one of my favorite concepts to my students is to rtry to develop a 2 beat kick. you'd be amazed how it slows everything down, promotes more relaxation and smooths out the entire stroke. that along with bilateral breathing has been wake up call for many i've dealt with. the 6 beat kick is way over emphasized by instructors. and it contributes to body balance issues, flat swimming and anxiety for many. the finger tip drag , distance per cycle drill and catch up stroke are my favorites for developing smoothness, quietness upon entry and a more balanced rhythm as the arms and legs are in sync.
It’s been a month and I am dedicated learner but still I can’t float. My legs constantly sink. My swimming coaches r telling me my waist is very stiff but they are not telling me how can I fix this. Can anybody plz help me to float.
i've been dealing with this issue all my aquatic life.....................60 years. i'm a usms swimmer, coached for 50+ years, taught swimming forever and do personal training for folkss whp want to improve. it all comes down to your body's specific gravity.........less than 1, you float, more than 1 you sink to varying degrees. and yes, i agree floating or being a floater is not that important. the lower body is muscularly dense espeially if you are an atheltic type. i had an awful time passing the lifeguard course due to the fact i could not carry the 10 lb. weight 20yards on my back back in feb. 2020. i'm not only a poor floater, i'm a sinker. the best i can do to reduce drag and be efficient is to keep my head low and maintain the best kick i can do. many instructors, coaches and aquatic afficienados have tried over the decades to get me to float.........................NO WAY. it's all about body density and specific gravity , period. i invite feedback from any and all.
Hey Speedo1 thanks for posting. All floating does is tell us what we need to work on. Those who already float have less work on to do balance drills (head, hips and feet level) than those who sink (but should still do them for the body awareness gained). Check out video #2 for a simple balance and kicking drill we use with our swimmers. It's so simple many people will disregard it and that would be a mistake.
@@SwimSmart i teach flutter kicking from a lateral or back position first since being prone seems to be very difficult for most people. the activaction of the glutes is very foreign to most in this position. verrtical, lateral or supine kicking provides more kinesthetic feedback in my experience.
@@speedo1105 Yes we do kicking in all positions as well. But the primary objective of kicking on front drill is to establish a balanced body position first. Development of kick mechanics comes after that.
This is what I needed to hear. Been in the gym over 12 years. Extremely athletic, running, jumping etc. Very muscular no roids. I can float with my upper half with my lunges full in sea water but nothing in normal lake water. Tried everything. Relaxing does nothing I just sink with full lungs. Because of my sinking tendencies, I've never learnt yo tred water properly and I get really tired swimming in general. Imagine I jump off a boat, I could swim to the ladder but if I have to stop, I die and drown. Sucks because even in sea water I can't just lie on my back like I've seen some people and stay floating. I literally have to hold my breath full of air I was thinking maybe I should wear a wetsuit whilst swimming, do you think that's a good idea.
I would tell and show my swim coach how i too would sink to the bottom of the pool, she said its not important you swim thru the water not on top of it. I know that is true but the more of your body that is out of the water the faster u go, and i am real slow....
Yes my legs sink also. Stretching yourself out like you have shown helps. Think superman flying 😃 Ultimately we sinkers have to spend more time in the pool to practice.
Thanks. Quick question for you if you don't mind. As soon as I breath on my left side and my face re-enters the water my right leg drops way down in the water. Other than this I remain quite horizontal apart from a big right leg drop when my head heads back under water after breathing. Also I have a crossover kick.
Hi Patrick - there could be a lot going on here, mainly balance and timing. When you breathe to the left, are you managing to keep your right arm extended, or is it dropping? We want it to remain extended out in front, to help give you better balance - view the streamline and switch videos to work on that skill. For the timing, take a closer look at the Switch #3 video.
I go to the gym regularly and have little muscular body. I can swim under water but i’m not able to float on the water due to which i always get problem in breathing while swimming. (When i bend my legs a little bit like child in mother’s womb then my whole back floats. But what’s the point of that then?)
I never understood how can some people drown on calm waters. I can stay afloat (on my back) forever (until I die of other causes) if need be. It cannot be because of just fat/muscle.. it must bone density or something else.
I’m also sink in water and while doing breaststroke I can’t go further , rather I go back automatically. Why is that so ? Also my hands movement make my legs also move in opposite direction due to which i can’t swim at all. Pls help with exercise or techniques to learn swimming
going backwards is usually the result of poor control over your ankles. they remain in the dorsal flexion position, which i call the hammer foot. work on ankle lfexibility. it might help.
My husband sinks like a rock. He can swim, but it’s pointless if you can’t float. If you can’t float, you tire quickly and drown. I want to help him fix this. I can swim from one side of a lake to the other, because I can rest on my back. I can float. I want to help my husband. I’m afraid for him when he’s in the water.
The combat side stroke is a pretty efficient stroke to learn. I sink like a rock but I do a lot of swimming and scuba diving. A little practice every now and then and he’ll be fine. Whether he’s a sinker or not.
I can float on my back all day long but when my son goes to do it, his legs sink like a rock. So if we were in a predicament I would float and he would wind up drowning. Why do mens legs sink?
It's mostly due to body composition and where fat is stored. Men typically have a lower body fat percentage which impacts buoyancy. Muscular men tend to sink like a rock! When floating face down, it helps to stretch the arms out long, and keep the arms 4-5 inches underwater. This pulls the upper body down further but will help the legs lift up a little.
I'm a man, I can swim on my back all day long, but my legs do sink if I'm not actively counteracting that. I don't have to be moving necessarily though, if I flutter my arms and maintain a rigid core and legs, then my whole body will remain at water level. But also if I'm moving it's not a problem, either by fluttering my arms, or by kicking. You don't have to expend that much effort, just enough to keep the lower body from sinking. Back swimming is my favorite swimming, because I can breathe as much as I need to, and don't have to wear goggles.
@@dalegreer3095 Either way, front or back, gravity will bring your hips and legs down. Buoyancy from lungs keeps your chest at the surface. A higher body fat percentage will help but not always prevent the legs from sinking. To counteract this, as you said, the key point here is that you don't need to expend a lot of energy to float, just enough movement so your legs don't drag behind you. See learning to balance video and notice how gently I am kicking.
@@speedo1105 well I’m a little more heavy at 201 lbs but lower body is muscle not fat. But even when I was as lean at 158 lbs my legs still didn’t sink. The disadvantage to me being so buoyant is I have trouble staying under water. I can’t dive for nothing
No true. Watch the video again. My legs sink as well. But with the the right posture and muscle activation you can bring them back up. But it ain't easy!
It’s only has to do with one thing relaxation but it’s subconscious. Nothing to do with BMI etc. Tiny and skinny my who life with no body fat I would float like a pool noddle. Then once we were swimming long distant I almost drown swimming across a large lake and could float anymore took years to gain trust in myself but it came back. If you were unconscious you would always float it’s the same as flexibility if you’re unconscious you can move someone’s limbs anywhere no resistance until you walk again. Weird…
After years of building muscles imagine my surprise when I realized Im worse at swimming 😂
one of my favorite concepts to my students is to rtry to develop a 2 beat kick. you'd be amazed how it slows everything down, promotes more relaxation and smooths out the entire stroke. that along with bilateral breathing has been wake up call for many i've dealt with. the 6 beat kick is way over emphasized by instructors. and it contributes to body balance issues, flat swimming and anxiety for many. the finger tip drag , distance per cycle drill and catch up stroke are my favorites for developing smoothness, quietness upon entry and a more balanced rhythm as the arms and legs are in sync.
It’s been a month and I am dedicated learner but still I can’t float. My legs constantly sink.
My swimming coaches r telling me my waist is very stiff but they are not telling me how can I fix this. Can anybody plz help me to float.
i've been dealing with this issue all my aquatic life.....................60 years. i'm a usms swimmer, coached for 50+ years, taught swimming forever and do personal training for folkss whp want to improve. it all comes down to your body's specific gravity.........less than 1, you float, more than 1 you sink to varying degrees. and yes, i agree floating or being a floater is not that important. the lower body is muscularly dense espeially if you are an atheltic type. i had an awful time passing the lifeguard course due to the fact i could not carry the 10 lb. weight 20yards on my back back in feb. 2020. i'm not only a poor floater, i'm a sinker. the best i can do to reduce drag and be efficient is to keep my head low and maintain the best kick i can do. many instructors, coaches and aquatic afficienados have tried over the decades to get me to float.........................NO WAY. it's all about body density and specific gravity , period. i invite feedback from any and all.
Hey Speedo1 thanks for posting. All floating does is tell us what we need to work on. Those who already float have less work on to do balance drills (head, hips and feet level) than those who sink (but should still do them for the body awareness gained). Check out video #2 for a simple balance and kicking drill we use with our swimmers. It's so simple many people will disregard it and that would be a mistake.
@@SwimSmart i teach flutter kicking from a lateral or back position first since being prone seems to be very difficult for most people. the activaction of the glutes is very foreign to most in this position. verrtical, lateral or supine kicking provides more kinesthetic feedback in my experience.
@@speedo1105 Yes we do kicking in all positions as well. But the primary objective of kicking on front drill is to establish a balanced body position first. Development of kick mechanics comes after that.
This is what I needed to hear. Been in the gym over 12 years. Extremely athletic, running, jumping etc. Very muscular no roids. I can float with my upper half with my lunges full in sea water but nothing in normal lake water.
Tried everything. Relaxing does nothing I just sink with full lungs. Because of my sinking tendencies, I've never learnt yo tred water properly and I get really tired swimming in general. Imagine I jump off a boat, I could swim to the ladder but if I have to stop, I die and drown. Sucks because even in sea water I can't just lie on my back like I've seen some people and stay floating. I literally have to hold my breath full of air
I was thinking maybe I should wear a wetsuit whilst swimming, do you think that's a good idea.
@@tiffanyscott4101 most people can float in sea water, it's denser than fresh water thus giving you more lift.
I would tell and show my swim coach how i too would sink to the bottom of the pool, she said its not important you swim thru the water not on top of it. I know that is true but the more of your body that is out of the water the faster u go, and i am real slow....
7% body fat...the struggle is real..🙄
Is it theoretically even possible to float
@@darrylchandra554 of course. But people with more fat float easily due to buoyancy while skinny people have to put more effort to float.
Im a bodybuilder and im learning how to swim… i just sink-
Me too 🙄 n I am hand dominant swimmer, my kicks don't push me at all.
I used to swim like a fish and when i was younger and was chubby.
Then i am now 11% body fat and i sink like a stone….
Make a slight arch from the middle body by raising feet upwards and hips down. Check if that works for yous.
Yes my legs sink also. Stretching yourself out like you have shown helps. Think superman flying 😃 Ultimately we sinkers have to spend more time in the pool to practice.
Thanks. Quick question for you if you don't mind. As soon as I breath on my left side and my face re-enters the water my right leg drops way down in the water. Other than this I remain quite horizontal apart from a big right leg drop when my head heads back under water after breathing.
Also I have a crossover kick.
Hi Patrick - there could be a lot going on here, mainly balance and timing. When you breathe to the left, are you managing to keep your right arm extended, or is it dropping? We want it to remain extended out in front, to help give you better balance - view the streamline and switch videos to work on that skill. For the timing, take a closer look at the Switch #3 video.
that could be the result of anasymmetrical kick pattern, timing is also at work here. too.
I go to the gym regularly and have little muscular body. I can swim under water but i’m not able to float on the water due to which i always get problem in breathing while swimming.
(When i bend my legs a little bit like child in mother’s womb then my whole back floats. But what’s the point of that then?)
My problem is the opposite. I can’t sit in water I just float . How do I fix that?
I never understood how can some people drown on calm waters. I can stay afloat (on my back) forever (until I die of other causes) if need be. It cannot be because of just fat/muscle.. it must bone density or something else.
i sink right away i have to continuously stoke by legs and arms both to stay afloat
@@ap-rw3mj What about if you lay on back? If I lay on back and breath correctly then I don't sink ever.
i guess that's the same way people who can lay on the pool floor forever can't understand how others can't even get to the bottom.
Exactly. I could swim all day and If I get tired, I lay on my back. My husband sinks like a rock. I don’t understand it?
Muscle mass, length of your torso/ legs, bone density. All these things affect your ability to float that differs from people
I’m also sink in water and while doing breaststroke I can’t go further , rather I go back automatically. Why is that so ? Also my hands movement make my legs also move in opposite direction due to which i can’t swim at all. Pls help with exercise or techniques to learn swimming
going backwards is usually the result of poor control over your ankles. they remain in the dorsal flexion position, which i call the hammer foot. work on ankle lfexibility. it might help.
Excellent training
Thank you!
My butt and legs always sink, when I was fit and now in my hefty 50's, people never believe until I show them.
My husband sinks like a rock. He can swim, but it’s pointless if you can’t float. If you can’t float, you tire quickly and drown. I want to help him fix this. I can swim from one side of a lake to the other, because I can rest on my back. I can float. I want to help my husband. I’m afraid for him when he’s in the water.
Is he skinny or a bodybuilder?
@@plseiovgqaioffrrtkd2124 he’s got a little bit of a belly and chicken legs lol
The combat side stroke is a pretty efficient stroke to learn. I sink like a rock but I do a lot of swimming and scuba diving. A little practice every now and then and he’ll be fine. Whether he’s a sinker or not.
I’m trying this! Let’s see how effective my core is ;)
Marie Mew I’m sure with all your yoga and pilates you’ll be able to figure it out!
@@SwimSmart i'd like to hear about that.
I can float on my back all day long but when my son goes to do it, his legs sink like a rock. So if we were in a predicament I would float and he would wind up drowning. Why do mens legs sink?
It's mostly due to body composition and where fat is stored. Men typically have a lower body fat percentage which impacts buoyancy. Muscular men tend to sink like a rock! When floating face down, it helps to stretch the arms out long, and keep the arms 4-5 inches underwater. This pulls the upper body down further but will help the legs lift up a little.
I'm a man, I can swim on my back all day long, but my legs do sink if I'm not actively counteracting that. I don't have to be moving necessarily though, if I flutter my arms and maintain a rigid core and legs, then my whole body will remain at water level. But also if I'm moving it's not a problem, either by fluttering my arms, or by kicking. You don't have to expend that much effort, just enough to keep the lower body from sinking. Back swimming is my favorite swimming, because I can breathe as much as I need to, and don't have to wear goggles.
@@dalegreer3095 Either way, front or back, gravity will bring your hips and legs down. Buoyancy from lungs keeps your chest at the surface. A higher body fat percentage will help but not always prevent the legs from sinking. To counteract this, as you said, the key point here is that you don't need to expend a lot of energy to float, just enough movement so your legs don't drag behind you. See learning to balance video and notice how gently I am kicking.
i want to float tho 😭
I’m 6’1” 190 lbs. I never had a problem with my legs sinking. Front or back float
Consider yourself one luck swimmer then. Now you should go buy a lottery ticket!
your height and weight tell me nothing. whtat is the makeup of the 190lbs????
@@speedo1105 well I’m a little more heavy at 201 lbs but lower body is muscle not fat. But even when I was as lean at 158 lbs my legs still didn’t sink. The disadvantage to me being so buoyant is I have trouble staying under water. I can’t dive for nothing
gotcha
I sink straight to the bottom there is nothing you can do
No true. Watch the video again. My legs sink as well. But with the the right posture and muscle activation you can bring them back up. But it ain't easy!
@@SwimSmart where do you teach? I would take lessons
@@hosoiarchives4858 we are in Vancouver, Canada check out the website www.swimsmart.ca and email us
@@SwimSmart thanks I’m in Seattle I’ll come up there when I can
Super 🔥
👍
It’s only has to do with one thing relaxation but it’s subconscious. Nothing to do with BMI etc.
Tiny and skinny my who life with no body fat I would float like a pool noddle. Then once we were swimming long distant I almost drown swimming across a large lake and could float anymore took years to gain trust in myself but it came back.
If you were unconscious you would always float it’s the same as flexibility if you’re unconscious you can move someone’s limbs anywhere no resistance until you walk again. Weird…