Andrew Sheaff @AndrewKSheaff Twitter profile

Pinned Tweet

Andrew Sheaff

9 months

Change the way you develop skills. Positively impact your swimmers’ skills, especially when working with large groups. Build the skills that win races while training hard. Easily incorporate these ideas into the workouts you’re already doing.

1

7

32

Last Seen Profiles

@steveresisted

@howie4prez

@HighTechoo

@magiccow_labs

@BhamGrovesFB

@hoshitsuseyo

@ARealmeet

@sabmousslove

@Atlanna1

@CassidyZwe96760

@lilienthalyuri

@TheNCBBAW

@CPAMay2023

@pokakyunkyun

@tnjfksp6cq1

@SnaGaeilge

@UAlberta

@11tegen11

@cassar_lea

@AAwdac

@sigmacals

@XO_Chick

@P1ckChu

@51stnews

@MPF_PE

@Gaziantepevli0

@zatookyaho

@KisseuLife

@_EYLULgibi

@coco_hoshinoko

@Audrey4425

@Kplatinum21

@SnezzyMbatha

@waefrebeorn

@0xMiracleGame

@Violetlinks

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

Breaststroke timing simplified. The arms pull when the legs are long and the legs kick when the arms are long. At slow rate and at high rates.

5

29

246

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

1 month

Straight, low, and fast. That’s great breathing in freestyle. Simple, although not easy. A great breath is all about what doesn’t happen And when done well, it preserves alignment, allows for an effective pull, and allows stroke rate to stay high. That all adds up to speed.

3

28

208

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

There are two key aspects of butterfly breathing: 1. Keep the breathing stroke as close to the non-breathing stroke as possible. The smaller the difference, the better.

1

6

165

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

Swimmers definitely need to undulate to create speed underwater. How matters. If they’re doing it with their arched lower back or a rounded upper back, that’s like putting on the brakes. The more they can undulate around a relatively straight spine, the faster they’ll go.

1

15

163

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Regardless of how fast swimmers are swimming freestyle, they need to master patient aggression. They need to be patient upon entry, wait until the arm is in an effective position, and then build pressure on the water throughout the pull.

4

9

156

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Creating an effective pull in backstroke requires better rotation timing, not more rotation. In contrast to freestyle, there should be little to no rotation throughout most of the pull. This allows the arm to be in position to move water backwards fast, for as long as possible.

3

13

153

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

The only way to get the hand ‘behind’ the body and into the water to create an effective pull is to rotate. And if swimmers rotate away from that position, they’re going to ‘lose’ that extra range of motion. That’s why you see very little rotation until AFTER the pull.

2

13

137

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

With poor timing and sloppy arm recoveries, there are a lot of backstrokers that are all over the place. Great backstroke is quiet. There’s not a lot of noise and there’s not a lot of side-to-side motion. It’s simple and it’s direct. That means more speed for less effort.

2

9

129

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

7 days

If swimmers can’t control their hands and their upper body when they kick underwater, it’s going to be very difficult to kick well. By holding the buoy and keeping it still, they learn control over their upper body.

3

11

156

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

The breaststroke pull is a lot shorter than the other strokes, but if swimmers can set it up well, and squeeze hard, they can still get a ton out of it.

2

11

127

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

4

7

113

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

While the pullout itself creates all the power, it’s alignment that sustains speed. The more aligned swimmers can be coming off the wall and after the pullout, the more speed and distance they’ll create. It’s about doing less to get more. Slippery swimmers are fast swimmers.

1

13

111

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

28 days

A simple way to help swimmers understand how much resistance their creating during underwater kicking is to create MORE resistance. By having the arms behind the head, they’re going to be plowing through the water.

1

107

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

The breaststroke pull is NOT a scull. It’s exactly the same as all the other strokes. The forearm is oriented backward, and a big surface area is used to move water backward. This is where all the power comes from.

8

7

104

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

Backstroke rotation happens at the ends of the stroke. It happens as the hands enter and it happens when the hands as the exit. It happens all at once and it happens FAST. It’s not a gradual process. Train it!

0

12

104

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

It’s one thing to hold water in the front of the stroke. It’s one thing to hold water in the back of the stroke. It’s another level of skill to do both. For a ton of propulsion, swimmers must constantly adjust the position of their arm to keep a big surface area moving back.

1

8

101

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

Faster underwater kickers are able to maintain foot speed in both directions. There’s no recovery phase. It’s the fast and effective up-kick that sets up the propulsive down-kick. Keep them moving!

1

6

101

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

The upkick is REALLY important during underwater kicking. It needs to be fast & effective. Many swimmers simply lack strength and fitness in the back of the legs. I love kicking on the back to target these muscles, get the strong, & get them ready to deliver a powerful upkick.

3

9

98

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

A lot of swimmers don’t understand that the breaststroke kick is direct. It’s BACK. When swimmers go vertical, they get it. They kick DOWN so they stay UP. A simple change in context can create a powerful change in skill.

0

3

96

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

Freestylers don’t just have to swim straight, and they don’t just have to swim level. They have to manage those positions while rotating, kicking, and swinging the arms. Maintaining alignment requires dynamic and continuous skill & should be treated as such when developing it.

0

13

93

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Surface area, range of motion, and foot speed. That’s what it takes to create a ton of propulsion underwater. The best do all three and they do them really, really well. If you’re working with swimmers to develop these skills, lock in all three and you’ll see progress.

2

9

93

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

Butterfly is just like freestyle in that big ‘hooks’ in the front of the stroke can allow swimmers to create a lot of speed by moving a lot of water. The challenge is that it’s harder to do without rotation AND there’s more up and down motion versus straight back.

4

7

90

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

It’s not a kick, it’s a whip. Propulsion comes from that snap of the feet at the end of the kick. It starts small and slow up top and gets bigger and faster as it travels down the body. If swimmers don’t catch the wave, they’re missing out on propulsion.

3

11

90

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

The difference between effective and ineffective breaststroke kickers is how LONG they can hold effective positions. They create effective positions early in the kick and they hold them throughout. Range of motion needs to be there + swimmers have to have the skill to use it.

1

12

90

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

Establishing an ‘early vertical forearm’ is great. Maintaining that position is better. It’s not enough to get into positions. Swimmers have to hold effective positions. Lessons from one of the best. While not everyone can do it like him, the principle remains.

0

10

89

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

Breaststrokers create a lot of resistance, and that’s made infinitely worse by poor breathing. By breathing forward versus just up, swimmers can keep the hips up. By recovering quickly, they can⬇️resistance by getting back into alignment fast. That mean⬇️drag +⬆️speed.

1

6

88

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

Breaststrokers need be patient when setting up the kick, but once it’s time to go, accelerating the feet back is going to create a lot of propulsion. More acceleration, while still holding positions, is going to result in more speed. It’s not only about positions & foot paths.

3

9

87

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

More than other strokes, a great backstroke pull resembles a hook. The bigger the hook, the more water swimmers can move, the faster they’ll go. Swimmers have to set it up effective & they have to set it up faster. If they can get into a great position fast, they'll swim fast.

3

9

86

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

Undulation has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is in the upper body. For swimmers that struggle to create wave that travels down the body, it can be really helpful to start with a really tight undulation. As they get more skilled, they can open it up.

15

9

86

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

Effective freestyle breathing is straight, low, and fast. Watch how straight, low, and fast this breath is. Ideally, there is no disruption of alignment throughout the breath. A great breath is about doing less, and when done well, it has less of an impact on the stroke.

6

84

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

It’s possible to go really fast underwater with various kicking styles. The principles are what matter: Get the feet oriented back as much as possible for as long as possible. Accelerate the feet to create pressure on the water.

3

11

84

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

1 month

The best backstrokers set up the stroke early, get the arm facing backward, and hold that position the whole way through. That’s not easy to do, especially on the back.

1

8

84

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

To start the process of developing kick timing in butterfly, skate drill is a great choice. Swimmers just have to kick, pull, & kick to finish the pull. Then, they’ll have the basic kick timing down. Once they get it, it’s a matter of building it into the stroke & TRAINING it.

1

5

81

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

26 days

An underappreciate reason sprinters kick so hard: The forces during the beginning of the pull actually cause the legs to sink. The harder and faster they pull, the more sprinters have to kick harder to counteract this effect. The kick matters for many reasons!

0

3

80

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

In breaststroke, from the underwater arm & leg action to the breath, it’s a constant battle to keep resistance low. While working on these individual components is critical, it’s also about managing the transitions between these different skills, & still keeping resistance low.

2

11

80

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

I don’t think the most important aspect of the fly kick is creating propulsion that moves swimmers down the pool. I think the most important function is that it gets the hips UP. The kick is back & DOWN, which moves the hips forward & UP. It’s about alignment & easy speed.

1

10

80

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

Fast breaststroke is all about great alignment. Fast swimmers are able to keep the hips up and in line during the breath, and fast swimmers return to an aligned position EVERY stroke cycle. Even when sprinting, they still get back into line each time, even if only for a moment.

2

9

79

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

Undulation needs to be optimized in butterfly to create speed. The right amount maximizes propulsion while minimizing resistance. Many swimmers have too much. A simple way to work on that skill is single arm fly with flutter kick.

2

7

77

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

When freestylers want to go faster, they change their timing more than just pulling harder. Slower swimming= bigger gaps. Faster swimming = smaller/no gaps. By reducing dead space, swimmers go faster without more effort per stroke. Add power to get even more speed.

3

10

71

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

Breaststroke timing can be really difficult to improve. I like simple solutions that are highly effective. Underwater breaststroke is one of those solutions. Swimmers naturally separate the arm and the leg actions. CHALLENGE it to really accelerate learning.

0

4

72

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

24 days

A great butterfly pull isn’t just about a great setup or a great finish to the stroke. It’s about that and everything in between. Fast swimmers maintain great positions the whole way through, and that allows them to move a lot of water and create a lot of propulsion.

2

10

70

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Setting up the pull in breaststroke requires a lot of patience. It takes time to get the arms in position to effectively move water backward. But once everying is set up, it’s time to go. It’s the balance of patience + aggressive acceleration that many swimmers struggle with.

0

6

72

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

If swimmers are struggling to create stability in their upper body underwater, I like giving them something to focus their attention on. By having them hold a paddle (of fin!) in their hands, and telling them to keep it absolutely still, it’s a lot easier to focus & be stable.

1

6

72

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

In fly, the kick doesn't don’t just move the hips forward, it moves them UP. That movement plays a huge role in creating speed, facilitating easier arm recoveries and better alignment. Relative to the kicks of the other strokes, there’s a bigger downward component.

1

9

71

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

Undulation flows down the body during underwater kicking, and that’s where all the power comes from. Many swimmers struggle to get that wave moving. They have to have control over their upper body to make them happen.

3

8

70

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

A key aspect of backstroke timing is learning to delay the rotation throughout the pull, which creates more propulsion. I have them pull all the way on their side with NO rotation to help them really feel what we’re trying to accomplish. From there, we can reel it in.

2

7

69

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

Fast freestylers kick from the hips AND the knees. They do it in different ways at different points in the kick. The leg recovers STRAIGHT with the hip. When the leg start moving forward, THEN the knee bends and the foot whips forward. THAT creates speed.

2

3

69

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

A lot of swimmers struggle to get the hips back up once the arms recover in fly. If swimmers can sync up the kick, the upper body landing + sinking in the water, and the arms landing forward, the hips are going to come up a lot higher, faster, and easier. That means more speed.

3

10

69

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

Rush the backstroke pull and swimmers will never create as much speed as possible. It takes time to set it up and it takes time to build pressure on the water without losing positions. Once it’s time to go, acceleration is key to maintain pressure and to create speed.

3

7

65

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

11 months

Reduce drag and improve propulsion- that’s the key to speed. However, most coaches focus almost exclusively on increasing propulsion. Not only are we missing half the equation, but reducing drag is free speed.

4

5

65

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

To help strengthen the wrists and help swimmers learn to control their wrist position, I love pinch paddles. Challenge it and TRAIN it.

2

9

62

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

2 Pull + 1 kick is often used to develop the pull, and I use it for that purpose. Where 2P1K is REALLY effective is encouraging swimmers to separate the arms + legs. That’s a key timing skill in breaststroke. Do it fast + swimmers learn how to get great tempo + great timing.

1

8

64

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

There are some really fast underwater kickers that are really stable with their upper body while kicking underwater and are others with lots of movement The successful members of both groups have figured out what works. Help swimmers figure out which solution is best for them.

0

15

63

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

Great backstroke pulling is characterized by a BIG surface area. The whole forearm gets into the action. We can see that clearly with these swimmers. They set it up and THEN they pull.

1

9

63

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

For butterflyers that struggle to understand how to use the whole arm to create propulsion, wall pull is simple and effective starting point. It helps swimmers feel effective positions and it helps them feel how to create pressure in those positions. It’s a great sensory tool.

3

5

63

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Managing position & posture is one of the most difficult skills to master in swimming. It’s a skill that’s so important, it’s worth spending some time & energy focusing on it. Controlling position on the surface over the water is critical. Practice + progression, not perfect.

1

4

63

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

10 months

Too much anaerobic training can impair aerobic fitness. A simple, yet underappreciated concept in performance. There aren’t many free lunches in training.

3

8

60

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

As swimmers go faster, freestyle timing changes a LOT. One thing that doesn’t change is the timing of the pull and the rotation. The body is pretty flat as the hand passes the shoulders, then the body rotates away from the arm.

0

5

60

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

Breaststroke timing is simple, though not easy. The arms need to be pulling while the legs are long, and the legs need to be kicking when the arms are long. That maximizes propulsion while minimizing drag.

0

2

61

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

When breaststrokers breathe, they find themselves in a situation that’s potentially creating a lot of resistance. They need to get out of that position fast. They also need to find a way to get back to a horizontal position without slowing the stroke rate. Drive forward FAST.

1

5

60

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

Undulation isn’t just about breathing and recovering the arms. It can help create a more powerful pull. By rising up through the pull, swimmers can create more leverage and better access the strongest muscles of the upper body.

0

7

60

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Swimmers aren’t going to be able to do much in butterfly if they can’t accelerate through the pull. Because swimmers slow down between pulls, they have to accelerate the arms to accelerate the body. Use speed, stoke counts or add resistance, and let them learn to accelerate.

0

8

58

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

Great alignment isn’t a static skill. It’s a dynamic one. It’s about shifting from position to position without losing alignment Here’s a great example of a swimmer that is constantly shifting position, yet maintaining effective shapes. It’s all about the transitions.

0

8

56

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

Many swimmers struggle to use the whole arm to create propulsion in backstroke. The first step is to help them feel what it’s like to use the whole arm. Here’s my favorite way to do it.

4

9

57

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

More than just kicking hard, kicking is a skill, and key aspect of that skill is the whipping action. It starts with the leg recovering straight, and then as the leg starts moving forward the knee bends, the foot faces backward, and then snaps forward. That creates speed.

0

5

56

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

The butterfly kick helps swimmers lift the hips in the water and it needs to happen at the right time. It should happen upon hand entry to lift the hips back in alignment. And it should happen just prior to hand exit to lift the hips so that the hands can be recovered smoothly.

0

9

56

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

11 months

If swimmers want to go fast, kicking underwater is pretty much mandatory. And it needs to be done fast. Underwaters are fast because of a lack of resistance. However, propulsion is still necessary. Move a lot of water, over a longer distance, FAST.

3

2

56

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Straight, level, and stable. That’s what alignment on the surface of the water is all about. It goes deeper than that. We want effortless position as well. These swimmers aren’t working very hard to stay level, and that’s a huge part of why they’re so successful.

2

54

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

What’s the best amplitude for underwater kicking? Whatever creates the most propulsion with the least resistance. That’s going to differ between swimmers. To help them figure it out, have them play with different ranges of motion to find their best solution.

3

7

54

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

When on the back, swimmers can really struggle with their alignment. Hwoever, the principles remain. Spine stays straight, or even curved a bit. The head is level. There’s no up and down movement. Simple, not easy.

0

10

54

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

An effective up-kick is key to an effective underwater kick. An easy to build this skill is by having swimmers kick on their side. They’re more likely to kick well in both directions, with effective range of motion + foot speed. It’s one option for building better symmetry.

0

5

53

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

1 month

Being an effective butterfly kicker is a great starting point, but swimmers have to be able to execute a great kick while swimming to optimize speed. This drill is an effective option to help swimmers learn to work their legs into their stroke.

1

6

51

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

When the goal is to build the breaststroke pull, I prefer to take away the legs. Using a dolphin kick allows swimmers to maintain a solid rhythm while putting on all the pressure on the upper body. Add speed + stroke counts/stroke rates & you’ll get fitness & skill all at once.

0

6

48

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

Getting into great positions to start the butterfly pull is difficult to do, but holding thse positions through the entire stroke is even harder. Too many swimmers let go too early. The more swimmers can hold water throughout the stroke, the faster they’ll go.

0

11

49

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

Many swimmers find it difficult to get back into alignment after the pull in breaststroke. I try to make it harder. I like to resist the arm recoveries so they have to really work to get back in line. When they take the DragSox off, they tend to be a lot more aggressive.

1

5

46

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

⬆️Surface area swimmers can get facing backwards when they pull =⬆️speed. We’ve got the classic high elbow position with distance swimmers. Sprinters take a different path, getting the arm deep and creating a TON of surface area in the back of the stroke BOTH work.

3

4

49

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

The hips are key in fly. They have to move in the right amount at the right time. Many swimmers struggle to know and feel what their hips are doing. To build awareness, I like weight belts. The extra weight lets them feel it, and if they can feel it, they can change it.

1

6

48

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

The down-kick gets all the love, but it’s the characteristics of the up-kick that have been consistently shown to differentiate faster and slower underwater kickers. Fast tempo + a straight recovery will set swimmers up for a powerful kick that creates a lot of propulsion.

2

6

46

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

Undulation isn’t just about breathing and recovering the arms. It can help create a more powerful pull. By rising up through the pull, swimmers can create more leverage and better access the strongest muscles of the body. That means more speed.

0

5

48

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

Many swimmers have NO idea how their lungs support them in the water. The ball float helps swimmers FEEL how the lungs hold them at the surface. Once they can feel it, they use the buoyancy of the lungs to create effective position in the water.

2

0

44

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Effective rotation is all about timing more than magnitude. This is one of my favorite ways to improve this critical skill. They rotate with the recovery & they rotate with the pull. Recovering the arms underwater cleans many different problems, without having to say a word.

1

3

44

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

11 months

Swimmers CAN learn to move more water with each stroke, and that skill can be learned without having to sacrifice your training. Three of my favorites strategies are stroke counts, resistance, and changing the surface area of the hands.

1

3

43

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

6 months

Creating a lot of propulsion underwater requires swimmers to use an effective range of motion. This means kicking well in front of the body to maximize the propulsion that’s created with each kick. Kicking all the way through + fast tempo is going to lead to fast underwaters.

0

4

42

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

1 month

Most swimmers mistakenly try to take fewer strokes by creating more propulsion. The magic is when they learn to do so by improving alignment. It takes LESS energy which means more speed at a lower cost. Instant endurance.

0

1

42

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

2-4 Rounds 3x25 Fins + closed fist; FAST 2x25 FAST Swimmers will feel like they are holding SO much water during the 2x25s.

1

0

41

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

A lot of swimmers mess up their breath timing in butterfly. The whole reason the body lifts in butterfly is recover the arms and facilitate the breath. To keep it simple, have them think breathe with the body. Body goes up, breathe. Body comes down, get the head down faster.

2

5

41

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

11 months

When swimmers get tired, body position starts to go. When body position starts to go, it’s harder to swim and swimmers get more fatigued. And things just get worse from there. So, swimmers need to work on creating and maintaining great body position under pressure.

3

40

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

For an effective butterfly pull, accelerating the limbs is key. Swimmers need to generate the hand speed necessary to swing the arms through the recovery. And they need to generate the body speed necessary to make it through the recovery when no speed is being generated.

2

5

41

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

23 days

A lot of swimmers struggle with breath timing, especially with the arm they’re breathing away from. It often drops out of position due to the breath and that costs swimmers a lot of speed. In this drill, they need to fix that, or they won’t go anywhere.

3

2

41

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

9 months

More water moved with each stroke, more speed. Most coaches are familiar with a dropped elbow. It’s a problem because less surface area means less propulsion. It’s not talked about nearly as often, but a dropped wrist matters just as much. Less surface area, less propulsion

1

3

40

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

11 months

I used to a do a lot of drill work at slow speeds without much fatigue. And the swimmers’ skills got a lot better at slow speeds without much fatigue, and they didn’t really change at all in races or in training.

3

1

40

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

Raising the upper body through the breaststroke pull isn’t just about getting air. Swimmers can create more leverage and be in a better position to move water back and create a lot of force. Good timing here can help swimmers get a lot more out of the same pull.

0

2

38

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

4 months

When swimmers are learning how to manage their position in the water, simple floating exercises can be a great start. Arms out wide makes it harder. Legs out wide makes it easier. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is struggle. That’s how swimmers learn to manage position.

0

2

39

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

5 months

Moving a lot of water in butterfly is all about using the arms as hooks to move water backward. It’s harder to do without rotation, but it can still be done and done well. Set it up, and then let it rip, even at really high stroke rates.

0

2

38

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

11 months

More drag = less speed. The reality of swimming. To reduce drag, swimmers need to move straight through the water. And where the head goes, the body follows. If it’s out of line, the body is going to be as well. Breathing is a big challenge.

3

9

38

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

A huge part of successful racing is finishing strong, and if we want swimmers to finish strong, we have to help them learn how to do it. And it’s not just about holding speed, it’s about holding skills together as well. Stroke counts are a great way to keep track of skill.

1

4

38

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

17 days

More than the other strokes, there tends to be a focus on what the hands are doing in breaststroke. While the hands certainly matter, a good breaststroke pull is getting the forearms in on the action as well.

1

4

38

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

Propulsion is only half the battle in developing fast underwater kicking. Swimmers need to create as little resistance as possible to create more speed. The benefit goes beyond just speed. It makes underwater kicking easier, which means the last wall can be as good as the 1st.

0

9

35

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

3 months

If backstrokers mess up their recoveries, there’s not much about the stroke that’s going to work. In most cases, they can’t even feel it. Clock drill helps them learn how to feel where their arms are going and how to control them. Let them explore and do it with speed.

0

3

36

Andrew Sheaff

@AndrewKSheaff

2 months

8x25 Underwater recovery 8x25 Freestyle vs. 16x25 ODD Underwater recovery EVEN Freestyle A very simple change that is going to provide swimmers with a LOT more opportunities to take what they learn in the drill to their swimming. The CONCEPT can be applied in any CONTEXT,

1

35