20 years swim coaching, I think, gives me the skills to help people with their swimming so here goes.  I have seen many thousands of lap swimmers over the years, and I think with a few simple changes to some basic techniques everyone can become more efficient with their swimming.

Breaking down the stroke into parts is the best way to start things.

1.  KICK  Your legs are your biggest and strongest body part.  Use a kickboard, place your arms over the top of the board and complete 10 laps with your head out of the water.  Keep your toes flexed and legs straight.  Try to teach yourself to kick on the side.  Keep your body flat and hips on the side as you work down the pool breathing to  the side.  Again, toes are flexed, leading arm sculling out in front of your head.  Flippers can be used for these drills but they are AN AID not a substitute for your legs!
2. Breathing so important for efficient swimming.  Drills –     (i)  keep your arms down by the side remembering to exhale under water and turn your head as if your looking over your shoulder and inhale immediately placing your head back in the water to begin breathing out.   Important – do not turn over onto your back when breathing and don’t look up to the roof.    (ii)  Use a kickboard keeping one arm down by your side which gives you room to turn, and practise your breathing while completing 8x25m laps.     (iii)   Arm Stroke- It is so important to co-ordinate your arms with the rest of your body with swimming. Try to imagine a line down the middle of your body.  As you stroke under the  water, do not allow  your arms to cross that midline with the stroke finishing at the hip.   As the arm reaches forward the fingers enter in line with the shoulders fingertips first. Drills 1. Make your hands into a fist and complete as many laps as possible. The smaller surface area teaches you to concentrate on the  feel of the water when swimming remember don’t let your hands cross that midline. 2. Single arm drill keep one arm down by your side and stroke down the pool breathing to the opposite side of the stroking arm , concentrate on pulling in tight to the body and learn to breath on both sides of the body. Finally practise, practise and don’t give in.