How to start swimming
Freestyle swimming: after the take-off jump, do at least a few good dolphin kicks. Accelerate your kicks towards the surface and come through it strong like a submarine. Try to take the first few strokes without breathing.
The butterfly stroke: make at least a few good dolphin kicks. If your skills are good enough, go the full 15 meters. Often the pace is so fast at the start that it’s not worth starting the swim until 15 metres. Try to make the first few strokes without breathing to find the right swimming position.
Breaststroke. When the pace starts to slow down, bring your arms as close to your body as possible. Kick and start swimming.
Backstroke.
Translations from
Translations are part of the competition. They are best honed through repetition, so keep them part of your training from the start.
Freestyle vault turn
1. Make the final pull under your body about a metre from the wall. Pull yourself onto the ball.
2. Bring your chin towards your chest. Hands are down.
3. As your feet approach the wall, open up into a scoop position. Bring your feet to the wall and prepare to push up.
5. Push off the wall on your back or slightly on your side into a good sliding position.
Translation of the backstroke
Use the flags to calculate how many arm lifts you need for the headstand. The lines are located five metres from the wall. Practise your landing exercises at race pace. For example, if you take five strokes, turn on your stomach on the fourth and do a freestyle turn.
Belly turns
The back flip is used for breaststroke and butterfly.
1. Bring both hands to the wall at the same time.
2. Remove one hand from the wall as if pulling the starter lever of a lawnmower or chainsaw. Take it under your arm. The other hand remains on the wall.
3. In a small circle, bring your feet down towards the wall.
4. With feet on the wall, release one hand from the wall and extend the torso into a sliding position.
5. Push strongly with your side into a good glide.
Remember that you do not need to breathe during the side turn. The turn is not a pause for breath, but the most efficient change of direction possible.
Mixed turns
PU-SU: Side turn, but push straight onto your back.
SU-RU: Lower the arm pulls. When your hand touches the wall, bring your feet sideways parallel to the surface towards it. Push off the wall into a breaststroke glide.
RU-VU: Normal side bend.
