Free style recovery phase(high elbow)

lamai

I struggle with keeping a high elbow on the recovery phase, I am being told that sometimes during recovery I swing my arms around the outside of my body instead of keeping a high elbow recovery, I can feel myself doing it more when I am tired, but one issue of this is that my biceps get tired or sore during swimming, I have been told to role my body more to help achieve a high elbow, I also do the trail drill, being left handed I feel that I can do it better on that side than my right side. The high elbow on my right side feels so unnatural. I have learned front crawl as an adult for triathlons and I feel that it is hard to get my arms in certain positions, any tips on how to keep a high elbow on the recovery phase?

hidinginthebush

Try to do a few lengths where you touch your back as your arm is in recovery, that should raise those elbows a bit

lamai

hidinginthebush wrote: »

Try to do a few lengths where you touch your back as your arm is in recovery, that should raise those elbows a bit

ahhh good one

I'll give that a go:)

Could I actually do that in a race? I have triathlon coming up in 4 weeks with a 1.2 mile swim and I want to get this corrected, or at least a bit to give

my arms some relief.

hidinginthebush

I wouldn't do it in a race now, but I would certainly do that drill when warming up (along with some catch-up drills) to iron any creases out of my strokes. You'll find that after doing the drill, your elbows will just begin to raise, even though you probably won't feel any difference.

Also, since you mentioned not rolling much onto your side, I'd recommend this:
Do 50m where you kick 12 times on one side, with the arm on the lower side extended, the other resting down be your hips, then take a stroke and switch over to the other side, it's basically doing freestyle, but spending a lot longer between strokes, but make sure you get fully over onto your side. Then do 50m kicking 10 times at each break, then 8, then 6, then 3. Really helped my stroke back when i was a water baby

Nonmonotonic

Like this (its down as a breathing drill)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0ePIQb7bXw

hidinginthebush

Nonmonotonic wrote: »

Like this (its down as a breathing drill)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0ePIQb7bXw

That's what i was talking about alright! I watched it with the sound off, but what he does from 1:30 to 2:00 or so is it! As I said, start with 12 kicks each side for 50m, then 10 kicks for 50m, then 8, then 6 and then 3.

kris71

I'm not trying to be smart but I'm not getting this idea of 12,10,8,6,3. Specially 8 and 10 are out of the blue for me. Let me put it to you this way, when you will be writing your reply keep counting to 12 constantly in your head...
Beside this is a breathing drill and has nothing to do with high elbow recovery.

I think you should try 'zipper drill' first, then sign up for lessons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Baavfa1XpFA

hidinginthebush

kris71 wrote: »

I'm not trying to be smart but I'm not getting this idea of 12,10,8,6,3. Specially 8 and 10 are out of the blue for me. Let me put it to you this way, when you will be writing your reply keep counting to 12 constantly in your head...
Beside this is a breathing drill and has nothing to do with high elbow recovery. ]

I went off on my 12 etc... drill tangent as the op mentioned not getting onto his/her side enough. The video may say its a breathing drill (i didn't listen to the sound) but I always found the drill great for making you roll more.

kris71

Hm well it does says it is a breathing drill and it IS a breathing drill, but in fairness it also works on rotation.

Below brilliant drill for rotation but has nothing to do with high elbow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVtYGMpowGg