Swim Speed Secrets by Sheila Taormina

Author:Sheila Taormina
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781937716974
Publisher: VeloPress
Published: 2018-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

AXIS LINE BALANCE

Next let’s study the core of the body. Much of what is said about the core is often expressed in one word: rotate. Describing core movement with this single word is vague, leaving too much room for misinterpretation. There are different parts of the core (the torso, shoulders, hips), and each moves uniquely. To clump their movements under the word “rotate” does not do justice to details of the scene.

Let’s start with the torso, namely the ribs and chest. Freestyle is a “long axis” stroke. This means a swimmer rides an axis line the length of the torso. Imagine dividing your body in half, a left side and right side, the mid-line passing through the bellybutton. When an elite swimmer extends an arm forward in the water, he/she balances and rides on the axis line on that side of the body.

Where is the line located on the body? The line you want to ride is frontal, located on your chest/stomach, and exactly halfway between your belly button and your side. Many swimmers who hear the word “rotate” think it is best to tip fully onto their side with belly button pointing to the wall of the pool. Elite technique is more refined and balanced than that. It must be, if a swimmer is to seamlessly make the switch from one axis line to the other.

Figure 6.8 shows Peter balanced on the axis line on the left side of his body. He has not tipped onto his side; rather, he is balancing on the line midway between his belly button and side of his body. We could view this as balancing and riding on the front of the ribcage, or, since a male swimmer’s suit does not cover the chest, we can also see that the axis line runs through the nipple.

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