Body rotation can make it easier for the swimmer to recover their arms.
- This can reduce the stress on the swimmer’s arms and shoulder muscles, thus reducing the chance of injury.
- It can also help to reduce drag,
- By placing the swimmer’s body in a more streamlined position as they stretch and recover their arm from the water as they breathe.
The benefits of freestyle body rotation
Correctly rotating the body during freestyle can provide the swimmer with many benefits these include.
- The ability to extend the reach of each arm and thus improve their distance per stroke.
- Enabling the swimmer to engage their large and powerful chest, back and core muscles.
- Which in addition to their arm and shoulder muscles.
- It can help to generate increase increased power and propulsion.
- It can also help to balance the swimmer’s stroke, especially with the introduction of bilateral breathing.
- Body rotation can make it easier for the swimmer to recover their arms.
- This can reduce the stress on the swimmer’s arms and shoulder muscles, thus reducing the chance of injury.
- It can also help to reduce drag,
- By placing the swimmer’s body in a more streamlined position as they stretch and recover their arm from the water as they breathe.
Related freestyle articles you may find useful
We have produced a series of related articles on freestyle. You can view these by clicking these links: Common Competitive Freestyle Faults | An Overview of The Freestyle Stroke | Improving the Freestyle Pull | Improving the Freestyle Catch | Freestyle Leg Kicking Patterns: An Introduction | Freestyle Body Rotation: An Introduction | The Major Muscles Used During Freestyle | Dryland Training Exercises for Freestyle | How to Improve a Freestyle Start | Freestyle Turns Made Easy | Freestyle Breathing Drills: An Introduction | Freestyle Kicking: Improving the Technique | 101 Ways to Improve Your Freestyle Swimming
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