Any suggestion on how I should learn front crawl?

Hi,

I'm 20 and a swim instructor, and I actually get this question a lot.

If you want to learn it yourself, as opposed to taking lessons, there are a few things to remember. (Instructors are always better though)

1. Keep your toes pointed when you kick. (I tell the kids that I teach to point their toes like a ballerina). This will help keep your legs straight...bending your knees will get you nowhere fast.

2. Try to find a kick-board...when you use it, hold on to both sides with your arms straight out and your elbows locked. When you swim, you want to be as straight and streamline as possible. Bending your arms messes this up, and actually causes you to sink. (I tell the kids "stretch out like superman in the water". hehe)

3.) When you do the stroke, the easiest way to remember it is "arms straight out in front of your body....drop one arm down 90 degrees (so that it is pointing toward the bottom of the pool. Don't bend your elbow)...bring the arm up to your side, completing a whole 180 degrees...slide the hand up the side until your thumb reaches your armpit...bring the hand up to the ear...stretch your arm back out to meet the other...repeat with the other arm next time.

It sounds harder than it really is...just remember, one arm down, bring it to your side, slide your hand up to your armpit, and stretch your arm back out to meet the other again. That's about it, there. Go slow, think about it...about what it is supposed to look like.

4.) Move your head side to side when you breathe. Try not to bring your forehead out of the water. When you lift your arm out of the water, your body naturally shifts to the side...this is when you should just move your head to the side with it and breathe. Otherwise, you will end up sinking or messing up your posture.

5.) Keep your hands cupped when you are pulling water under you...don't let your fingers separate. I ask the kids...which pushes more water, a spoon or a fork? ;)

These are the basic things to be aware of. If you can get the skills down, swimming front crawl is really not that hard at all.

I hope this helps!

:)

Hey if you want to start learnin on your own then just watch swimmig races and you can get the general idea. the basic motion is easy, working in breathing is the difficult part. use a kickboard to start yourself off. never stop kicking!

Try taking lessons at the ymca !! Find out where your nearest ymca is and check out lessons!