News
For
SWIM
PARENTS
Published by The American
Swimming Coaches Association
5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200
Fort Lauderdale FL 33309
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Good Starts
It’s clear
to anyone observing a swimming meet that some swimmers are much faster off of
the blocks. Differences in starting ability from one swimmer to the next
are easy for parents to observe. Unfortunately, it is one part of the race
that is not always mastered equally well by all swimmers. There are two
contributing factors to the success of the start: learned skill and
natural ability.
The simple
fact is that not all swimmers are built the same. Some will always be
better starters because they are born with a higher percentage of "fast twitch"
fibers making them more explosive and capable of getting off the starting block
faster. It is an hereditary factor and cannot be significantly changed
through training.
But start
ability is not all heredity as proper mechanics also contribute. Coaches
teach these mechanics several times a week and can help the swimmer make
significant improvements over time. It is important to remember that
swimmers learn at different paces. Despite the best efforts of coaches,
some swimmers will take longer to learn a good start than others.
Before
judging a swimmer’s ability to get off the block, either as very good or as
needing a lot more coaching, look at where and when the swimmer surfaces after
the start. After the starting signal, who gets to the 10 meter mark first?
It’s not always the first swimmer off of the block. A study done several
years ago examined the relative importance of the initial quickness off the
block versus the swimmer's ability to enter the water, streamline, kick, and
breakout properly. According to the study, how the swimmer hits the water
and what they do in the water are of far greater importance than speed off of
the block. This ability is a complex skill requiring a lot of practice,
mixed with the right body type. Some argue that it is more dependent on
body type which is a factor a swimmer cannot control. The fact is, that
because of body type and buoyancy, some swimmers streamline better than other
swimmers and with proper kicking an breakout mechanics will surface in front of
other less able swimmers.
So what
can we make of all this? Answer: always look at the larger picture.
Is the swimmer improving and is she or he happy? That’s the larger, larger
picture. Looking at the “smaller larger picture” one needs to consider all
aspects of the race including good approaches to the walls, good turns, proper
breakouts, good stroke mechanics, proper race management, and a great finish.
It all adds up. If the swimmer has not yet developed a great start, entry,
and break out, there are many other areas of the event we can look to for
success