Working on the Dig

So from season to season I emphasize different things. I hope to have swimmers for 2 - 3 years in this group of development. So with 2 seasons a year, I can get an emphasis in and get back to it on a later season. I always try to hit everything throughout a season, but to keep some variety, I emphasize 1 - 3 things throughout a whole season.

My first season at CSSC I did some focus on the EVF (Early Vertical Forearm). Some picked it up and others got close to grasping it. I cover every season, but again it was an emphasis that first season. I realized that my group was struggling with this aspect of the strokes, and decided that it was time to re-focus on this part of the strokes.

I did a dig drill. It is similar to breaststroke, but it takes out the out press and even de-emphasizes the press downward. It is when the swimmer slides the hands to superman (position 11 for those who are fans of Steve Haufler) and they drive their fingertips first like they were going to wrap a barrel. Pretend that you are digging with both hands. Then they would pull their arms towards the body and then sweep the arms inward and recover like breaststroke.

I asked the swimmers to take their time and look at their arms as they wrap the barrel and dig with the fingertips. Once the position is made with finger tips under the elbows, elbow pointed up, and body is in a "Y" position with the hips and elbows, then they pull back and their body forward. In front after the recovery they slowly position their hands back to superman, and repeat.

We then did some breaststroke to feel that position and the pull, and then we tried to create a barrel wrap on freestyle as well.

If you have been reading my blog you know that I want to also to be doing more swimming, and I did do some long swims as well as broken 200's with a descending interval broken up with 300 frees perfect stroke. So I did get some aerobic and some race work in before getting to this stroke work part of the workout. Plus yesterday they swam with the Senior 2 group since I was at League Championship Prelims with my high school team. A little push with a rest/stroke work was perfect for today after a day of intense fast swims.