Rotate Your Hips Before Applying Power

All the very best swimmers initiate their hip rotation before applying power in the pull. Remember the catch is not the power phase, use this as the 'setup' phase to then apply power once your hand and forearm are angled to press back against the water. In tomorrow's video we'll show you why this timing is so important.
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[@masherida]

Think this is one of my favourite videos. I watched this before cracking 25mile Lake Memphremagog from US>Canada in 13hrs8mins - really helped me feel in control, totally pain free and maintain rhythm . Really like watching one of your videos before training or a big event to try and cultivate best practise. Many thanks Brenton.

[@tomfirmin3132]

good to see you here, Shezza ;)

[@Valleyboy3141]

Respect!

[@davitein]

We all have that one technique tip that made a big difference. For me, it was this one, which helped me swim beyond 50 meters without getting exhausted. Thanks ❤

[@CK-ho7zf]

Thank you so much. After 6 months of gulping chlorine it finally clicked!!! Let the hips drive first ...the body will follow. Cleared up my breathing issues. Rock not roll! Yeah!

[@johntaylor6345]

Great video. I love watching swimming tuition. I watch them before getting in the pool

[@lord1999ful]

Hands down the best instruction swim channel on youtube! Thank you

[@EffortlessSwimming]

Thanks Lord!

[@sjdj3000]

I agree. Thanks Brenton

[@robohippy]

Eduardo Cavanagh Rotating only the hips (which entails the rotation of the lower part of the body) would generate an opposite rotation of the upper body, because of conservation of angular momentum. To rotate the whole body, you need to get some external torque to generate the rotation, and that is the the kick hitting against the water. Additional benefit of this rotation is the protection of the shoulder girdle, as Adam Walker found out, because the shoulder is already rotated before applying force,. @Eduardo Cavanagh, I don't know where your response went. Ran into some thing similar some years back on my woodturning channel where some one was upset because I erased his comment, but I didn't even know how to do that.... The exercise that will settle the issue, to me, is a kicking lap or length of the pool. One exercise I saw was called a 6/6 drill where the swimmer is swimming on their side, so totally vertical. 6 kicks on that side, then a quick snap roll to the other side, 6 more kicks and snap roll back to the first side. I do a 6 beat kick pattern, so 3 kicks on one side with 45 degree body rotation, roll, then 3 more kicks on that side. Same results. The low side shoulder, which correlates to the pulling arm, rotates slightly before the hips do. Always, every single time. I have spent a number of laps trying to get my hips to rotate first. Can't do it, at all. People have no trouble figuring out that the dolphin kick power chain moves from shoulders to the feet, of from mid body to feet on the breathing stroke. For reasons I don't understand, they think it changes when you switch to flutter kick. It is impossible for the feet to rotate the shoulders. For one, they have no leverage, never kicking wider than your shoulders, which is where the leverage/spiral action starts on land based sports. The spiral energy can not rotate out to your feet and hands from the middle. The only lever you have that goes wider than the shoulders is your pulling arm. The front side kick (down in freestyle, up in back stroke) links to the pulling arm just as you enter the power phase of the pull. I have watched a little of Adam Ocean Walker's videos. He does take the Total Immersion method up another notch or three. Those that have shoulder problems get those problems from trying to drive the hip rotation from the recover arm. When we swim freestyle, the shoulders to not move at the same time, the pulling arm starts the rotation, the hips rotate, then the recover arm finishes that rotation. This is easy to see in any slow motion freestyle video. This also explains why the 1 kick is the power/surge kick, with the 2, 4, and 6 beat kick patterns. The amplitude does not change/your kick does not get bigger to create more power, it is linking the body rotation from the arm through the feet. I have heard no other explanation that makes sense. Every single 2 beat kick video for freestyle shows the same thing, pulling arm enters power phase, front side kick on that same side, then recover arm enters the water. There are a number who teach it this way now. 10 or so years ago, no one did. With land based sports, you start the rotation at the feet, not the hips. you either have your feet at or slightly wider than your shoulders like with a Karate punch, or you are stepping into the rotation like a baseball pitcher. The rotation goes from feet through hips, up to shoulders, and out the hand/fingers. The end result is maximum power for pushing/throwing some thing away from you. We do throw our arms forward a bit when swimming, for max extension, but the power part of the arms is the pulling motion. The feet have nothing to lever against to generate torque. The water is too soft to allow for any real power. This is why the arms generate 85% or so of our thrust, and the feet generate so much less, except for breast stroke....

[@Jihem01]

thanks a lot for the advice. After my session at the pool this afternoon, I confirm that this rotation induce the engagement of the lats when power is applied. I felt it right in my muscles... From France JMarc

[@LiaTacB]

I passed my 400m exam thx to your videos

[@chinhvannguyen1685]

Really

[@Vova3iLvova]

for years my power phase was the setup phase. i changed that around and it feels faster and smoother

[@robertot.m.8747]

Superb advice !!! It really works and I clearly feel the difference in kicking before or after applying Max power , thanks for the vídeos!!!

[@PeaceAndDialog]

the theory makes sense now, lets see how thats going to translate in the pool. Thank you!

[@jc10747]

Hip rotation begins with the kick downbeat which happens exactly with the opposite hand entry. Three-way coordinated movements. Hip rotation back to flat begins with the same side downbeat kick with the same side hand catch (under shoulders) and start of power phase. To feel the rotational effect of a downbeat kick, lie on the floor and experiment with pushing down, hard, with two legs or one leg, and de-activate (relax) the glutes…you will feel the bum cheeks go up in the air, either both or one side. In the water, this experiment will be easier due to less resistance under the opposite side hip (water is softer than the floor). Now if you keep the core solid, essentially connecting the thoracic and lumbar spine, the whole body will rotate in unison very easily. No more twisting and wobbling through the water.

[@no1takethisname]

This video is awesome!!! Thank you so much. You cleared a lot of things up.

[@robohippy]

Well, I will probably have to watch this one several more times.... One of the mysteries, to me, is the idea that the hips generate the torque/spiral action/twisting of the body that generates more power into the stroke, both feet and arms. To me, the pulling arm starts the shoulder rotation. With your video, I am thinking that the catch phase/down stroke part of the arm stroke, initiates the rotation, and the pull/power part of the stroke kind of drives that rotation into high gear. This transfers all that energy into the first down kick in the 6 beat kick, then the recover arm follows through. The biggest difference I notice between the two swimmers here is that the woman is one of those swimmers whose hand enters the water right by her ears rather than extending out about 3/4 of the way to full arm extension, before entering the water.

[@tenniscoach]

I experienced the hip rotation when i decide to defocus my swim away from hands and legs.. and basically let the hip be the driver.. voila.. i felt like a torpedi gliding thru the water n so effortless.. even the arm pulling in motion simply fell in place.. dont have to think too hard on what should come first..Hips rotation using core muscles is the main engine!

[@StephenDuncan]

OK this video and your comment has me wanting to put this into practice. But is the hips initiated by the kick? Seems to me that the kick would be the trigger in the chain. At the end he mentions another video on this "tomorrow" but having trouble finding it.

[@tenniscoach]

@@StephenDuncan when u feel your body gliding with momentum as a result of letting the hip do its job..let your arm simply extend itself during this phase.. nearing the tail end of glide the arm pulling action simply fell into place at the right time n place to continue the glide with arm pulling.. i felt if i became too conscious of my arm action i would have lost and worst disrupted the gliding action.. in other words let the hip be the driver.. lots of things i can relate from tennis coaching

[@tenniscoach]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmqylnqvgJaLiKc another excellent vid on letting the hip be the driver of your swim motion

[@leventakn6448]

I believe if we perform the rotaion in relation to the recovering arm and then starting the catch according to the recovering arm's position, it can be easier.

[@dcoughman]

I noticed something else in the timing of freestyle. I'm looking at the other arm. Right after the hand enters the water, the body starts rotating. Until now I've been rotating the body at the same time that the hand enters the water. But now I stay on my side longer and start rotating back just after my hand enters.

[@yangyang3175]

my understanding is that , take the example where you stroke on the left side, you kick left leg down, to push left hip up and rotate to the right side, that leaves left arm in a more comfortable position (extended to the side more, instead of deep below chest) to start the power stroke. is this sort of right? thanks!

[@masherida]

Great advice as ever

[@shashikant876]

Thanx for the hint

[@allezvenga7617]

Thanks for your sharing

[@chrisblanchard4938]

I am pretty sure my timing is off. I will give this a try next swim workout. Thanks a bunch!

[@curleynollaigh]

Which is better, improve distance per stroke or faster stroke rate.

[@azizsahnoun7344]

Excellent thanks

[@F_Bardamu]

Easy tip: your hip must rotate to the same side as your extending arm, creating a forward cynetic force. Only then is your body's position optimized for the pull.

[@tonyfondacaro1980]

My stroke count is always high. I see high school and college swimmers making 11-12 strokes in a 25 yard pool and it just looks so effortless, but then I routinely make 14-16 strokes.

[@diabolicalstream8583]

Simultaneous is better?

[@trykozmaksym]

Thank you! So it's the hip opposite to the arm in power phase that gets the hips rotated due to diagonal connection! I couldn't understand this video for so long because of looking at the same side with the arm :)

[@diadatang]

No, he's saying same side.

[@trykozmaksym]

@@diadatang this serape thing is still a mystery for me both to understand and implement... No click yet

[@doodo1509]

So square your hips before applying power?

[@jonathantamonob9081]

Sight angle is about 45 degree, instead of vertical down to the floor of pool.

[@ComedyClipsX]

First!! Keep up the great content!!

[@silverash63]

I'll try this

[@Wheel333]

Thanks , very useful. I love his almost catch up stroke style. He does look quite forward, is this from open water swimming ?

[@spoor24]

Wheel333 nope, I look about 40-45 degrees which is okay. You just don’t wanna strain your neck up or down, keep it in a relatively normal position 👍

[@Wheel333]

spoor24 Hey, I was trying your arm stroke style today felt good. Really feels out front but the lead arm is set up nicely to cut through the water as you power through the catch. Much less tiring for me and fully engaging back and lats. I just noticed your 4 beat timing is the opposite of Sun Yang, 3 beat on the breath and one on the other side. I will try that too. 🙏❤️🙏

[@spoor24]

Wheel333 that’s good to hear that it feels good!! It should be really relaxed and flow from one stroke and rotation to the next stroke and rotation without ever feeling short or rushed! That’s super interesting, because when I breathe to my left, my kick timing changes to that of Sun Yang where I’m kicking while I breathe and then stop when my eyes are down (the opposite to the video)

[@spoor24]

It’s really just whatever order feels comfortable for you and allows your stroke to flow!!

[@feelingzhakkaas]

Excellent analysis. However why swimmer is not looking down?

[@whittenmethod]

I don't understand how to keep my tempo up when I do this. As a result I don't get enough air and i can't hold the technique for long.

[@chinhvannguyen1685]

Tks, should rotate hip is fast or slow for power catch?

[@franciscosuarez1645]

Do you have more of that swimmer in min 1:45 or can you talk more about his style? it seems like a very smooth and streamlined silhouette. Who is he?

[@xuanloc5759]

Hi Brennton could you tell me or let me know the link of the video relating to the above clip on timing of the power phase with hip rotation. It was supposed to come out right after the above. Thank you very much.

[@pedrogomes2399]

Also, hip rotation starts with the kick.

[@jsfbr]

I noticed that the male swimmer shown in rhis video keeps his head forward instead of looking straight down...

[@trykozmaksym]

Waiting for tomorrows video...

[@danged_up]

So.. can someone tell me if the male swimmer is doing a 4-beat kick? I'm kinda new to the swimming thing. Thanks!

[@trykozmaksym]

Yes, he is.

[@stafili]

@@trykozmaksym He is doing a 6-beat his for his right hand (three beats) and a 2-beat for his left (one beat). A 4-beat kick would mean two beats for the left and two for the right

[@trykozmaksym]

@@stafili he's doing 1-3 = 4 there's a dedicated video using this very footage.

[@trykozmaksym]

@@stafili kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGSblK2jlJqZnpI

[@robohippy]

4 beat kick, is usually standard 3 kicks on one side, then roll, then 1 kick on the other side, and then rest, rest for the other 2 beats. 2 beats on each side does not work, and I have tried....

[@stella-zi2yj]

1:43

[@charlesbotensten]

whats second swimmer, matt something?

[@EffortlessSwimming]

Mack Horton - Olympic 400m Gold Medalist

[@pudin74]

i think the girl in the video real problem is to get her body horizontally balanced first. Right kick timing could easily attained by feel afterwards.

[@timbanner3228]

1:49 who is he?

[@tonyshihoutang6576]

He looking Infront but his legs still stay high.

[@ronik2433]

Good swimmer BUT he does not stroke well with his left arm. watch the 11th-12th seconds of this video

[@user-kj4ux4ot6w]

Hmmm, i dont think thats totally correct. Maybe their hip's rotated, because they kick the same leg when they stroke and applying power?

[@legaldesigndo]

Николай Анучин the kick is a necessary motor pattern (technique) for a strong hip rotation. You can see the pattern in Sun Yang or Katie Ledecky. This doesn’t happen in sprinting. This is good for distance swimming.

[@legaldesigndo]

It is called hip driven freestyle

[@tanbafootballfc]

@@legaldesigndo thanks I'll be thinking about this in the lake tomorrow and try it out

[@tanbafootballfc]

The difference between his length of stroke and glide phase b4 the catch is much more noticeable to the female swimmer . Her timing is out and no glide phase

[@legaldesigndo]

@@tanbafootballfc search here in KZbin a video called "three styles of freestyle"

[@chinhvannguyen1685]

You use only 1 side hip

[@rodolfocedeno3417]

Rote su cintura antes de aplicar poder

[@royfr8136]

so reach....

[@p72910]

Thank you, coach. Now, I found that I have been doing "kick and pull at the same time" is totally wrong.