When you push off the side of the pool during a swim race or a swim workout, you'll typically enter into a glide before you move into a swim stroke. While gliding is a fairly simple thing to understand, doing it right can be a bit of a challenge. The idea is to make your body as streamlined as possible, keeping your arms, head and feet from creating drag that can slow you down. While there are several steps to doing the glide properly, each of these steps should be performed almost simultaneously.
If you want to practice the glide form outside of the water, U.S. Masters Swimming recommends using a pull-up bar. Place your hands on the pull-up bar, as close together as possible, shrug your shoulders and squeeze your arms toward your ears, tuck your hips and glutes, straighten your legs and point your toes. Hold for 10 seconds. If possible, have a friend or swim expert consult you on your form as you hang.
Enter the pool and stand with your back to the pool wall. Hold on to the side of the pool with at least one hand while you place your feet, toes down, on the wall at the level of the "T." If the pool you're in does not have swimming lanes, aim to put your feet about one-third of the way down from the surface of the water. Your knees should be bent here so that your legs are tucked up toward your chest.
Inhale deeply.
Join your hands, palms facing each other. Hook your left thumb over the top of the right hand, and then hook the right thumb over the top of the left thumb, so that your hands are "hooked" together. If it's more comfortable, you can also place the right thumb over the left hand first, and then place the left thumb over the right thumb.
Extend your arms out in front of you as you push off from the wall with your feet. Duck down so that you start gliding under the surface of the water, not on the surface.
Extend your arms so that they're straight out, parallel to the water. If you were out of the water, your arms would be pointing straight upward and over your head. Squeeze your arms in toward your ears and tuck your head so that your chin meets your chest. You may need to shrug your shoulders a bit to get your arms squeezed in as much as possible toward your ears.
Point your toes and straighten your legs, keeping your thighs close together and feet touching, if possible. Tuck in your buttocks and hips so that you're creating a straighter line along the top of your body. Squeeze your abdominals. Focus your attention on making your body into the thinnest, straightest line possible.
Glide in this manner until you feel your momentum start to slow. At that point, begin your chosen stroke. During the glide, exhale slowly from the mouth. When you start stroking, take your first mid-pool inhalation.
Tips
References
Writer Bio
Nicole Vulcan has been a journalist since 1997, covering parenting and fitness for The Oregonian, careers for CareerAddict, and travel, gardening and fitness for Black Hills Woman and other publications. Vulcan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism from the University of Minnesota. She's also a lifelong athlete and is pursuing certification as a personal trainer.