The Latest Aquatics Updates

 

I hope everyone is ready and excited for the summer season!  Whether you are a Masters swimmer, getting ready for a triathlon, or your kids are swimming SAIL, it helps to know a little bit about stroke technique.

I like to call this month's featured drill "swordfish drill."  It is designed to promote proper head position and body rotation in freestyle.  Good head position is critical to keeping your body horizontal in the water;  therefore, allowing you to use less engery to swim.  Good body rotation gives you an anchor for a strong pull.  Below is a brief explanation of the drill.  Please feel free to ask any of our aquatics staff for a little help when you are in the pool.

Float ALL THE WAY UP ON YOUR SIDE with the bottom arm up and the top arm down by your side.

Make sure, though your body is on its side, your eyes are looking at the bottom of the pool.  For some, just staying on your side will be a challenge; if so, kick the full lengths of the pool on one side turning your head to the side only to breathe.  Then switch sides on the way back.  Once you are comfortable on your side, begin switching sides every 6 - 12 kicks.  (Start with 12 and work your way down to 6)  Switch sides using a freestyle pull.

Always breathe immediately after you have switched arms, and then return your eyes to the bottom of the pool.

For many swimmers, it is a challenge to maintain eyes to the bottom of the pool and still rotate the body on its side.  Don't give up!

Make sure that your hips and shoulders rotate together by maintaining tight abdominal muscles.

Turn the body as one unit. (As if you were on a spit)

Try to maintain this head position and body rotation when you go back to regular freestyle.

 

Hi Everyone,
My name is Sherie Wilson.  I am the Aquatics director at Sportsclub.  I have been around water all my life.

I truly do not remember a time when I could not swim. I swam competitively from the age of 8 until I graduated from high school at the age of 18.  I began teaching swimming lessons and coaching summer swim team when I was 16.  I coached my first USA swimming team in 1991 while I finished college in Oklahoma City. 

Since moving to Greenville in March of 1996, I have coached at Eastside Aquatics Club which was a USA Swimming affiliated team, and the Poinsettia and Devenger SAIL teams.  I have a husband (Larry) and two beautiful children (Ryan, 16 and Jessica, 13).

In this blog I will be posting technique tips, drill of the month, swimming workouts, and local opportunities for competition.