Freestyle - Single Arm Freestyle

Why Do It:
Single-Arm Freestyle helps you work on several aspects of a powerful freestyle: great ROTATION; maintaining a balanced body position with EYES DOWN; REACHING FULL EXTENSION on every stroke; and keeping elbows high and wrists straight during the pull.

How To Do It:

1. Push off in streamline, then pull one arm to your side and KEEP IT THERE as you rotate for air. You should breathe toward the arm that is at your side.

2. After the breath, return your face to the water, and keep one arm at your side as you swim freestyle with the other arm. Breathe toward the same side as your nonstroking arm.

How To Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):

1. Stay balanced and horizontal in the water. Keep eyes down and head low.

2. Reach full extension with the stroking arm - on every stroke.

3. As you reach with the arm and hand, ROTATE your body. See if you can rotate enough to get your nonstroking shoulder to clear the water.

4. Catch and hold the water with your lead hand. Then, keep elbow high and wrist straight as you pull all the way through and into the recovery.