The Streamline

Hello again Competitive and Intermediate swimmers! Today we'll be looking over the second fastest part of swimming besides the dive - the streamline. The streamline occurs right after the dive as well as after you push off of each wall in a race. The streamline helps you to be as hydrodynamic as possible so that you can slice through the water - much like an arrow slices through the air. I will be teaching you the basics of the streamline as well as tips to maximize your efficiency.

First, extend your arms in front of you and put one hand on top of the other - whichever hand feels more comfortable on top. Next, make sure all of your fingers are tightly closed together. You're now going to take the thumb of your top hand and wrap it around your bottom one so that the bottom of your thumb is tightly against the palm of your bottom hand.

Next, you will lift your arms up towards your face, keeping your hands locked together in the same position as described above. Once your biceps touch your face, bend your elbows (again, with your hands still in place) and try to extend your arms a bit past your head. Now, lock your elbows/straighten your arms. You should feel your biceps entirely behind your head, with your arms straight up above you and your hands locked in place. Your head should be out forward a bit from your arms.

Congratulations! You have just learned the proper streamline position. If you are not used to it, you may need to keep working on it to get your arms behind your head; your flexibility might not be that advanced yet. If not, just keep practicing and eventually you will be able to do it with ease. This is how you should push off of every wall from now on!

Stay tuned for Lesson #3 where we will be discussing the infamous Flipturn!