Help with sinking hips

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2013-03-11 3:56 PM


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Subject: Help with sinking hips

Hi everyone. I am very new to swimming...like a month.  I swim about 4x a week. I'm making progress with my stroke and breathing. My problem is.... I just can't keep my hips afloat. A swim instructor told me to pretend to swim down hill and it worked my hips floated up.  But I was'nt very streamline. My chin was tucked-in like I was looking underneath myself. Is this the correct way or is their another.

Any helps would be appreciated.

If I can get this swimming down my first tri will be in June.

Thanks Joe from PA

2013-03-11 3:57 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips

Another way to think about it that helps me sometimes is to think about pushing your chest against the water. That helps me sometimes.

Good luck with the tri in June!

2013-03-11 4:23 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips

Thank you I'll try that tomorrow.

2013-03-11 4:26 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips
I'm a sinker as well.  What works for me is to be sure I get long, stretching the legs out, sternum up, core taut.  Swimming with a band tie-ing your ankles together is great for learning to keep the hips up.  If you're a sinker, this will be impossible at first, but put a pull buoy down between your ankles along with the band.  This teaches you to keep a nice straight body and taut core.
2013-03-11 4:34 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips
jd7russo - 2013-03-11 4:56 PM

Hi everyone. I am very new to swimming...like a month.  I swim about 4x a week. I'm making progress with my stroke and breathing. My problem is.... I just can't keep my hips afloat. A swim instructor told me to pretend to swim down hill and it worked my hips floated up.  But I was'nt very streamline. My chin was tucked-in like I was looking underneath myself. Is this the correct way or is their another.

Any helps would be appreciated.

If I can get this swimming down my first tri will be in June.

Thanks Joe from PA

I tried the "push your chest down" and it never worked right.  What I found works better is to try to pull your belly button up.

2013-03-11 4:37 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips
Try pushing down and forward with your chest- basically the same movement as when you are stretching for an extra half inch at the doctor's office. (do it in front of a mirror for fun and see how it pushes your hips back.). That's what works for me. Let your head go back so your chin is not tucked.

2013-03-11 4:41 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips

-Focus less on using your kicking for forward propulsion and more on "upward" propulsion and keeping your body at the surface. (for now)

Do not bend at the knees; only bend at the hips.  Keep your kicks right near surface.  Only let your legs separate about 15 degrees. This will maximize your surface area that provides downward force on the back half of your body.

Once you feel better work on implementing your legs for forward propulsion as well.

2013-03-11 5:11 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips

Lots of ways to try.

One way is to pretend you have a tennis ball under your chin, or even use a real tennis ball.

Another helpful tip is to imagine you are pushing down with your armpit/chest.

Practice, and it will come.

2013-03-11 7:50 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips

Here's a video of a drill to work on improving your balance:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDM6s0JpwnI

Note - I'm not affiliated with the company in the video in any way.  I just like this drill for learning to find your balance in the water.

 

 



Edited by TriMyBest 2013-03-11 7:51 PM
2013-03-12 5:06 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips
I have this problem as well. If you're using a wetsuit for your swim, this will help ALOT for your upcoming Tri, but you don't want to use that as a crutch for future events. I took lessons from Amanda Stevens, who holds records for Tri swimming and she told me two things that helped. The big one was to keep weight up front, meaning, keep both arms out in front of you as much as possible. A great drill for this is the "catch up" drill, look it up. The other is to reach deep and pull strong with your stroke, it will help to keep your butt up, but it takes work. Believe me, if I can do it, anybody can do it. Good luck!
2013-03-12 5:45 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips
TriMyBest - 2013-03-11 8:50 PM

Here's a video of a drill to work on improving your balance:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDM6s0JpwnI

Note - I'm not affiliated with the company in the video in any way.  I just like this drill for learning to find your balance in the water.

Love this drill.

Also can add sculling once you reach the float position.

2013-03-12 8:00 PM
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Subject: RE: Help with sinking hips
When I get tired my lower half sinks. I push my head and shoulders down and lift my hips up at the same time. To figure out if my head and shoulders are down enough, I streamline and make sure my arms are behind my ears, if that makes sense. Got that from my swim instructor.
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