Back Balance: Easy push off on back; hands relaxed at side; kick gently from hip.  Key Point: Put head “in the water” so water frames the face.
Video

Sweet Spot: From Back Balance, rotate body just back 45° so one side is out of water- body and hip and shoulder on that side are “dry;” head in same position as Back Balance.
Video

Fish: Back Balance; Sweet Spot~ now rotate 90° and go nose down/face in water so body is perfectly on side. Arms at sides with hands in “front pockets.”  To breath, rotate back to Sweet Spot.

Lengthen to Skating: Back Balance, Sweet Spot, Fish~ bottom arm gently extends and with palm down points long and straight about 4-5 inches below surface of water.  Head position must be maintained~ chin tucked, looking at bottom of pool.  Rotate back to Sweet Spot to breath.
Video (lenthen your vessel)
Video (balance in skating position)

Push Off:  One hand stacked atop the other, arms over head and biceps squeeze the ears, head is hidden between the arms.  Sink down below the surface of the water about a foot and push off the wall- face down.  Glide without kicking and make sure you float to the surface with your back, head, trunk, and heels breaking the water’s surface at the same time.

Push off to Skating: Push off and pull one arm back so you break the surface with shoulder, wrist (at hip) and ankle bone at the same time- once you are in the skating position, then you can add a light lick.  Rotate to Sweet Spot to breath.
Video

SWITCHES

Under Skate: Push off to Skating; top hand slides over stomach, over chest until it is right in front of your face and then slides back down, across chest and hip to side.  Roll back to sweet spot to breath.
Video

Single Underswitch: Push off to Skating on left side; Right hand slides over stomach, over chest and when it reaches your face~ extend the right arm straight in front of you and roll to the right side Sweet Spot to breath.  Repeat same thing starting from right side sweet spot.
Video

Triple Underswitch: Same as above except do 3 underswitches before rolling to Sweet Spot to breath.  Key Point:  Full rotation to each side- don’t swim flat!

Zipper Skate:  Push off to Skating; Top thumb runs along side with high and dry elbow, fingertips are loose and dragging in water until hand is at ear and then returns to side following same path.  Rotate to Sweet Spot to Breath.
Video

Single Zipper Switch:  Push off to Skating on left side, Right thumb runs along side, fingertips dragging in water;  Hand then enters water at ear, extend right arm straight in front of you and roll to the right side Sweet Spot to breath; Repeat same thing starting from right side Sweet Spot.
Video

Triple Zipper Switch:  Same as above except do 3 switches before rotating to Sweet Spot to breath.  Key Point:  Full rotation to each side- don’t swim flat!

Single Over Switch:
Video

Triple Over Switch:
Video

Swim:
Video

In addition to the above video links, you can go to the following page and click on the video link (the Lo Med Hi buttons):

http://www.totalimmersion.net/index.html

Watch the following 3 videos to get an overview of the approach we are taking:
Use your Head to swim better
Backstroke and Freestyle made easy
Hand Position and your Balance