Relax

What Kaitlin Sandeno does beneath the surface of the water is mesmerizing, and the thing that strikes me most is her tremendous FEEL for the water, and how relaxed her hands are.

Kaitlin's hands are SO relaxed as she swims. She pitches them at just the right angle, and always seem to have such a soft grasp on the water.

In these images, take a look at Kaitlin's fingers. Imagine what she's feeling, and how, with the relaxed fingers, she exposes ALL the parts of her hand and palm to the water. And notice that even her forearm seems to "feel" for the water.

Once you've had a good look, head to the pool and try to relax your fingers during your extension and during the initiation of your pull. You'll probably not keep your fingers too far apart at any point, and you may completely close them during the pull. These are personal traits that you shouldn't worry about too much. For this exercise, simply try to relax while you extend, and then, begin your pull with the same relaxed hand.

Some of us just try too hard, and expend our energy in the wrong places. This is just one idea for learning how to relax, if even for an instant, while you swim.

To see more of Kaitlin's style, get a copy of her video, Go Swim All Strokes with Kaitlin Sandeno and Erik Vendt streaming version.