Swimming Tip #2: High Elbows

Did you miss Swimming Tip #1?

The biggest mistake I see with beginner swimmers or swimmers who have developed poor stroke technique habits, is a rounded arm in their recovery. The recovery is the when the arm comes out of the water by your hip, and reaches forward to re-enter the water by your head. A rounded arm during the recovery means that the arm is coming out of the water, swooping to the side, and re-entering the water. The elbow bends only slightly, points back (instead of up), and the hand runs parallel with the bottom of the pool.

While this can work, and get you from one end of the pool to the other, you’re going to exert more energy than is necessary to get there. If you’ve ever observed someone swimming like this, it might appear as if they are thrashing through the pool, but not getting anywhere very fast. Yet, if you observe a fast swimmer, they aren’t splashing too much, but they seem to be moving effortlessly through the water.

So what’s the difference between the slow, thrashing swimmer and the fast swimmer that makes it look easy? High elbows.

High elbows contribute to so many parts that make freestyle the fastest stroke that a swimmer can do. High elbows decrease the amount of time and effort it takes to go through the recovery portion of the stroke. High elbows make your body rotate. Rotation makes your body more streamlined because you aren’t lying flat in the water. Rotation makes breathing to the side possible.

This video does a great job of explaining and demonstrating the importance of a high elbow, as well as some other tips.

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Here are some drills you can do to practice keeping your elbows HIGH.

-Fingertip drag: During the recovery, drag your fingertips along the surface of the water. In other words, as your hand comes out of the water at your hip and you start to bring your hand forward to re-enter the water, keep the fingers in the water all the way up to your head where you can drop the whole hand back in the water, reach forward a few more inches underwater, then pull your arm back to your hip again. You’ll quickly feel how much your body must rotate as the fingers are forced to be held perpendicular to the bottom of the pool.

Here’s a video to give you a visual:

-Zipper Drill: During the recovery, drag your thumb up your torso and across your armpit. In other words, as your hand comes out of the water at your hip and you start to bring your hand forward to re-enter the water, touch your thumb to your side torso, then your armpit. Keep reaching forward toward your head, drop your hand in the water, reach forward a few more inches underwater, then pull your arm back to your hip again. If you’re doing it correctly, you’ll feel your thumb touch your sides and armpit through the recovery.

Here’s a video to give you a visual:

Practice these drills at your own discretion. If you find yourself needing some high elbow reminders, swim a few laps of drills, then return to your normal stroke. No matter what, you should always practice drills at some point in every swim workout you do. They help you refine your stroke and make it more efficient. More efficient stroke = less work to go faster!

Happy Swimming!

DISCLAIMER: I AM OFFERING MY SWIMMING ADVICE AS A COURTESY TO ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED, BASED ON MY16 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE SPORT. I AM NOT A CERTIFIED SWIMMING COACH, NOR DO I CLAIM TO BE. I HAVE BEEN TEACHING CHILDREN HOW TO SWIM THROUGH PRIVATE LESSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS AND PARENTS. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES YOU MAY ENCOUNTER WHILE SWIMMING.