To keep your legs high without a single move you have to activate not only your core muscles but also the glutes. So the legs are not "fully relaxed". Relaxed legs sink just like at the beginning of the video. So to activate the core you have to activate your glutes (and the ABS). And that is what robohippy had in mind. Speaking clearly - posterior pelvic tilt is necessary to do that. It also depends on the density of the body. Coneccting this to the pulling force of the arms, arm extention after entering the water and the appropriate rotation makes it possible to swim without no kick at all. I think when you say to people - "the whole body engagement" - makes not enough understandind for everyone. You have to be more specific what your body (which muscles) have to do to performe that.
Hats off ..I was thinking how to engage and balance full body..I guessed it to be core..you added glutes muscles thanks..she didn’t say it it’s was guesswork thanks for explaining😊
Your full engagement demo is basically a light 2-beat kick, same arm, same leg. In another video, you mentioned that it's not full engagement unless you do opposite arm, opposite leg for the 2-beat kick. Would you mind clarifying? Thanks!
Thank you! I'm gonna try this! Also, I like this slow, side angle. Made me notice how low you actually place your hands when entering the water. Very educating!
You’re welcome and thank you for commenting! Yes, keep in mind, I’m swimming at a very chill slow pace for demonstration purposes. The arm isn’t as exaggerate the more you pick up speed and power. 🙌🏼👏🏼😎✅ Enjoy your practice! -Coach Mandy
@@SWIMVICE oooohh okay, gotcha! Thanks coach Mandy! Your interactions with us through the comments make you the only relevant swim coach on youtube as far as I'm concerned 👍🏽 much appreciated!
hi Mandy ! when you say full body engagement ,you mean the core muscle is active during the whole rotation ? and secondly shifting your weight forward like swimming downhill?
Hi there Dosa! Thank you for watching my video and leaving a comment. When I say 'full body engagement,' I do mean that the core muscles are active throughout the entire movement, including during the rotation. This helps to stabilize the body and generate power, and you should feel toned from the center of your body as a result. This core engagement also aids in stability and helps prevent injury. As for the second part of your question, shifting your weight forward is more like swimming downhill in the sense that you want to maintain a streamlined position and let gravity help propel you forward. Due to gravity, you allow the arm to move downhill which aids in forward movement. However, it's important to also maintain balance and control throughout the movement to avoid any missteps or falls. I hope that helps clarify things - let me know if you have any other questions! Best, Coach Mandy
Yes stronger core muscles can be achieved by dry land plank exercises. Then your gentle 2 beat kick plus low leading arm will keep your legs high in th water.
Absolutely, I'd be glad to help! Balancing during freestyle swimming is crucial for maintaining a smooth and efficient stroke. To improve your balance, try focusing on your body position in the water. Imagine your body as a straight line from your head to your toes. Keeping your hips and legs closer to the surface while your head is submerged can create a balanced alignment. Also, pay attention to your head position. Looking straight down towards the bottom of the pool, rather than lifting your head too much, can help you maintain better balance. Engaging your core muscles will also play a role in stabilizing your body. For a more detailed approach, I have a method involving a specific progression of drills and technique points within the SWIMVICE program here: linktr.ee/swimvice. While these tips are quick pointers, the program can provide a deeper understanding of balancing in freestyle. Feel free to explore it and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions! Happy swimming Melissa! Best, Coach Mandy 🏊♂🌊
Not sure I follow the reasoning here. To me, 90+% of feet sinking comes from bad posture/body position. Try this exercise, which I picked up in my days as a gymnast. With gymnastics, if you are attempting any type of spinning movement, if your body line is not perfectly straight, no telling where you will end up as you twist. So, stand back to the wall. Heels, butt, and shoulders against the wall. At your lower back, if your posture is correct, you should just be able to fit your fingers behind your lower back. If you can fit the thick part of your hand, or worse, your forearm behind your lower spine, you need more 'abb engagement'. Try to pin your fingers to the wall by sucking in your gut. You will feel this in your lower abs, from your navel down. You should feel that same engagement while swimming freestyle, backstroke, and the fly. I feel it with my overarm side stroke as well, which is a long axis stroke. Never could swim breast stroke because my feet won't point out....
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the topic of sinking feet in swimming. I appreciate your exercise recommendation for improving core engagement and maintaining good body posture in the water. However, I wanted to clarify that our video actually addresses the importance of whole body engagement, which includes not only proper posture, but also correct weight shifting and kick technique. As we demonstrated in the beginning of the video, it's possible to have good posture and still have sinking legs due to a lack of full body engagement. To help swimmers improve their overall swimming efficiency, our SWIMVICE Kickstart program includes a well-thought-out progression of exercises designed to improve body alignment, posture, stability, and range of motion for the kick. And, stay tuned for the Breaststroke program coming soon! 🙌😎 Thank you for watching our video, and we hope it was informative and helpful to you. Best, Coach Mandy
@@SWIMVICE Coach Mandy. I still don't get it. I have watched this video maybe 10 times, and read your response several times also. So, What don't I get? First, let's go with 'balance'. This gets mentioned in a lot of swimming videos, but no one explains it. I am guessing that you are talking about front to back balance here, but don't know. Some seem to apply it to side to side as in the kicking on your side drill, and you do 6 or so kicks on one side, than rotate to the other side and a quick roll to the other side and more kicks. The body's center of gravity does not change in the water. You mention in the how to do it correctly that you have more arm extension out in front of your body so you are getting better balance. Your arm extension seems to be the same to me. So, what do you mean by 'balance'? I do not get the 'whole body engagement' and 'connected' concept. The only difference I can see between the wrong way and the correct way is that with the wrong way you are rotating your body as a solid unit, and not a spiral from shoulders to feet. We do differ on rotation. Since you are swimming so slowly, you don't have to look closely to see that the shoulder rotation starts with the pulling arm, then the hips, and then the down kick happens on the same side as the pulling arm, then shoulder rotation completes when the recover arm is fully extended just before it starts to pull. So, right side pull, arm gets to about 30 or so degrees, then right side down kick happens. People have no problem visualizing how with the dolphin kick used in the fly, the action starts with the upper body and goes to the feet, but some how they still think that body rotation when used in the water is like that used in land based sports. Land based sports start rotation at the feet, not the hips. Energy travels through the hips and up through the body and out through the fingers/hand/arms. In the water there is nothing for the feet to anchor on. Add to that, the major action in the water is pulling, not pushing/throwing. Your body rotation anchors on the pulling arm, not the lower body. Right side arm pull, right side down kick. The recover arm does not initiate the body rotation, it completes it. When swimming, just think of anchoring the kick on the same side as your pull, not with the recover arm. You are already doing this. If I was your coach, I would have you do that back against the wall exercise. If you do a stop on your swim when you are horizontal, and doing it correctly, draw a line down your back and tummy. There is considerable arch there, and that arch causes extra drag. Your posture can be better. No, you do not have those arches because of gender, it is posture, and this comes from the lower abs. Never could swim breast stroke. My feet will not turn out enough to get any power from the kick. After having knee replacement, the doctors told me not to swim breast stroke. Not a problem. I am very pigeon toed naturally. Great for flutter and dolphin kicking. Yes, as one lap pal said to me, I do overanalyze things.
I'm sorry to hear that you feel confused about some of the concepts in the video and my response. Let me try to provide some additional explanation to clarify things. When I refer to "balance" in swimming, I'm talking about the balance of your body position in the water, specifically front-to-back balance. This means that you want to maintain a position where your hips are at the surface of the water and your head is in line with your spine, without either end of your body sinking or rising. This is important for maintaining proper body alignment and reducing drag in the water. Regarding "whole body engagement" and being "connected," what I mean is that all parts of your body should be working together in a coordinated manner to move efficiently through the water. This includes using your core muscles to stabilize your body and generate power in your strokes, as well as maintaining a fluid and streamlined body position throughout your movements. The idea is to use your entire body to generate forward motion, rather than just relying on your arms or legs alone. I understand that you may have a different perspective on body rotation in swimming, but I stand by my approach based on my experience and the success I have seen with my swimmers. While it's true that the feet don't have a solid anchor in the water, the rotation in swimming actually starts in the hips and is driven by the core muscles. By rotating your entire body as a unit, rather than just twisting your shoulders, you can generate more power in your strokes and maintain proper body alignment. I appreciate your feedback about my posture and will take it into consideration in my own training. However, I don't believe that the arch in my back is solely due to poor posture or gender - it's a natural part of my body shape that I have learned to work with effectively in the water. Finally, there's nothing wrong with being analytical in your approach to swimming - in fact, it can be a valuable tool for improving your technique and performance. If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know and I'll do my best to address them. Thank you for your interest in swimming and for taking the time to watch the video and read my response.
@@SWIMVICE Well, the 'rotation' point I was making was that in the 'wrong way' part of the video, you are rotating your body as an entire unit. One triathlon channel had a drill he called 'torpedo' where there was no progression of the spiral from one end of the body to the other, I found it interesting to watch because he struggled to keep from using the spiral from one end of the body to the other. So, think of a board, like shoulders, hips and feet all rotate at the same time. This is not how any one I have ever seen, at least those that know how to swim actually function. With the 'correct' way to swim, there is a definite spiral from one end of the body to the other, and to me, that is being 'connected', and involves total engagement of all body parts used in swimming. For me, the concept that the hips can drive anything, it is mechanically impossible. The hips are a fulcrum point in the see saw (sea saw?) that is the body. They can transfer energy, and may be able to generate a bit of force. The problem is fixating on the recover arm rather than the pulling arm. Clearly, the pulling arm engages before the hips rotate, and before the down kick on the same side happens. This is how you are already swimming. There are a number of swim coaches who teach this way. Maybe think about it next time you are swimming freestyle, Right arm pull, right side down kick. Next time you are swimming back stroke and do that roll for a flip turn, pay attention to how your body rotates. Not like a stick or board, but once the pull arm engages, you rotate down from shoulders to feet.
@@robohippy Thank you for sharing your perspective on swimming techniques. While we may have different approaches, I appreciate your input and respect your opinion. However, I feel confident in my expertise and teaching methods, and will continue to focus on what has worked for me and my students. Have a great day! Best, Coach Mandy
my opinion on this leg sinking deal is this................................... your body density and specific gravity are the overriding causes of sinking legs. i'm the poster boy for a vertical body signature in the water. i do not float, at all!!! never have and never will unless i put on 20 lbs. of fat tissue. i can pull a 200 faster than i can swim it. my lower body is very dense compared to my upper body. as a usms swimmer i would be so much faster if i could float to some degree.
I completely understand your struggle, and it's not uncommon. Many have faced similar challenges. In my experience, it often takes very specific instructions to tune into the key points. This is exactly why I developed the Float Progression in my Kickstart Program. It provides a structured approach to help swimmers establish a more balanced position in the water. It's actually quite a transformative process. I've had clients who initially relied heavily on a buoy for floatation, including a master swimmer and an aspiring triathlete with exceptionally lean legs, both of whom struggled initially. But with practice and the right techniques, they not only reduced their dependence on it but even felt comfortable swimming in open water without it. One small adjustment in technique can make all the difference. Keep up the hard work, and don't hesitate to reach out if you're interested in exploring these techniques further! Best, Coach Mandy 🌊💪 #SwimBetter #FloatProgression #OpenWaterSwimming
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Your so beautiful 😍.....Are you married 😊
To keep your legs high without a single move you have to activate not only your core muscles but also the glutes. So the legs are not "fully relaxed". Relaxed legs sink just like at the beginning of the video. So to activate the core you have to activate your glutes (and the ABS). And that is what robohippy had in mind. Speaking clearly - posterior pelvic tilt is necessary to do that. It also depends on the density of the body. Coneccting this to the pulling force of the arms, arm extention after entering the water and the appropriate rotation makes it possible to swim without no kick at all. I think when you say to people - "the whole body engagement" - makes not enough understandind for everyone. You have to be more specific what your body (which muscles) have to do to performe that.
Hats off ..I was thinking how to engage and balance full body..I guessed it to be core..you added glutes muscles thanks..she didn’t say it it’s was guesswork thanks for explaining😊
@@tusharnagar9300 you are welcome🙂 Let's all swimm better and enjoy it as much as it possible😁
The clearest at explaining swimming on the whole of RUclips.
🙌🏼🙏🏼💯✊🏼
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, great job!
The greatest swim video channel I've seen thank you
Thanks for providing such great advice.
GM CM, Great explanation for all. Engagement of the corp with relaxation while feeling the water is much simpler now, thanks 🏊🏽♂️👊🏽😎
Thats a great way to minimize kick and focus on balance. Thank You!
Love your video coach!
The explanations are really easy to follow.
This video has it all - form, technique, and tips for success!
I've already seen an improvement in my technique after following the advice here.
This could’ve come at the perfect time. I am currently trying to learn this
당신이 최고에요! 많은 도움이 됐어요❤
천만에요! 🙏🏻😎🏊🏻♂️
Your full engagement demo is basically a light 2-beat kick, same arm, same leg. In another video, you mentioned that it's not full engagement unless you do opposite arm, opposite leg for the 2-beat kick. Would you mind clarifying? Thanks!
Thank you! I'm gonna try this! Also, I like this slow, side angle. Made me notice how low you actually place your hands when entering the water. Very educating!
You’re welcome and thank you for commenting!
Yes, keep in mind, I’m swimming at a very chill slow pace for demonstration purposes.
The arm isn’t as exaggerate the more you pick up speed and power. 🙌🏼👏🏼😎✅ Enjoy your practice! -Coach Mandy
@@SWIMVICE oooohh okay, gotcha! Thanks coach Mandy!
Your interactions with us through the comments make you the only relevant swim coach on youtube as far as I'm concerned 👍🏽 much appreciated!
Hi, sorry, I didn't understand what I have to do so that the legs float if I swim without kicks? Thank you
hi Mandy ! when you say full body engagement ,you mean the core muscle is active during the whole rotation ?
and secondly shifting your weight forward like swimming downhill?
Hi there Dosa! Thank you for watching my video and leaving a comment. When I say 'full body engagement,' I do mean that the core muscles are active throughout the entire movement, including during the rotation. This helps to stabilize the body and generate power, and you should feel toned from the center of your body as a result. This core engagement also aids in stability and helps prevent injury.
As for the second part of your question, shifting your weight forward is more like swimming downhill in the sense that you want to maintain a streamlined position and let gravity help propel you forward. Due to gravity, you allow the arm to move downhill which aids in forward movement. However, it's important to also maintain balance and control throughout the movement to avoid any missteps or falls. I hope that helps clarify things - let me know if you have any other questions!
Best, Coach Mandy
@@SWIMVICE really helpful detail! thank you.
Yes stronger core muscles can be achieved by dry land plank exercises.
Then your gentle 2 beat kick plus low leading arm will keep your legs high in th water.
❣
My swim times are going to improve thanks to this video.
I've a question, why is every women trainer's lips greyish ? Is it some ointment good to apply before swimming ?
I'm not entirely sure how to engage my balance. Is there any way you could help explain this a bit?
Absolutely, I'd be glad to help! Balancing during freestyle swimming is crucial for maintaining a smooth and efficient stroke. To improve your balance, try focusing on your body position in the water. Imagine your body as a straight line from your head to your toes. Keeping your hips and legs closer to the surface while your head is submerged can create a balanced alignment.
Also, pay attention to your head position. Looking straight down towards the bottom of the pool, rather than lifting your head too much, can help you maintain better balance. Engaging your core muscles will also play a role in stabilizing your body.
For a more detailed approach, I have a method involving a specific progression of drills and technique points within the SWIMVICE program here: linktr.ee/swimvice. While these tips are quick pointers, the program can provide a deeper understanding of balancing in freestyle. Feel free to explore it and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions! Happy swimming Melissa! Best, Coach Mandy 🏊♂🌊
👍👍👍👍👍👍
Not sure I follow the reasoning here. To me, 90+% of feet sinking comes from bad posture/body position. Try this exercise, which I picked up in my days as a gymnast. With gymnastics, if you are attempting any type of spinning movement, if your body line is not perfectly straight, no telling where you will end up as you twist. So, stand back to the wall. Heels, butt, and shoulders against the wall. At your lower back, if your posture is correct, you should just be able to fit your fingers behind your lower back. If you can fit the thick part of your hand, or worse, your forearm behind your lower spine, you need more 'abb engagement'. Try to pin your fingers to the wall by sucking in your gut. You will feel this in your lower abs, from your navel down. You should feel that same engagement while swimming freestyle, backstroke, and the fly. I feel it with my overarm side stroke as well, which is a long axis stroke. Never could swim breast stroke because my feet won't point out....
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the topic of sinking feet in swimming. I appreciate your exercise recommendation for improving core engagement and maintaining good body posture in the water.
However, I wanted to clarify that our video actually addresses the importance of whole body engagement, which includes not only proper posture, but also correct weight shifting and kick technique. As we demonstrated in the beginning of the video, it's possible to have good posture and still have sinking legs due to a lack of full body engagement.
To help swimmers improve their overall swimming efficiency, our SWIMVICE Kickstart program includes a well-thought-out progression of exercises designed to improve body alignment, posture, stability, and range of motion for the kick. And, stay tuned for the Breaststroke program coming soon! 🙌😎
Thank you for watching our video, and we hope it was informative and helpful to you. Best, Coach Mandy
@@SWIMVICE Coach Mandy. I still don't get it. I have watched this video maybe 10 times, and read your response several times also. So, What don't I get?
First, let's go with 'balance'. This gets mentioned in a lot of swimming videos, but no one explains it. I am guessing that you are talking about front to back balance here, but don't know. Some seem to apply it to side to side as in the kicking on your side drill, and you do 6 or so kicks on one side, than rotate to the other side and a quick roll to the other side and more kicks. The body's center of gravity does not change in the water. You mention in the how to do it correctly that you have more arm extension out in front of your body so you are getting better balance. Your arm extension seems to be the same to me. So, what do you mean by 'balance'?
I do not get the 'whole body engagement' and 'connected' concept. The only difference I can see between the wrong way and the correct way is that with the wrong way you are rotating your body as a solid unit, and not a spiral from shoulders to feet. We do differ on rotation. Since you are swimming so slowly, you don't have to look closely to see that the shoulder rotation starts with the pulling arm, then the hips, and then the down kick happens on the same side as the pulling arm, then shoulder rotation completes when the recover arm is fully extended just before it starts to pull. So, right side pull, arm gets to about 30 or so degrees, then right side down kick happens. People have no problem visualizing how with the dolphin kick used in the fly, the action starts with the upper body and goes to the feet, but some how they still think that body rotation when used in the water is like that used in land based sports. Land based sports start rotation at the feet, not the hips. Energy travels through the hips and up through the body and out through the fingers/hand/arms. In the water there is nothing for the feet to anchor on. Add to that, the major action in the water is pulling, not pushing/throwing. Your body rotation anchors on the pulling arm, not the lower body. Right side arm pull, right side down kick. The recover arm does not initiate the body rotation, it completes it. When swimming, just think of anchoring the kick on the same side as your pull, not with the recover arm. You are already doing this.
If I was your coach, I would have you do that back against the wall exercise. If you do a stop on your swim when you are horizontal, and doing it correctly, draw a line down your back and tummy. There is considerable arch there, and that arch causes extra drag. Your posture can be better. No, you do not have those arches because of gender, it is posture, and this comes from the lower abs.
Never could swim breast stroke. My feet will not turn out enough to get any power from the kick. After having knee replacement, the doctors told me not to swim breast stroke. Not a problem. I am very pigeon toed naturally. Great for flutter and dolphin kicking.
Yes, as one lap pal said to me, I do overanalyze things.
I'm sorry to hear that you feel confused about some of the concepts in the video and my response. Let me try to provide some additional explanation to clarify things.
When I refer to "balance" in swimming, I'm talking about the balance of your body position in the water, specifically front-to-back balance. This means that you want to maintain a position where your hips are at the surface of the water and your head is in line with your spine, without either end of your body sinking or rising. This is important for maintaining proper body alignment and reducing drag in the water.
Regarding "whole body engagement" and being "connected," what I mean is that all parts of your body should be working together in a coordinated manner to move efficiently through the water. This includes using your core muscles to stabilize your body and generate power in your strokes, as well as maintaining a fluid and streamlined body position throughout your movements. The idea is to use your entire body to generate forward motion, rather than just relying on your arms or legs alone.
I understand that you may have a different perspective on body rotation in swimming, but I stand by my approach based on my experience and the success I have seen with my swimmers. While it's true that the feet don't have a solid anchor in the water, the rotation in swimming actually starts in the hips and is driven by the core muscles. By rotating your entire body as a unit, rather than just twisting your shoulders, you can generate more power in your strokes and maintain proper body alignment.
I appreciate your feedback about my posture and will take it into consideration in my own training. However, I don't believe that the arch in my back is solely due to poor posture or gender - it's a natural part of my body shape that I have learned to work with effectively in the water.
Finally, there's nothing wrong with being analytical in your approach to swimming - in fact, it can be a valuable tool for improving your technique and performance. If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know and I'll do my best to address them. Thank you for your interest in swimming and for taking the time to watch the video and read my response.
@@SWIMVICE Well, the 'rotation' point I was making was that in the 'wrong way' part of the video, you are rotating your body as an entire unit. One triathlon channel had a drill he called 'torpedo' where there was no progression of the spiral from one end of the body to the other, I found it interesting to watch because he struggled to keep from using the spiral from one end of the body to the other. So, think of a board, like shoulders, hips and feet all rotate at the same time. This is not how any one I have ever seen, at least those that know how to swim actually function. With the 'correct' way to swim, there is a definite spiral from one end of the body to the other, and to me, that is being 'connected', and involves total engagement of all body parts used in swimming.
For me, the concept that the hips can drive anything, it is mechanically impossible. The hips are a fulcrum point in the see saw (sea saw?) that is the body. They can transfer energy, and may be able to generate a bit of force. The problem is fixating on the recover arm rather than the pulling arm. Clearly, the pulling arm engages before the hips rotate, and before the down kick on the same side happens. This is how you are already swimming. There are a number of swim coaches who teach this way. Maybe think about it next time you are swimming freestyle, Right arm pull, right side down kick. Next time you are swimming back stroke and do that roll for a flip turn, pay attention to how your body rotates. Not like a stick or board, but once the pull arm engages, you rotate down from shoulders to feet.
@@robohippy Thank you for sharing your perspective on swimming techniques. While we may have different approaches, I appreciate your input and respect your opinion. However, I feel confident in my expertise and teaching methods, and will continue to focus on what has worked for me and my students. Have a great day! Best, Coach Mandy
looks like a 2bit kick to me
This video is in essence an appetizer (or commercial ad) for her membership program. It does not try to answer to "How To" question.
Person who can't kick can put on a pair of Speedo training fins to keep the legs level.
my opinion on this leg sinking deal is this................................... your body density and specific gravity are the overriding causes of sinking legs. i'm the poster boy for a vertical body signature in the water. i do not float, at all!!! never have and never will unless i put on 20 lbs. of fat tissue. i can pull a 200 faster than i can swim it. my lower body is very dense compared to my upper body. as a usms swimmer i would be so much faster if i could float to some degree.
I completely understand your struggle, and it's not uncommon. Many have faced similar challenges. In my experience, it often takes very specific instructions to tune into the key points. This is exactly why I developed the Float Progression in my Kickstart Program. It provides a structured approach to help swimmers establish a more balanced position in the water.
It's actually quite a transformative process. I've had clients who initially relied heavily on a buoy for floatation, including a master swimmer and an aspiring triathlete with exceptionally lean legs, both of whom struggled initially. But with practice and the right techniques, they not only reduced their dependence on it but even felt comfortable swimming in open water without it.
One small adjustment in technique can make all the difference. Keep up the hard work, and don't hesitate to reach out if you're interested in exploring these techniques further! Best, Coach Mandy 🌊💪 #SwimBetter #FloatProgression #OpenWaterSwimming
where is the ¨..how...¨part? useless vid again
please say women rather than 'females' - thank you
Hi, sorry, I didn't understand what I have to do so that the legs float if I swim without kicks? Thank you