Breaststroke - Pullout Fine Tuning

Breaststroke pullouts can be tough to work on because you do only one per length...and you are often running short on air when you do them.  Here's a way to practice your pulldown and recovery several times on every length...while getting all the air you need.

Why Do It:
You can have the best pulldown and dolphin kick in the world, but you can lose all your power and momentum IN AN INSTANT...if you LOOK UP on the breakout.   In this drill, the use of the FInis Swimmer's Snorkel takes away the temptation of lifting the head, and lets you isolate the pulldown and the recovery while focusing on a stable body position.

How to Do It:
1. Grab a pull buoy and your Finis Swimmer's Snorkel. 
2. Push off in streamline and let your body rise to the surface.  You want to be balanced front to back before you start your first pulldown.
3. Execute your normal pulldown, but skip the dolphin kick.  Remember, we're focusing on just the motion of the arms, not on the entire pullout.  
4. As you recover the hands, keep them close to your body, and stay COMPACT with your arms.
5. As the hands come under your chest and face, keep your eyes down and keep your head and shoulders stable and flat.  Don't hunch up with your shoulders.  And don't lift your head to look forward.
6. Return the hands to full extension, with thumbs touching.  Check your body position to make sure your hands are higher than your head and then...when your body is stable and aligned...start your next pulldown.
7. Do several 25s, focusing on staying compact and stable as you recover your hands and arms.  
8. Then take off your equipment and swim four 25s of breaststroke with your normal pulldown and breakout. Try to capture the same stable feeling as your hands pass under your face and into full extension for your first stroke.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
This drill is all about staying stable and aligned as your hands pass under your body and back into streamline. Try to keep your head and torso right at the surface, with very little up-and-down-motion.

This drill will imprint the proper head and eye position for your breakout, so that your body can "remember" it when you go swim.