The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me

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2009-05-03 5:57 PM

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Subject: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me
I've seen videos of the "Tarzan" freestyle swim drill, in which you basically swim like a very inefficient head-up freestyle swimmer with your head completely out of the water. It's hard as all heck since you basically have to sprint to keep your body position in the water.

Can somebody tell me what this drill is exactly for? I still am not sure if this is supposed to be a pure power workout to develop the arm muscles, or an aggressive technique workout that refines some part of the stroke.

2009-05-03 6:50 PM
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Subject: RE: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me
What my swim coach shared is it helps me learn to catch better..if I don't catch well I sink more and it is much harder. Really great way to learn to keep your elbows up and catch.
2009-05-03 7:02 PM
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Subject: RE: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me

Similar to what the PP said, I think it also helps to prevent you from crossing over the midline during the pull = stronger catch

2009-05-03 9:06 PM
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Subject: RE: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me

Good for sighting buoys in an OWS too, I'd imagine. 

2009-05-03 9:07 PM
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Subject: RE: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me

Interesting. I feel that the tarzan requires you to use a stroke that has a substantial upward-pushing component to keep your head out of the water. I try to eliminate that vertical component during my freestyle stroke, as it's wasted energy. Am I doing something wrong here?

2009-05-04 9:07 AM
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Subject: RE: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me
It strenghtens your stroke and improves your hook.

2009-05-04 9:10 AM
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Subject: RE: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me

StMaas - 2009-05-03 10:06 PM

Good for sighting buoys in an OWS too, I'd imagine. 

Yeah, I think that's part of why our coaches make us do it - you can still go pretty fast and sight, instead of having to breaststroke and slow way down. We only do it for like 25 yards at a time, in a set of various drills, and don't do it very often.

2009-05-04 9:38 AM
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Subject: RE: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me
The biggest thing for me was to learn not to cross my centerline.  That is one of the first things the swim coach I had made me do to see how different it feels to extend out.  And she would only have me do it half a length and then switch right into normal stroke mode.
2009-05-04 9:48 AM
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Subject: RE: The TARZAN swim drill. Explain it to me
I think Rick is correct about the centerline issue and this helping...it might also be called a "Water Polo" drill.....here is another good video that explains it.  Lots of good videos on thsi site.


http://www.goswim.tv/entries/5446/freestyle---water-polo-wide-catch.html
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