How Do You "Engage The Core" in Freestyle?

[CoachSuzanne]

Originally Posted by grandall

Coach Suzanne,
The core connection your referring to(bring your ribs toward your pelvis) would this be similiar to a pelvic tilt exercise? Since I have been doing pelvic tilt exercises it's improved my balance, and posture while swimming. I definatley feel more connected as a whole when I'm swimming one analogy I think of "would be like a kayak" ..of course there is always room for improvement :-)

Yes, but not to an excessive degree...just "enough" and enough tension to maintain that relationship throughout the stroke. If you look at the two pics I posted, you can see her pelvis tilting sideways with every stroke. a little pelvic tilt forward will engage the rectus, but you still need to reeducate (not necessarily strengthin) the obliques and internals to reduce the side to side tilting

[haschu33]

Originally Posted by CoachSuzanne

Here is one example...

It's less about strength and more about balance. Bring your ribs toward your pelvis in a way that it remains a solid connection throughout all parts of the stroke. This requires not more strength in your abdominals but a new kind of education of the muscles to isometrically contract in order to hold posture throughout dynamic movement of the torso.

That is excellent! Obvious once you notice it, but it takes someone to put it into the right words - at the right time. Great, Doc.

[WinnAngela]

I think I understand. I can best articulate it by comparing it to how a worm crawls. You sort of "crawl" through the water. The obliques are engaged when you extend your lead arm.

Almost like climbing up a wall, but in doing so, you must keep your body close to the wall.

Does this make sense?

I bet 100 to 1 that Swimust understands.... ;)

[swimust]

Originally Posted by WinnAngela

I think I understand. I can best articulate it by comparing it to how a worm crawls. You sort of "crawl" through the water. The obliques are engaged when you extend your lead arm.

Almost like climbing up a wall, but in doing so, you must keep your body close to the wall.

Does this make sense?

I bet 100 to 1 that Swimust understands.... ;)

makes sense but what do I know?
I only try now to move the upper arms straight backwards the "Shinji way"... I am learning to crawl myself... ;) swimming is ridiculous if you ask me. We are not fish.... still its much better than sweating in some marathon on a hot humid day :)

[CoachFlppr]

Do the core balance drill, where you rotate your body around your head, in both face-down and face-up positions, clockwise and counter-clockwise. Its excellent for developing your swimming posture.

[Hscovern]

These two posts by Suzanne and the associated snapshots are perhaps the most insightful and clear that I've ever seen about the core (pun intended) of TI. I've long failed to understand or actualize the concept in my swimming. One day I would swim and the next I would thrash without being able to discern why. Now I do understand and have solid ground to build on. Thanks so much Suzanne!

[swimust]

Originally Posted by WinnAngela

I think I understand. I can best articulate it by comparing it to how a worm crawls. You sort of "crawl" through the water. The obliques are engaged when you extend your lead arm.

Almost like climbing up a wall, but in doing so, you must keep your body close to the wall.

Does this make sense?

I bet 100 to 1 that Swimust understands.... ;)

CoachSuzanne gives an example for the stroking side. Its happening on the stroking side, not on the gliding side. I need to pay more attention to others posts..

bringing the ribs to the pelvic... its a contraction during the stroke:

Originally Posted by CoachSuzanne

Here is one example...

It's less about strength and more about balance. Bring your ribs toward your pelvic in a way that it remains a solid connection throughout all parts of the stroke. This requires not more strength in your abdominals but a new kind of education of the muscles to isometrically contract in order to hold posture throughout dynamic movement of the torso.

[haschu33]

Originally Posted by swimust

... ;) swimming is ridiculous if you ask me. We are not fish.... still its much better than sweating in some marathon on a hot humid day :)

swimust, really a great point you made :-)))

[The Parrot]

Nah Haschu, don't want to go off the core subject but cannot agree. We were designed to lope across the veldt for hours at a time, occasionally sprinting to catch breakfast - or to avoid being something else's breakfast. Nothing will ever convince me that I evolved from a fish. Three miles in a chlorinated pool this morning has left me sneezing and with a streaming nose (even with a nose-clip), and in a boat I can get seasick without too much effort. The biggest advantage of swimming over running for old guys like me who have run thousands of miles is that your joints thank you. But running over the hills whilst feeling the sun on your body (not in Britain, obviously) seems to be what humans should do!

Martin T.

[swimust]

Originally Posted by The Parrot

Nah Haschu, don't want to go off the core subject but cannot agree. We were designed to lope across the veldt for hours at a time, occasionally sprinting to catch breakfast - or to avoid being something else's breakfast. Nothing will ever convince me that I evolved from a fish. Three miles in a chlorinated pool this morning has left me sneezing and with a streaming nose (even with a nose-clip), and in a boat I can get seasick without too much effort. The biggest advantage of swimming over running for old guys like me who have run thousands of miles is that your joints thank you. But running over the hills whilst feeling the sun on your body (not in Britain, obviously) seems to be what humans should do!

Martin T.

there is no humidity in britain, only rain.. ;)
you dont have the "heat and moisture" combo too much there, so you miss the humidity fun ;)
i am just spoiled i guess and Phelps hates getting out of warm bad to train in cold water. I dont hate it, yet.