Improving your sidestroke involves refining your body position, kick, arm movements, and breathing to achieve a more efficient and powerful glide through the water.
How to Improve Your Sidestroke Technique
The sidestroke is a versatile and efficient swimming stroke, often used for leisurely swimming, lifesaving, or long-distance travel due to its minimal energy expenditure. Mastering its nuances can significantly enhance your comfort and speed in the water.
Optimize Your Body Position
A streamlined and stable body position is fundamental for an effective sidestroke.
- Stay Flat and Perpendicular: Focus on keeping your body as perpendicular to the bottom of the pool as possible. Imagine you are lying on your side on a flat surface in the water, avoiding rolling onto your back or stomach. This flat orientation minimizes drag and allows for a more efficient glide.
- Maintain a Level Body: To reduce resistance and maintain good alignment, keep your head low, aligned with your spine. This helps significantly in keeping your entire body level in the water, preventing your legs from sinking and ensuring a smooth, horizontal movement.
- Lead with Your Side: Your body should be slightly rotated, leading with one shoulder and hip forward. This creates a longer, more hydrodynamic shape.
Refine Your Scissors Kick
The scissors kick is the primary propulsion for the sidestroke, but it's often misunderstood.
- Gentle Boost, Not Power Surge: The key is to kick lightly. Your scissors kick should provide a gentle boost, giving you forward momentum without creating excessive drag or expending too much energy. You are not looking for a big surge of power; instead, aim for a steady, continuous propulsion.
- Proper Leg Action:
- Bring your top leg forward from the hip, bending at the knee.
- Bring your bottom leg back, also bending at the knee.
- Your feet should be flexed, ready to push water.
- Then, powerfully, yet smoothly, scissorkick your legs together, sweeping them to meet in a streamlined position.
- Ensure your knees do not drop too low or come too far forward, as this creates drag.
Perfect Your Arm Stroke and Glide
The arm movements in the sidestroke are all about leverage, pull, and glide.
- Leading Arm: Your leading (bottom) arm extends forward, palm down, as if you're reaching for the wall. This arm pulls down in a sweeping motion, similar to a breaststroke pull, before extending forward again for the glide.
- Trailing Arm: Your trailing (top) arm starts near your chest, hand near your leading arm's elbow. It sweeps back along your side towards your hip, pushing water for propulsion.
- The Glide: After the arm pull and kick, consolidate into a long, efficient glide. This is where you conserve energy and maintain momentum. Focus on being as streamlined as possible during this phase.
Synchronize Your Breathing
Breathing in the sidestroke is relatively easy, as your face is naturally turned to one side.
- Timing: Inhale as your leading arm extends forward and your legs prepare for the kick. Exhale slowly as your arms pull and you glide. This rhythm helps maintain balance and efficiency.
- Keep Head Low: Even when breathing, try to keep your head as low as possible, only lifting enough to clear your mouth for air.
Common Sidestroke Mistakes and Solutions
Understanding common errors can help you focus your practice.
| Mistake | Solution |
|---|---|
| Kicking too forcefully | Focus on a gentle, propulsive scissors kick, using just enough power for a boost, not a powerful surge. The kick should complement the arm pull, not dominate it. |
| Body not flat/rolling | Concentrate on keeping your body as perpendicular to the bottom as possible, almost as if you're standing on your side in the water. Use a kickboard for balance drills. |
| Head too high | Keep your head low and aligned with your spine to help maintain a level body position and reduce drag. Only lift enough to breathe. |
| Short arm stroke/no glide | Extend your leading arm fully and allow for a clear, prolonged glide phase before the next arm pull. Think long and smooth. |
| Breathing rhythm off | Coordinate your breath with the arm stroke and kick. Typically, inhale as your leading arm extends and legs prepare, and exhale as your arms pull and legs scissorkick together. |
| Legs sinking | Ensure your head is low and your body is level. A gentle, well-timed kick also helps keep the legs up. Core engagement can also assist in maintaining leg position. Learn more about core stability in swimming. |
Drills to Enhance Your Sidestroke
Incorporate these drills into your practice sessions to target specific aspects of the sidestroke:
- Kickboard Sidestroke Kick: Hold a kickboard with your leading hand, keeping your head low. Practice just the scissors kick, focusing on the gentle, propulsive action and maintaining a flat body.
- One-Arm Sidestroke: Swim sidestroke using only your leading arm, keeping the trailing arm stationary along your side. This helps develop a strong, smooth pull and emphasize the glide.
- Head-Low Glide Drill: Push off the wall in a sidestroke position with both arms extended, holding your breath. Focus on maintaining a perfectly level body and a low head position for as long as possible.
- Full Sidestroke with Focus: Swim full sidestroke, but dedicate each length to focusing on one element only (e.g., "this length, only focus on a gentle kick," or "this length, only focus on head low").
Practice consistently and focus on one element at a time to build good habits and a more efficient sidestroke.
