How to Improve Your Swimming

One of the common mistakes that a swimmer makes when learning to swim or trying to improve her times is increasing the force with which she moves her arms in the water. Yet, when she gets to the end wall, she finds she hasn't improved her time and, in some cases, has finished at a slower pace. That's because swimming harder does not improve your times -- swimming smarter does. Learn to use proper breathing techniques and arm motions and you will be able to improve your swimming.

Instructions

    • 1

      Learn to breathe at the right time, which will help your buoyancy. For example, when swimming freestyle, you want to be able to exhale while your face is still in the water so you can grab a full, deep breath when you roll over to your side for the next stroke. Practice your breathing techniques when you are not working on specific strokes or times, such as during warm-up time.

    • 2

      Keep your body as narrow as you can while swimming. Between swimming stokes, allow yourself to glide with one hand extended in front of you and the other by your side for a split second before switching arms. Repeat throughout the entire stroke.

    • 3

      Learn to balance yourself on your center of buoyancy while in the water. Accomplish this by consciously pressing the upper section of your chest into the water, which will bring your hips higher and closer to the surface of the water and reduce the resistance you create in the water.

    • 4

      Rotate your body from side to side when you are swimming some of the non-regimented strokes, such as the freestyle or backstroke. Rotate your body in the opposite direction immediately prior to pulling yourself through the water with your arm.

    • 5

      Keep your hands pointed forward as you bring them forward on the down stroke and pointed behind you as you bring them close to your body when you switch over to the other arm. Keep them from crossing over to the other side of your body when pulling yourself through the water, which exerts strain on your shoulders and can cause you to fishtail and lose time.