Swim Smooth

Swim Smooth looks like an awesome website to improve your swimming technique. The animation used to illustrate swim strokes is easy to follow. Jump to beginner, intermediate or advanced sections and check your "ape index", learn about body roll, posture, open water techniques, improve your rhythm, timing and more.

If you swim like me, you'll want to read the tips on swimming straight. "The key to bilateral breathing is smooth, constant exhalation into the water. Doing the natural thing and holding on your breath is very inefficient and builds up lots of CO2 in your lungs and blood stream. Did you know that it's the build up of this CO2, not the lack of oxygen, that makes you desperate for air and causes the feelings of anxiety and panic?"

Before you can improve, you need to find out your swim type. "Based on speed and limited upper-body flexibility gives them very sinky legs when swimming" I am an "Arnie".

This is a drill to improve your core and posture while in the water;
"Squeezing Your Butt Muscles
Our second exercise is another visualisation. This time we're focused on the lower-rear core muscles, the glutes (your bum/butt). As you swim, imagine you have a large coin between your butt cheeks and you've got to keep it there! To do that you've got to lightly squeeze your butt cheeks together - a crude thought but very effective none the less!

Don't over do it, a very light clench is enough to engage your glutes, straighten your lower body and connect your legs better to your torso. This exercise also helps you develop better kicking technique.

Think about this regularly when you swim and you will gradually develop neural pathways to your glute muscles, recruiting them for permanent use."

I'll let you know if my times improve as a result of this website.