Freestyle Body Rotation: An Introduction

In this article, we will provide advice, drills, hacks and tips, as an introduction to an efficient freestyle body rotation technique.

The benefits of freestyle body rotation

Correctly rotating the body during freestyle can provide the swimmer with many benefits these include.

• The ability to extend the reach of each arm and thus improving their distance per stroke.
• Enabling the swimmer to engage their large and powerful chest, back and core muscles.
• Which in addition to their arm and shoulder muscles.
• It can help to generate increase increased power and propulsion.
• It can also help to balance the swimmer’s stroke, especially with the introduction of bi-lateral breathing.
• Body rotation can make it easier for the swimmer to recover their arms.
• This can reduce the stress on the swimmer’s arms and shoulder muscles, thus reducing the chance of injury.
• It can also help to reduce drag,
• By placing the swimmer’s body in a more streamlined position as they stretch and recover their arm from the water as they breathe.

We have produced a related article on developing swimming distance per stroke. Which you can view by clicking this link: developing swimming distance per stroke.

We have produced a related article on developing your swimming core. Which you can view by clicking this link: developing your swimming core.

What is freestyle body rotation?

Freestyle body rotation (body roll) is the rotation of a swimmers shoulders, trunk (torso) and hips along the vertical (long) axis of their body while performing the freestyle stroke.

• To help achieve an efficient freestyle technique, these parts of the swimmer’s body should rotate simultaneously during each stroke.
• While reaching out with their arm to their maximum extent, on the completion of each stroke.

Leg kick

As the swimmer rotates their body, their legs will also rotate, therefore requiring them to kick on their side (laterally)

Breathing and head position

As the swimmer’s body rotates, their head should remain stationary and be looking slightly forward at the bottom of the pool.

• When breathing, they should rotate their head simultaneously with their body as it rotates.
• The swimmer should take a large quick breath, then slowly exhale in the water via their nose or their mouth. (trickle breathing)

We have produced a related article on freestyle breathing drills. Which you can view by clicking this link: freestyle breathing drills an introduction

Stroke rhythm

It’s important to the effectiveness of the stroke, that the swimmer performs their freestyle body rotation

• with a smooth continuous rhythm.
• without losing momentum.
• without any pauses or ‘dead spots’.

How much should a swimmer rotate their body?

Ideally, a swimmer should rotate their body between approximately 35 and 45 degrees on each side.

• Swimmers and coaches should make time to experiment to find the optimum amount of rotation required to make their stroke efficient.

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Under rotation

Many swimmers do not have a balanced body rotation.

• Most commonly rotating correctly on the side on which they breathe and insufficiently rotating on their other side.
• Ideally, swimmers should adopt bi-lateral breathing when swimming freestyle, to help balance their stroke.
• Swimmers who under rotate, should regularly practice freestyle body rotation drills, such as those listed below.

We have produced a related article on freestyle breathing drills. Which you can view by clicking this link: freestyle breathing drills an introduction

Finis Tech Toc Hip Trainer

Some of our swimmers use the Finis Tech Toc Hip Trainer, to help them develop the correct amount of body rotation (body roll) when swimming freestyle.

The Finis Tech Toc Hip Trainer,

• Provides instant stroke feedback and ensures proper hip position during all four swim strokes.
• Uses a ball bearing in a plastic capsule and acoustic amplifiers to create a sound as the device is tipped from side to side.
• Engaging hips and core muscles is a key element to swimming faster and more efficiently.
• Great for beginner swimmers; delaying the ball bearing forces exaggerated movements.
• Prompts a correct stroke rhythm and asymmetrical roll from side to side.

Over rotation

Some swimmers over-rotate their body, which can slow the swimmer’s stroke rate.

• This is usually a result of the swimmer over-rotating their head while breathing.
• Ideally, swimmers when inhaling should have one goggle lens completely in the water and through the other goggle lens, the swimmer should look across the surface of the pool.
• It may also be a result of the swimmer pulling too deeply on their arm stroke when breathing.

Freestyle body rotation drills

Listed below are some of our favourite freestyle body rotation development drills.

Lateral kicking with a kickboard breathing on one goggle

Purpose: This drill develops the lateral kicking technique, by introducing the correct head position while breathing during the freestyle stroke.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a push and glide from the wall at the end of the pool.

• The swimmer should rotate their body on their right-hand side (laterally).
• The swimmer’s head should be resting on the outstretched right arm.
• They should hold the edge of the kickboard with one hand
• They should have one goggle lens completely in the water and with the other goggle lens, they should look across the surface of the pool.
• The swimmer should complete this drill for one length/lap of the pool (25m) on their right-hand side.
• After a short rest interval, the swimmer should repeat this drill, but this time laterally kicking on their left-hand side.
• Younger and inexperienced swimmers may find it useful to use fins when first learning this drill.

Lateral kicking without a kickboard breathing on one goggle

Purpose: Once the swimmer has mastered the drill above.

• They should perform this drill as they did for the drill above, but without a kickboard.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer’s arm should be completely out-stretched in the catch position and the swimmer’s head should be resting upon it.

Lateral kicking from side to side

Purpose: Once the swimmer has mastered the drill above.

• They should perform this drill as they did for the drill above, but kick from side to side, by the introduction of body rotation.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should rotate their body on their right-hand side (laterally).

• They then start to perform five lateral freestyle leg kicks on their right-hand side, before rotating onto their left-hand side and repeating the five lateral freestyle leg kicks.

Lateral kicking ‘hands in pockets’

Purpose: Once the swimmer has mastered the drill above.

• They should perform this drill as they did for the drill above but kick and rotate their body from side to side with their hands by their sides (hands in pockets)

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should place both of their arms by their sides, ‘hands in pockets’.

• They should increase the intensity of their kick, on their side (laterally) steadily down the length of the pool.
• They should ensure that their body rotates completely from one side to the other, after every five lateral kicks.

Takeaways

Freestyle body rotation (body roll) is the rotation of a swimmers shoulders, trunk (torso) and hips along the vertical (long) axis of their body while performing the freestyle stroke.

• To help achieve an efficient freestyle technique, these parts of the swimmer’s body should rotate simultaneously during each stroke.
• While reaching out with their arm to their maximum extent, on the completion of each stroke.

Correctly rotating the body during freestyle can provide the swimmer with many benefits these include.

• The ability to extend the reach of each arm and thus improving their distance per stroke.
• Enabling the swimmer to engage their large and powerful chest, back and core muscles.
• Which in addition to their arm and shoulder muscles.
• It can help to generate increase increased power and propulsion.
• It can also help to balance the swimmer’s stroke, especially with the introduction of bi-lateral breathing.
• Body rotation can make it easier for the swimmer to recover their arms.
• This can reduce the stress on the swimmer’s arms and shoulder muscles, thus reducing the chance of injury.
• It can also help to reduce drag,
• By placing the swimmer’s body in a more streamlined position as they stretch and recover their arm from the water as they breathe.

Correctly rotating the body during freestyle can provide the swimmer with many benefits these include.

• The ability to extend the reach of each arm and thus improving their distance per stroke.
• Enabling the swimmer to engage their large and powerful chest, back and core muscles.
• Which in addition to their arm and shoulder muscles.
• It can help to generate increase increased power and propulsion.
• It can also help to balance the swimmer’s stroke, especially with the introduction of bi-lateral breathing.
• Body rotation can make it easier for the swimmer to recover their arms.
• This can reduce the stress on the swimmer’s arms and shoulder muscles, thus reducing the chance of injury.
• It can also help to reduce drag,
• By placing the swimmer’s body in a more streamlined position as they stretch and recover their arm from the water as they breathe.

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