Minnows Swim Practice Plan: Side Glide, Fist Drill, and Head Lead Balance

Dryland Activities

1. Correct = Big belly walk across the room
2. Wrong = 4 situps, 2 pushups, and lay on your back and do 5 big belly breaths.

Warmup in Water

100 IM Kick2 x 25 position 11.

1. Lock your thumb.
2. Squeeze your ears (back of head).
3. Look down (with your whole face).
4. Keep your arms straight.
5. Stay at the surface (even when you breathe).
6. Look down (with your whole face).

Split Up into 2 Groups

Group 1

3 x SL + 3 FR + lay on side one arm in 11, face down and float with 10 kicks.

Goal is laying on the side. Avoid belly laying. Most swimmers will get confused with the arm raised forward and will put it in the air and look up. Goal is looking down, nose in armpit. "Smell your sticky armpits."

Group 2

3 x SL + 3 FR D: Fists

Do three strokes of freestyle with hands held in a fist. Focus on pushing water back and down with a high elbow underwater.

Get Back Together in One Group

HLBw/R on deck review

Head Lead Balance with Rotation.

Keep head aimed at one thing. Rotate whole body below the chin to the side.

Aim toes in same direction as one ear.

Rotate whole body, except head the other direction.

Head remains still. Focus on moving feet and toes to sides, along with belly button.

Rest chin on shoulder.

Head lead balance with rotation can be done on front and on back.

1. Keep body in soldier position. Hands near the hips.
2. Head still and stable either looking down or up depending on if on back or belly.
3. To breathe when doing face down, rotate head to ceiling with shoulder rotating up.

8 x 25 withFINS:ODDS: HLBw/R on backEVENS: FR

Question of the Day Answer

Review the correct belly position for freestyle — big belly, not flat.