Do freestyle tips from the 1960s still hold up today? In this episode, I’m diving into some notes I took from a DVD created by 1960 Olympic gold medalist in the 1500m freestyle, John Conrad. About ten years ago, I was deep into studying freestyle technique—trying to learn everything I could—and John and I actually had a few back-and-forth discussions about our different approaches. We didn’t always agree, and today I want to revisit some of his ideas, share what I took away from his teachings, and talk about where I see things differently.
If you’re working on improving your own freestyle technique, I’ve also put together a free checklist to guide you step-by-step—you’ll find the link in the show notes. Let’s dive in!
00:49-Apply Energy Only When Needed
01:29-Swim At Floatation Depth
02:18-Anxiety Is Number 1 Priority
02:48-As You Relax, Your Body Increases In Volume
03:22-Swimming Efficiently Means You're Relaxed And Loose
03:49-Look Forward When Learning. Look Down When More Comfortable
04:39-Pivot Your Body
05:08-Relax Your Kick. It Is Not Worth The Effort
05:44-Kick On Your Back Instead Of Your Front
06:36-Both Arms Don't Go At The Same Speed
07:19-Delay The Pull
08:01-Learn By Exageration
09:12-The First Component Of Swimming Is Relaxing. The Second Is Catch Up. The Third Is Almost Catch Up
10:16-Don't Confuse Arm Speed With Swim Speed
11:05-Don't Rush The Breath
11:49-Exhale All The Time From The Nose And Mouth
12:45-Breathe Every 2 But Change Every 25 Meters Or So
13:26-Kicking On The Side Is Good For Developing Your Breathing To The Opposite Side
14:05-Keep Your Hand Loose In The Recovery
14:41-Use Body Roll To Bring Your Elbow Through The Recovery
15:25-Pull Harder Not Sooner To Go Faster
16:36-Don't Pull Too Early, Extend And Push Down Slightly
Grab the freestyle checklist here:
https://effortlessswimming.com/freestyle-checklist/
Work with us (stroke analysis coaching):
https://effortlessswimming.com/es-training-and-membership-page/
Join a camp:
https://effortlessswimming.com/camps/
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