Quote:
Originally Posted by Carla
I have been working on the first few drills in TI Breaststroke and Butterfly. I still didn't figure out how to get my mouth to clear the water without the strain on my neck. I tried "slower, faster, wider, smaller, stronger" arms and/or legs. Once in a while the mouth clears it, but I can't figure out what I did right!!! I try to just let it happen with the whole body movement, it just doesn't happen...
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Try letting your legs relax and sink a little as you in-sweep with your arms.
Watch Hagiwara-san demonstrate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBunYVudRrA
Also see the "Butt Head" drill:
http://www.goswim.tv/entries/5345/br...butt-head.html
I remember that same experience when starting breaststroke. Sometimes it still happens during butterfly. I think I used to try to pull to the surface when my head was too deep. The things you do NOT want to do are lifting your head (as opposed to just looking forward a little) or pulling your body to the surface with only your arm muscles. Buoyancy will assist your body in rising to the surface as your body angle changes. Remember, the axis of rotation in these strokes is somewhere around the hips or waist. That means as the head rises, the legs tend sink. Otherwise you would have to bend your torso like a banana and maybe crane your neck back. (I guess the banana torso happens to some degree anyway.)
BTW, I really like the sculling dolphin drill.