|
|
 
 |
Wetsuit Swimming Technique - Going full throttle in a full wetsuit
Eney Jones - Open Water and Pool Competition Champion |
|
“You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails”
Swimming in a long sleeve wetsuit is better than it used to be. The material is lighter and more flexible yet it is still restrictive and confining. How do you adapt your stroke to the constriction? Use the following techniques: the Birmingham Feather, High Velocity Wind Recovery and the 45 Degree Forearm Shoot.
Birmingham Feather
The Birmingham Feather (think rowing) is named after a brilliant Australian coach who taught his swimmers with shoulder problems to feather on the recovery. Paul Birmingham used the visual of a rowing oar on the recovery. Feather your arm so it is parallel to the water just as a flat blade of a paddle would be. No high elbows here. Keep your hands out wider on the recovery. The high elbow on the recovery causes tightness in the shoulders and trapezius and deltoid muscles while wearing a wetsuit. Arms come wide and around.
High Velocity Wind Recovery
The High Velocity Wind Recovery is a technique to keep your recovery low on windy days. Stay connected, left hand to right Hand. Right hand to left hand on the surface of the water. Pretend your arms are the cranks, the hands your pedals and your heart the bottom bracket. But on the recovery rather than the high elbow lift, plane out your forearm. Bring your hand forward keeping your hand and elbow level.
45 Degree Forearm Shoot
The 45 Degree Forearm Shoot. Think of being late and hurrying your catch. Reach forward and down at 45 degrees. Do not lock your elbows. Keep the momentum. Hand reaches forward and down. Use all the surface of the forearm. There is more surface area there than your hand.
Wetsuit Swimming Technique Drills
Birmingham Feather Drill
Take up the whole lane. Try to glaze over the lane ropes on either side of you on the recovery. Be wide.
High Velocity Wind Recovery Drill
Lower your sails. Use the long anchoring drill (The opposite of the Catch Up Drill) While your front hand enters and anchors down and back hand finishes and you are stretched through the chest. Keep the wrist and elbow parallel while the hand comes forward. Be parallel. Reach forward.
45 Degree Forearm Shoot Drill
Be late to finish each side of your stroke. Be in a hurry to shoot the forearm at a 45 degree angle fast to set your catch. This is excellent to do in rough seas. On dry land throw a rock 6 inches in front of you. Left hand throws to right hand. The right hand throws to left hand. The rock is falling so it makes your hand lower than your elbow. Arm paddles will also help create awareness.
Eney Jones has achieved remarkably diverse success as a leading pool, open water and Ironman triathlon swimmer.
- Masters National Champion 100-200-400-500-1500-1650 5k freestyle 2009
- Open Water 5k Champion Perth Australia, May 2008.
- National Masters Champion 200-400-1500 freestyle Champion, Portland Oregon, August, 2008.
- Overall Champion Aumakua 2.4k Maui Hawaii, September 2008
- Waikiki Rough Water Swim 3rd place 2006, second place Overall 2009, 3rd place 2012
- European Record Holder and Masters Swimming Champion, 2005. Records included 200, 400, 800, 1500 m freestyle
- Over twenty time finalist in U.S. Swimming Nationals, including Olympic Trials 1980
- Gold medal NCAA 800 yd freestyle relay 1979, silver Medalist 200 yd freestyle 1979. United States National Team 1979-1980.
- Professional Triathlete 1983-1991. First woman out of the water in every Hawaiian Ironman participated (6).
More about Eney Jones
<-- back to top |
1Vigor Log Contest
Win Prizes! Prizes to the Male and Female who logs the most distance running, hiking, swimming, cycling, pushups on the 1Vigor Log . . . Read more |
Books on 1Vigor
Recommended reading on swimming, running, cycling, adventure, natural health, nutrition, brain power, nerve force, men's health, hiking, women's health . . . See Books! |
 Articles on Open Water Swimming
 A Pool Workout to Increase Open Water Swim Finish Speed!, Trent Grimsey, 1Vigor
Cold Water Distance Swimming - How to Acclimate to Cold Water, Ryan Stramrood, 1Vigor
Distance Open Water Swimming Tips, Trent Grimsey, 1Vigor
Pool Workouts to Improve Open Water Swim Speed, Thomas Lurz, 1Vigor
Hydration and Electrolytes - Impact on Athletic Performance, Paul Bennett, Jr., Ph.D., 1Vigor
Swimming Hydration and Electrolyte Strategies - Improved Performance and Muscle Cramp Prevention, Ralph Teller, 1Vigor
Overcoming Anxiety During Triathlons and Open Water Swimming, Ralph Teller, 1Vigor
Head Position for Open Water Swimming, Eney Jones, 1Vigor
|
“You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails”
Swimming in a long sleeve wetsuit is better than it used to be. The material is lighter and more flexible yet it is still restrictive and confining. How do you adapt your stroke to the constriction? Use the following techniques: the Birmingham Feather, High Velocity Wind Recovery and the 45 Degree Forearm Shoot.
Birmingham Feather
The Birmingham Feather (think rowing) is named after a brilliant Australian coach who taught his swimmers with shoulder problems to feather on the recovery. Paul Birmingham used the visual of a rowing oar on the recovery. Feather your arm so it is parallel to the water just as a flat blade of a paddle would be. No high elbows here. Keep your hands out wider on the recovery. The high elbow on the recovery causes tightness in the shoulders and trapezius and deltoid muscles while wearing a wetsuit. Arms come wide and around.
High Velocity Wind Recovery
The High Velocity Wind Recovery is a technique to keep your recovery low on windy days. Stay connected, left hand to right Hand. Right hand to left hand on the surface of the water. Pretend your arms are the cranks, the hands your pedals and your heart the bottom bracket. But on the recovery rather than the high elbow lift, plane out your forearm. Bring your hand forward keeping your hand and elbow level.
45 Degree Forearm Shoot
The 45 Degree Forearm Shoot. Think of being late and hurrying your catch. Reach forward and down at 45 degrees. Do not lock your elbows. Keep the momentum. Hand reaches forward and down. Use all the surface of the forearm. There is more surface area there than your hand.
Wetsuit Swimming Technique Drills
Birmingham Feather Drill
Take up the whole lane. Try to glaze over the lane ropes on either side of you on the recovery. Be wide.
High Velocity Wind Recovery Drill
Lower your sails. Use the long anchoring drill (The opposite of the Catch Up Drill) While your front hand enters and anchors down and back hand finishes and you are stretched through the chest. Keep the wrist and elbow parallel while the hand comes forward. Be parallel. Reach forward.
45 Degree Forearm Shoot Drill
Be late to finish each side of your stroke. Be in a hurry to shoot the forearm at a 45 degree angle fast to set your catch. This is excellent to do in rough seas. On dry land throw a rock 6 inches in front of you. Left hand throws to right hand. The right hand throws to left hand. The rock is falling so it makes your hand lower than your elbow. Arm paddles will also help create awareness.
Eney Jones has achieved remarkably diverse success as a leading pool, open water and Ironman triathlon swimmer.
More about Eney Jones