Problems with fly rythm

[waterlemon]

I started swimming again after 5 years, but I have some problems with the timing/rythm of my fly. It seems to me I have my arms stretched before me just that fraction of a second too long. I don't know what I'm doing wrong at all, I learned fly as a kid and never really tought about it.

I tried to work on it but it just doesn't work out, it's like when my arms go back into the water again, I have to wait for my body to 'bend' in the correct position for the next stroke. Maybe I sink too deep, or my kick's are too slow,...

also I feel I have to do extra movement under the water to gain extra time for my (lower?)body position to change/bend again

Any sugestions/exercises?

[cougar]

As im up and awake i will try and help. I went through a phase after a 30 year lay off of my fly rythm feeling out of sync. 1 arm drills, kick as your hand reaches your thigh and kick again as it is about to re-enter the water.. The rythm of the stroke came back to me after practise. I suppose a lot depends on your physical condition after your lay off, are you over weight, hows your flexibility, etc. Im still in descent nick allthough no where near as water fit as i was 30 years ago, can still swim a bit over 50mtrs but thats about it. Its not going fast thats the problem its the keeping it going, good luck in your quest to get your fly flowing again..

[Stevie_k]

I dont know if this has any relevence, and if it does id love someone to tell me it.

We do lots of 1 arm fly, but breath forwards.

Its really quite hard, as you cant really use your arms to throw your head clear to breath, you have to use rythem.

Anyone care to comment of this drill. Would this help waterlemon?

[waterlemon]

thx, I'll try that exercise today in the pool stevie_k, but I can imagine it will be hard, not an exercise you can do for several 50's/100's

cougar I think I should be flexible enough, I'm 21. I can do some 50's also but it just feels i'm waisting time as my stroke rate is too low.

I don't know if this is the problem but I just think of it, the problem might be I am waiting for the kick. I have always been learned you should move like a 'wave' in fly, so as my hands enter the water, there is just some time needed for the wave movement to reach my legs to give a kick.

Would swimming some fly with fins help? If so I need to go and buy fins

Maybe I just need to do kick exercises?

[Linny]

Originally Posted by Stevie_k

I dont know if this has any relevence, and if it does id love someone to tell me it.

We do lots of 1 arm fly, but breath forwards.

Its really quite hard, as you cant really use your arms to throw your head clear to breath, you have to use rythem.

Anyone care to comment of this drill. Would this help waterlemon?

Well done Stevie! Provided there are no problems with asymmetry single arm fly and pattern swimming are an excellent way of developing rhythm.

Interesting how you find it difficult though, I find single arm fly far easier than both arms. I think this is because a pause in front is often a characteristic of a lack of upper body strength (sorry waterlemon) and I guess you don't suffer from that and I do! I have to rely on rhythm and technique to get me through the water because I am weak and feeble whereas you are big and strong and manly.

The other thing to try waterlemon is little and often. If you can manage one length without the pause don't then go on to do 3 more lengths with a pause; instead take a short rest and do one more length properly. Take as long a break as you need to maintain correct technique and when you can do that then start to build the distance.

have you got a coach?

[GettingFaster]

When I was swimming, our coach tried to get us to do no-arm fly, leading with the head and arms by our sides. To breathe do a small sculling movement to the front and breathe forwards. This was aimed at getting the 'wave' you were on about. Another drill we did was fly kick on your back. This allows you to concentrate on moving the hips up and down rather than just lower legs (which is what I was doing), again helping with the 'wave'.

I also found I was trying to get my breath in too late in the stroke. Watch some good flyers swim and see where their arms are at the time they're taking their breath. I was surprised to find that the mouth clears the water to breathe when the hands are just about leaving the water at hip level. I had been breathing much later, as my hands were about to enter the water, thereby causing a pause in my stroke and interrupting the wave.

[waterlemon]

I tried the one arm fly drill today, I found that I was better at it with my right arm If I did the fly only with my left arm, the movement was more like my full stroke.

I couldn't do alot of full fly strokes as my lane was too packed. I'll try tomorrow.

Linny: I don't have a coatch

[Chris]

In my opinion, single arm fly is very easy (and quite fun) breathing to the side, but breathing forward is rather difficult and not much fun at all!

Chris

[Linny]

Originally Posted by waterlemon

Linny: I don't have a coatch

It would help to have one work with you even if it is for a short period of time. When I returned to swimming and joined a Club (albeit after a considerably longer period of time that 5 years and I had had in the interim 3 children) I honestly thought I was doing what I had done previously because it felt OK albeit it was pretty slow. It was only when my then coach told me what I should be doing and I did what I was told and FELT what that was like that I could say to myself "oh yeah, THAT'S what it used to feel like".

[Stevie_k]

Yes your right Chris. Its really tough. Breathing to the side is a glen hoddle.

Ive got to start putting lots of fly as im going to go for the 100 fly in december.

When i wuss out of the breathing forward i get told off.

Ill pursevere with it. Our coach is a mustard swimmer so im sure there are good reasons for all his techniques.

[Spidey]

Originally Posted by Linny

Well done Stevie! Provided there are no problems with asymmetry single arm fly and pattern swimming are an excellent way of developing rhythm.

Interesting how you find it difficult though, I find single arm fly far easier than both arms.

Trouble with this drill is that it can become too much like freestyle single arm. When doing the single arm drll in fly, go for breathing to the front, not the side.

[Stevie_k]

Thats what weve been saying all along spidey. Do you have your glasses on?

[Spidey]

Originally Posted by Stevie_k

Thats what we've been saying all along spidey. Do you have your glasses on?

No, I only got as far as Linny's post.