Michael Phelps Freestyle Technique
Posted in Swimming & Diving
Michael Phelps freestyle technique: Freestyle swimming stroke
You can find five strokes in competitive swimming, one of which is the freestyle swimming stroke, regarded as the fastest stroke. In freestyle swimming competitions, the swimmer may use any stroke. Typically the most popular freestyle swimming stroke used in swimming events is the front crawl, which combines alternating arm strokes over the water’s surface with alternate up and down flutter kicks.
While many think of the front crawl as synonymous to the freestyle stroke, technically speaking, freestyle swimming means swimming in any style. It depends on the particular freestyle competition whether swimmers can use only unregulated strokes or regulated strokes such as breaststroke, backstroke, or butterfly.
Nevertheless, since the front crawl has shown to be the quickest swim stroke, almost all competitors use this as can be seen during the Olympics where it remains the preferred freestyle swimming stroke of Olympic swimmers like Michael Phelps in freestyle events.
Michael Phelps freestyle technique
Below are a few Michael Phelps freestyle technique to remember when doing this widely used freestyle swimming stroke:
- Maintain a horizontal position within the water. Remember to keep your head aligned with your spine.
- Loosen your forearms. Let them hang from your elbows. Stiff forearms can make it harder for you to swing them forward. Your hands should be in a firm cupped position with the fingers just slightly apart. You should not, however, that firm does not always mean rigid. It is crucial that you remain relaxed from your elbows all the way to your fingertips.
- Kick strongly so your legs will not sink behind you but not too strong that you are making big splashes. Your kicks should be powerful but not forced. With more experience, they will come natural to you including how to adjust to a high beat kick from a low one.
- Try to stretch out every stroke just as much as you can and keep up the non-stop windmill motion of your arms.
Notice of Michael Phelps Freestyle Technique
Avoid breathing while swimming. It is best to breathe by turning your head to one side as your arm extends out of the water. Except when breathing and your head is to one side, focus your sight on the pool’s bottom always keeping your head down.
The Michael Phelps freestyle stroke requires speed, which demands not only muscle strength but also the use of correct swimming techniques. Anybody can achieve all these through proper and diligent workouts and training, which is essential in order to become a strong and successful swimmer like Michael Phelps.
(Michael Phelps freestyle technique)
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