Continuing the focus on specific phases of the stroke, this session looks at arm recovery (into hand entry). While there’s no hard and fast rule for this phase of the stroke, keeping a relaxed, high arm, wide of the body line, will help maintain balance and stay clear of swell and chop in race conditions.
Warm Up:
100 – 200m (4 -8 lengths) easy freestyle
Technical set:
2 x 50m focusing on your current arm recovery. Consider how your arm recovers and the relationship of the hand and elbow. Which part leads?
4 x 50m finger trail, keeping space between the trailing hand and side of body
4 x 50m as double recoveries going up the pool, swim back
4 x 50m as high arm recovery going up ‘normal’ coming back.
Main set:
4 – 8 x 50m focusing on what was learnt in your chosen drills
Warm down:
100m – 300m (4 – 12 lengths) easy cool down
Total Volume:
1100m – 1700m
Coaching Points:
Generally, think of the elbow as leading arm recovery. Lift it from the water on exit and thrust it forward, with a relaxed forearm and hand following it
Space between forearm and body – about half a body-width (to allow for the body rotating onto the wide entry line)
Double arm recoveries – recover to the point of hand entry, put it back ‘in pocket’ recover again and switch sides. Remember to keep the leading out front and high in the water until the second hand entry.
High arm – remember to straighten the arm to around 135°, requiring the biceps to relax during high arm recovery. DON’T over rotate to obtain the high arm.
GI tri coach 