How to Swim a 50 Yard Freestyle
Step up onto the starting block., Select your entry point visually and mentally., Leap off the starting block once the starting “beep” goes off., Use a powerful dolphin kick off the starting blocks., Swim freestyle once you break the surface after...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Step up onto the starting block.
When the starter tells you to take your mark, get ready to dive, but stay absolutely still, or you might get a disqualification. -
Step 2: Select your entry point visually and mentally.
Before you dive, pick your target in the water where you want to dive.
This will help to psych you for the race and ensure correct entry. , Use your legs to spring off the block and into the water when the starting blare goes off.
Be sure to leap outwards toward the flags and be in a streamline position before entering the water.
Make sure you are not just dropping into the water 2 feet from the starting block.
Practicing and perfecting a racing dive can be critical in lowering times.
Be sure to cover the most horizontal distance possible while diving. , Continue this for around 5 yards/meters or longer if desired.
Do not exceed 15 yards/meters.
Make sure your dolphin kick originates in your hips, and you are not relying on your knees to create power for the kick (this mistake is made very often by swimmers). , Perform an aggressive breakout. , Be sure to be in stream line position through this step.
Do not breathe on the first or second stroke from the start. , By doing this it will cause the rest of the body to rotate to the other side. , At this point, this arm that has not entered the water yet. ,, At this point, the arm should be slightly outside shoulders width. , Be sure to engage hips before pulling in order to maximize the effect. ,, Also, reach in front of your shoulders (all the way) and pull your hand underwater while bending slightly at the elbows for a powerful pull.
This reduces drag caused by the head and shoulders.
Another way of reducing drag is by keeping a steady kick and not letting your hips and legs sink.
By keeping your legs elevated, you are in a more streamlined position, therefore you go faster. , Do not dive under the water surface; flip at the surface! , To increase speed of the flip-turn, lead the body with the head and focus on a tight flip, tuck the knees, with the legs moving very quickly when above the surface.
The key to flip turns is to finish it quickly and get off the wall faster.
You can do that by having your hands at your sides after your last stroke before the wall.
So after you take your last stroke, glide to the wall with your hands by your sides, and flip at the exact moment (about a foot and a half away from the wall).
Then, plant your feet on the wall, and if you kept your hands in the same position when you glided, they should already be in a streamline position above your head. , As you are flipped onto your back, twist to rotate to the correct position while pushing.
Use a powerful dolphin kick to quickly speed up for about 5
- 10 yards/meters. , Although you may be tired, do not slow down even the slightest bit.
It might cost you the race.
So gather up all your last strength, and for the last 5 yards (4.6 m), sprint like you never sprinted before.
When finishing, focus on touching the wall while still going as fast as possible, do not breathe in the final 5 yards/meters so that you can focus on speed not on getting your next breath. , Just make sure to hit the touch pad hard enough so your time shows up.
Touch with the recovery arm so that the hand is above the surface, so that it moves fastest and is visible. , Make sure to say "good race" or "you did great" to the person you were racing.
The coaches might notice you having a good attitude, whether you won or lost.
After you climb out, thank the timers for getting your time (which you should probably ask them after you leave the starting area).
Most of them are volunteers, so it would make them feel appreciated. -
Step 3: Leap off the starting block once the starting “beep” goes off.
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Step 4: Use a powerful dolphin kick off the starting blocks.
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Step 5: Swim freestyle once you break the surface after about 5 yards (4.6 m) of underwater dolphin kick.
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Step 6: Roll on to the side (so that this arm is facing down towards the bottom) that is going to pull first.
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Step 7: Take the arm facing the bottom out of streamline position and pull it straight back in a forceful motion.
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Step 8: Recover the arm that has just pulled over the water quickly in a bent but relaxed position.
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Step 9: Engage the arm that has not pulled in a slightly bent position about 6 – 8 inches (20.3 cm) below the surface.
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Step 10: Thrust arm into the water so that it is completely straight and is about 4 – 6 inches (15.2 cm) below the surface.
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Step 11: Pull the arm straight back forcefully.
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Step 12: Repeat (including both parts) until you are about two yards away from the wall.
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Step 13: Remember to keep your head steady and have stamina and momentum in your arms and kick.
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Step 14: With the final arm-pull into the wall
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Step 15: reach and start rolling into a flip leading with the arm and following through with the head.
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Step 16: Bring both feet over the water quickly and place them about 10 – 12 inches (30.5 cm) under the surface of the water and on the wall.
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Step 17: Push off from the wall.
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Step 18: Treat the last part of the race just like the first part
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Step 19: and the same rules apply.
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Step 20: Repeat until you touch the wall on a final stroke at the finish of your swim.
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Step 21: End in a sportsmanlike way.
Detailed Guide
When the starter tells you to take your mark, get ready to dive, but stay absolutely still, or you might get a disqualification.
Before you dive, pick your target in the water where you want to dive.
This will help to psych you for the race and ensure correct entry. , Use your legs to spring off the block and into the water when the starting blare goes off.
Be sure to leap outwards toward the flags and be in a streamline position before entering the water.
Make sure you are not just dropping into the water 2 feet from the starting block.
Practicing and perfecting a racing dive can be critical in lowering times.
Be sure to cover the most horizontal distance possible while diving. , Continue this for around 5 yards/meters or longer if desired.
Do not exceed 15 yards/meters.
Make sure your dolphin kick originates in your hips, and you are not relying on your knees to create power for the kick (this mistake is made very often by swimmers). , Perform an aggressive breakout. , Be sure to be in stream line position through this step.
Do not breathe on the first or second stroke from the start. , By doing this it will cause the rest of the body to rotate to the other side. , At this point, this arm that has not entered the water yet. ,, At this point, the arm should be slightly outside shoulders width. , Be sure to engage hips before pulling in order to maximize the effect. ,, Also, reach in front of your shoulders (all the way) and pull your hand underwater while bending slightly at the elbows for a powerful pull.
This reduces drag caused by the head and shoulders.
Another way of reducing drag is by keeping a steady kick and not letting your hips and legs sink.
By keeping your legs elevated, you are in a more streamlined position, therefore you go faster. , Do not dive under the water surface; flip at the surface! , To increase speed of the flip-turn, lead the body with the head and focus on a tight flip, tuck the knees, with the legs moving very quickly when above the surface.
The key to flip turns is to finish it quickly and get off the wall faster.
You can do that by having your hands at your sides after your last stroke before the wall.
So after you take your last stroke, glide to the wall with your hands by your sides, and flip at the exact moment (about a foot and a half away from the wall).
Then, plant your feet on the wall, and if you kept your hands in the same position when you glided, they should already be in a streamline position above your head. , As you are flipped onto your back, twist to rotate to the correct position while pushing.
Use a powerful dolphin kick to quickly speed up for about 5
- 10 yards/meters. , Although you may be tired, do not slow down even the slightest bit.
It might cost you the race.
So gather up all your last strength, and for the last 5 yards (4.6 m), sprint like you never sprinted before.
When finishing, focus on touching the wall while still going as fast as possible, do not breathe in the final 5 yards/meters so that you can focus on speed not on getting your next breath. , Just make sure to hit the touch pad hard enough so your time shows up.
Touch with the recovery arm so that the hand is above the surface, so that it moves fastest and is visible. , Make sure to say "good race" or "you did great" to the person you were racing.
The coaches might notice you having a good attitude, whether you won or lost.
After you climb out, thank the timers for getting your time (which you should probably ask them after you leave the starting area).
Most of them are volunteers, so it would make them feel appreciated.
About the Author
Natalie Flores
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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