10 Tips to Improve Your Swimming Technique

2 years back Nara 9 minutes reading time

Swimming is one of the most complete sports, being widely recommended for physical, cardiovascular and mental development.

1. Work on Body Position

Body position is one of the pillars of swimming efficiency. Staying aligned and horizontal in the water reduces drag, facilitating movement with less effort.

2. Develop Arm-Leg Coordination

Coordination between arm and leg movements is what makes swimming a fluid and effective movement.

During the front crawl, for example, the arms are responsible for most of the propulsion, while the legs stabilize and complement the movement.

To improve this coordination, one tip is to use the “pull and kick” technique, where you focus on working one arm at a time, while your legs maintain the rhythm.

A practical tip to improve this coordination is to alternate arm and leg exercises separately during training.

Using planks to isolate your legs and floats to focus on your arms helps build strength and endurance without compromising your technique.

Studies show that a well-coordinated technique not only improves race time, but also reduces the risk of injury in high-performance swimmers, as muscles work more efficiently.

3. Improve Trunk Rotation

Trunk rotation is an often-neglected technical aspect, but it is fundamental to stroke efficiency.

Especially in the front crawl stroke, rotation allows the swimmer to achieve a greater range of motion in their arms, resulting in greater power without increasing effort.

The secret is to turn your body slightly from side to side with each stroke, keeping the movement fluid and controlled.

To practice, you can use sideways swimming exercises, where one arm remains extended while the torso rotates as you breathe.

This improves mobility and strengthens the core muscles, which are responsible for this rotation.

A study of International Journal of Sports Medicine revealed that swimmers with good trunk rotation can improve their efficiency by up to 8%, in addition to preventing shoulder problems, one of the most common injuries among athletes in the sport.

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4. Strengthen the Core

Strengthening your core is one of the main secrets to improve your swimming technique.

The core, made up of the abdominal, lumbar and pelvic muscles, is responsible for keeping the body stable and aligned during swimming.

When the core is weak, the swimmer tends to misalign the body, increasing drag and impairing efficiency.

Strength training exercises like planks, sit-ups, and stabilization exercises help keep your body in a straight line in the water.

Additionally, a strong core facilitates trunk rotation and improves stroke stability, preventing compensatory movements that can cause injuries.

Maintaining a regular strength training routine outside of the pool, focusing primarily on your core, can significantly improve your performance in the water.

A study of American College of Sports Medicine points out that athletes who invest in strengthening their core can increase their resistance by up to 20%.

5. Improve Breathing

Breathing is a critical factor in any swimmer's performance. Properly controlling your breathing improves oxygen flow to your muscles, prolonging endurance and performance.

Instead of lifting your head too much, the ideal is to slightly rotate your torso to breathe, maintaining a continuous line with your body.

Bilateral breathing, alternating sides every three strokes, not only balances the technique, but also distributes muscular effort more evenly.

This way, you avoid unnecessary overload on one side of the body, in addition to improving swimming symmetry.

A study published in Journal of Applied Physiology demonstrated that swimmers who master bilateral breathing can improve their respiratory efficiency by up to 12%, reducing muscle fatigue and optimizing performance over long distances.

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6. Use Auxiliary Equipment

Including auxiliary equipment in training is an excellent way to improve swimming technique.

Fins, paddles, and pull buoys are some of the tools that help you focus on specific areas of your swimming, such as leg strength, posture, and stroke efficiency.

Fins increase water resistance, strengthening leg muscles and improving kicking technique.

The paddles increase the surface area of contact between the hands and the water, improving the strength and precision of the stroke.

Using this equipment in alternating circuits during training allows you to develop muscle strength and body awareness, improving your swimming technique and efficiency.

Table: Auxiliary Equipment to Improve Swimming Technique

Equipment	Function	Benefits
Fins	They increase endurance and help with leg strength	Strengthening and technique
Palmares	They work on stroke technique and strength	Power increase
Pull buoy	Helps with posture and stability during the stroke	Posture and core strengthening

7. Work on Flexibility

Flexibility is a crucial component for swimmers, especially in the shoulder, hip, and ankle joints.

Lack of flexibility can limit range of motion and strain certain muscles, increasing the risk of injury.

Therefore, maintaining a stretching routine is essential to achieving a more efficient swimming technique.

Performing dynamic stretches before training, focusing mainly on the joints, and static stretches after training, helps maintain flexibility and prevents muscle stiffness.

According to a study by European Journal of Sport Science, swimmers who include regular flexibility training in their routines can increase their range of motion by up to 10%, which improves the efficiency of their strokes and kicks.

8. Adjust Kick Frequency

The frequency and intensity of the kicks can vary depending on the swimming style and the distance of the race.

In short-distance competitions, a faster, more vigorous kick generates greater propulsion, while in longer races, a more moderate, efficient kick helps conserve energy.

Training this adaptation is important for any swimmer who wants to improve your swimming technique.

Plank kicking exercises are great for building leg strength and endurance, allowing you to adjust your cadence as needed.

Studies show that swimmers who master the variation of their kick cadence can swim more efficiently, saving up to 5% of energy over longer distances.

9. Perfect the Olympic Turn

Turning is a technique that can determine the outcome of competitions, being essential not only for saving time, but also for maintaining rhythm and swimming efficiency.

Practicing the Olympic turn efficiently helps you maintain momentum as you come off the wall and resume swimming with strength and speed.

To achieve this, it is important to control your breathing during the turn, avoid sinking your body too much, and take advantage of the powerful push with your feet.

With practice, it is possible to perfect this technique and shave precious seconds off your overall time.

A well-executed turn can make all the difference in competitions, and is also crucial in training to maintain rhythm and simulate the competitive environment more realistically.

10. Do Resistance Training

Adding resistance training to your swimming routine can be a great way to improve both strength and technique.

By swimming against the current or using equipment like resistance belts, you force your body to work harder, which strengthens the muscles used during swimming.

This type of training increases the power of strokes and kicks, in addition to preparing the swimmer to compete in adverse conditions, such as currents or rough water.

Resistance training is recommended for both beginners and advanced swimmers, as it helps develop muscular endurance and improve technique under pressure.

These 10 tips are essential for any swimmer looking to improve their technique and maximize their performance.

Continuous improvement and regular practice are essential to achieving better results in the water, whether in competitions or training.

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