Front Crawl Breathing

Front Crawl Breathing (skill)

Definition: Turning the head and rotating the hips together to take a quick breath while keeping the eye, cheek, and edge of lip in the water.

Core cues:

1. Turn the head and rotate the hips together.
2. Make it a quick breath.
3. Keep eye, cheek, and edge of lip in the water.
4. Twist head away from the extended arm.
5. Expel air quickly with a burst, then inhale.
6. Rotate head to aim down again when recovering arm begins the over water recovery; and no later than when the arm travels past the face.
7. Avoid bending the body like a banana.
8. The hips and head twist together along the spinal axis to breathe.

Coach interpretation:

• Turn the head and rotate the hips together: watch that the head turn and hip rotation happen as one motion, not separately.
• Make it a quick breath: watch for a fast breath rather than a prolonged turn.
• Keep eye, cheek, and edge of lip in the water: watch that the swimmer does not lift the whole face clear of the water.
• Twist head away from the extended arm: watch which arm is extended and confirm the head twists away from it.
• Expel air quickly with a burst, then inhale: watch for a burst of exhalation before the inhale.
• Rotate head to aim down again when recovering arm begins the over water recovery; and no later than when the arm travels past the face: watch the recovering arm to time when the head returns to aim down.
• Avoid bending the body like a banana: watch that the body does not bend; the hips and head twist together along the spinal axis.

Teaching strategy:

Once a comfortable Position 11 and Catch-up swim is established add breaths and bent elbows. Refine arm recovery and add breathing. Emphasize Position 11 and allow a straight arm recovery. Face touches the water. Hips and head twist together.

Common errors and corrections:

• Bending the body like a banana: the hips and head twist together along the spinal axis to breathe.
• Lifting the whole face out of the water: keep eye, cheek, and edge of lip in the water.
• Slow, drawn-out breath: make it a quick breath.
• Head returning to aim down too late: rotate head to aim down again when recovering arm begins the over water recovery; and no later than when the arm travels past the face.

Progression:

Before: Position 11 and Catch-up swim, independent arm strokes without breathing using a float support like a kick board, and short and longer distances without support with a straight arm recovery. After: refine arm recovery and add breathing with bent elbows.