Superman drill

[@freepluralism6652]

What's the reasoning behind having that arm hanging overhead? This seems like complicating a basic exercise with no added benefit.

[@merlintriathloncoaching]

Thanks for your comment. You can indeed just practise kicking on your axis line, whilst holding the catch position with the lead arm, and that's a really valuable drill in itself (as is pure and simple axis line kicking, or side kicking) This extra step adds a little challenge! The purpose is as outlined in the description above, but there are a few potential benefits: 1. Training the exact moment in the stroke when the hands pass each other - to improve your stroke timing - so practising what each arm is doing at one snapshot in time. 2. Adding extra challenge to the stability of body position - the arm overhead is where it will be when you swim, towards the end of the catch - and this is the point where many swimmers rotate too early, lose their stability & balance. This builds strength & stability in that position (upper body, back, core, all the muscles supporting the shoulders) 3. Many swimmers have a hand-led recovery, so fail to get the shoulder blade moving freely, and then don't have the momentum of the recovering arm to connect to the hip drive forward; holding it overhead in the correct position helps you feel a) the correct position of the arm, b) the stretch through the lat, encouraging shoulder blade mobilisation, and c) the weight of that arm providing momentum just prior to switching to the opposite axis. 4. It's a challenge, it's hard, so it feels good when you can master it ;-) And that's fun for some of us! Hope that helps 🙂