Breastroke Training

Posted by LD on December 1, 2010 under Breastroke | 112 Comments to Read

There’s only one way that you’ll be able to find yourself in the Summer Olympic Games swimming the breastroke … That’s right: As the old joke goes, “Practice. practice, Practice.”

Olympic swimmers, such as Michael Phelps and world-class swimmers, such as Brendan Hansen who is known as the fastest breastroke swimmer in history, have achieved such a high level of accomplishment in large part due to their dedication to regular training and repetition of the basic swimming fundamentals. Another swimmer that understands the meaning of dedication is Jeremy Baker. In his native state of Michigan, Jeremy swam competitively for sixteen years. Hitting the water as a 5 year old, he proceeded to develop skills that took him to receiving four consecutive years of all-state honors. He also competed at the college level until he decided it was time for other things. However, swimming is still a part of his life, as he now works at the Troy Swim Club as a coach for other swimmers.

While the breastroke was not his strongest stroke, Baker has plenty of advice for those who want to take their breastroke to the next level. According to Baker, you need to work to build strength which will, in turn, help you to become better at basic swimming skills.
In order to kick harder, Baker recommends doing exercises outside the pool to strengthen the legs. He also says that weight machines that work on a system of pulleys are the best to use to make your legs stronger.

In fact, Baker adds, that the weight machines that really work the groin muscle help kicking strength even more, especially for what is known as the “frog kick”, which is used in the breastroke. Leg extensions, squats and any other type of exercise that will help to work your hip “flexors” are also helpful, according to Baker.

Another area that should be worked to improve performance includes the arms, doing exercises such as triceps kickbacks or bicep curls to build strength. Bench presses are another great exercise that should be added to your routine, as it will really help to strengthen your chest. One question that a lot of swimmers ask is how often they should be working out on weight machines. Jeremy Baker’s recommendation is, “Plan a minimum of 3 workouts each week.” For weight training, however, there are certain times and places that are more advantageous than others. According to former breastroke champion and master swimming coach Wayne A. McCauley, in the weeks leading up to a competition, many athletes are told by their coaches to slow down on their weight training exercises. But McCauley says he does things a bit differently. Instead of tapering down his training, he instead tailors his workout in relation to his vertical leap. As McCauley has noted on “Getting Stronger For Faster Swimming,” his own website, he’s found that once he ceases his weight training a few weeks before his race, the improvement of his vertical leap rises some 6-10 inches! He said this gives him an advantage in the start and during turns over swimmers who keep up weight training.

In addition, diet is also important when preparing for a race. Competitive swimmers are well known for their ability to eat just about anything, and lots of it. The reason for this is that just 30 minutes of doing the breastroke can burn as much as 300 calories. Jeremy puts it succinctly: “swimming fixes whatever you decide to eat.” Nevertheless, swimmers have been known to go too far at times. That’s why there’s that old rule about not swimming for an hour after you eat. So don’t eat a seven course meal right before your advanced breastroke race or you’ll sink like a stone and finish dead last. Stay away from any carbonated liquids or energy drinks as well since they can creates a chemical imbalance in your body. Most coaches recommend elite swimmers stick to a 3,000 calorie diet that is heavy on protein.

In order to progress to the elite levels of breastroke competition, you should practice the fundamentals consistently until you perform them properly. The National Safety Council has set performance evaluation benchmarks in its “Learn to Swim Program.” Here are the benchmarks that separate the amateurs from the pros:

Body: Beginning breastrokers are allow to let their bodies bend. Expert breastrokers may not.

Feet: Novices have the choice to keep their feet together or not. breastrokers who are experts are not allowed to let legs and feet come apart and must maintain streamlining through the glide.

Arms: Novice swimmers must have paired arm movements and the elbows must be bent. Expert breastrokers must have their elbows bent and their arms must go no wider than their shoulders.

The Breathing: While there is no evaluation or requirement regarding breathing patterns in amateur breastroke swimmers, expert breastroke swimmers are required to exhale at the point in which their arms are fully extended during the glide motion, and in order to inhale, they must have their mouths at the surface of the water.

Coordination: Novice swimmers should try to coordinate their kick and pull; more advanced swimmers may alternate their kick and pull but expert breastroke swimmers must have “strong coordinated propulsion,” the National Safety Council’s guidelines say.

The best way to hit your benchmarks is having a mental picture of exactly how the moves look. For example, Baker recalls the motion of a dolphin bobbing up and down through the water. This image helps him to think about his upper body motion. When you can picture this movement in your head, you’ll think about lifting both shoulders and chest as you dive forward for each stroke.

For the kick, the best advice is to concentrate on having a streamlined position during the glide. You can get the most out of your glide if you hold the position for a second before you begin the next stroke in the pattern. Baker says that the best advice he can give to a swimmer that wants to achieve a more advanced level is to get involved with a Master swim club and become a member. U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) currently has more than 500 clubs across the nation with more than 50,000 members. These clubs offer workouts, competitions, and clinics for any adult swimmers who want to improve their swimming skills. According to its website, about 30 percent of USMS members compete regularly. Another example is 7,0000 competitors showing up for a Master World Championship recently.

If you are committed to doing whatever it takes to achieve the level of an advanced breastroke swimmer,” Jeremy Baker says, “there’s nothing better than a Masters Swim Club!” It’s also fun to have the support and friendship of people who have the same passion you do. It’s always a challenge to make it to the upper levels of a particular sport. It takes constant practice and a willingness to do whatever it takes to make your body as strong as possible. Another factor that swimmers need to take into consideration is the big role that genetics can play in relation to your body type, strength and ability to become a champion breastroke swimmer. By paying close attention, and incorporating these tips, you can be sure to have the odds on your side.

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