These Swimming Issues Should Be Avoided
Don't start adding things you think might be a good idea to your CSS stroke. Most of my video critiques found on my Instagram reels (@stewsmith50), TikTok (@stewsmith50), and YouTube (StewSmith182) are corrected errors. Take a video of you swimming and compare to any of these videos.
Looking over hundreds of these, I found the following things I correct the most.
DO NOT do these 10 things if you want to swim your best time.
- no extra flutter kicks. Just glide - Remember 1 kick per stroke. Pull-Breathe-Kick Glide.
- no extra double arm pulls off the wall (if any) - Read the CSS Debate - to Pullout or Not.
- no extra dolphin kicks off the wall. Just glide off the wall. Do not start dolphin kicking right as you kick off the wall - just stay in tight streamline and glide. No need to waste energy here when the wall - your kick off it - and your glide alone can get you 10yds off the wall fast. Fix Your GLIDE>>>>
- ARM PULLS - no straight arm pulling of the top arm – use “freestyle catch”. Fix your arm pulls. - no big bottom arm pull, use a small breaststroke scull. Learn the difference between these two arm pulls. Fix your arm pulls.
- GLIDE - no over-gliding and no under-gliding. Typical swimmers can kick and recover into the glide position and stay there moving at a sustained pace for about 2-3 seconds. If you over-glide (greater than 3 seconds), you lose momentum (or stop) each stroke significantly slowing your time. If you under-glide (less than 3 seconds) you waste momentum and energy by adding more strokes per length typically slowing down on the back-half of the 500yd distance.
- no popping head up to breathe/turn to breathe as with freestyle. Turn to breathe and keep your head in the water.
- no board shorts when swim testing – wear something without pockets and form-fitting. Equipment matters. You can drop 20-30 seconds on your 500yd swim depending on the type of shorts you wear. Loose and baggy shorts will slow you down and make swimming much harder than it needs to be. Consider Jammers like these.
- no over-rotating to breathe – face looking at the wall not the ceiling. When you turn to breathe, be on your side, not on your back. You can opt to stay on your side the entire time and never rotate. Or the only rotating you should consider is when you kick on your side (scissor kick) and rotate over on your belly during the glide to stay underwater vs. plowing the surface with your shoulder when on your side.
- no top arm coming out of the water on recovery (underwater recovery stroke RULE). This one is important - you can be disqualified if your top arm recovery looks like you are swimming freestyle. Keep the arms underwater during the recovery to the overhead glide position.
- do not just learn one side, but do not rotate from side to side every other stroke. Change sides on the wall IF you prefer to alternate stroke sides (strong / weak side). CSS without fins can be done on either side for the test (500yards). You can stay on one side if you prefer for the 8-9 min swim on average. However, when you swim with fins, you need to learn both sides as changing kicks and arm pulls will help you when swimming 70-90 minutes.
Other equipment recommended: Mask (swim and SCUBA)
Fins for Beginners (Slip on flippers)
SCUBA Fins - Rocket or Jet Fins
If your swim does not look like this, you may be leaving faster times in the water.
The CSS Stroke:
1) Turn your body with the PULL (top arm)
2) Breathe with the bottom arm pull
3) Recover the arms tight to your body as you prepare to kick
4) One single kick (scissor or breaststroke kick)
5) Hold the glide with an excellent streamlined body position for three seconds – Do not hold for too long or pull too early. Most people with a good kick and streamline continue to move after the kick at a yard/second pace for about 3 seconds. Make sure you count Mississippi’s after the kick. 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, and pull on 3. You will waste momentum by pulling earlier than 3 and lose momentum by pulling later than 3.
Once you get the stroke down, now get in shape to do the 500yd swim distance easily, then build up to 2 miles with fins. This is how you get TO and THROUGH selection (at least when it comes to swimming standards). Try the 50-50 Workout 4-5 times a week:
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Where to Find More Information About Optimal Performance Training Programs
When you start training again, consider the seasonal tactical fitness model. I call it A WAY to train and obviously not the only way to train. But it offers the opportunity to never neglect your weaknesses, helps with flexibility and mobility, but will also put you at a level of physical abilities where you are happy with your overall ability to just about anything. We have a systems where the seasons dictate our training. When it is nicer outside, we tend to run and do more calisthenics. When it is colder and not so nice, we lift more, run, less, and still maintain our outdoor activities with shorter runs and rucks. Check it out: Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization System.
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