FDS Coaching
Form...Distance...Speed!
Adult swimming instruction in Colorado's Front Range
Certified Senior Coach
Brian Vande Krol
The Patient Lead Hand
Brian Vande Krol, Senior Coach
In the search to define better swimming technique, legendary swimming coach (and inspiration for Total Immersion) Bill Boomer used the term Front Quadrant Swimming to describe the timing of the arms in relation to each other. In order to “swim taller”, or have a longer, slipperier body line in the water, one hand is left extended in front of the head longer, until the recovering arm enters the water.
If you draw horizontal and vertical lines through a swimmer’s body at the shoulders, the body is divided into quadrants. The front quadrant is in front of and below the swimmers shoulders (see photo). Front quadrant swimming means that, at some point in the stroke, both hands are in the front quadrant. More precisely, the lead hand stays out front, lengthening the body line, until the recovering hand enters the water. Front quadrant swimming is effective at giving a longer, sleeker bodyline for more of the stroke.
But is there more to it than that? As TI swimmers, we focus intently on using the body to swim, not just the arms. In recent years, Terry Laughlin, founder and chief innovator
of the Total Immersion method, changed the terminology to “Patient Lead Hand”. It’s not nearly as precise. The imprecision of the term leads a mindful swimmer to ask questions: What exactly does it mean? Just how patient do I need to be? Why the heck am I waiting, when I could be pulling madly?
In TI swimming, I generate propulsion through a weight shift applied against an anchored lead hand. As I lay extended on the right track, the left arm recovers to its entry point, while I maintain just enough rotation to keep the left shoulder above the water. As the left hand enters, I add its weight to the weight of the high side of my body, and drive onto the left track, creating a weight shift. If that weight shift is applied against an anchoring hand, I have the opportunity to move the body past that hand. Here’s where patience is required. By leaving that hand in front longer, I have greater reach when the weight shift happens.
Spearing arm and "high side" of body aligned to shift weight forward against a forward anchor, the patient lead hand.
If, however, I have already begun my pull, the weight shift will move my body past a closer point, shortening my distance per stroke.
If I wait too long to begin my pull, I lose another opportunity to generate propulsion. When both hands meet out front, I’ve lost some of my rotation. It’s the rotation that creates the weight shift, and I’ve effectively cut the weight shift in half.
When it’s just right, I get better traction with my pulling arm, and a great feeling of “connectedness”. My spearing arm, pulling arm, and weight shift all connect to give me the most distance for each stroke with the least effort.
Experiment with your own timing. Stroke early, and stroke late (always beginning from a well balanced position). Once you’ve played with those two extremes, work your way to the proper timing, somewhere in the middle. After experimenting, you’ll know when it’s right, and when it’s wrong. Optimize the timing and imprint it!
And, as always, if you need assistance, I’m available for lessons!
Here, the weight shift happens when the lead hand is further back, missing the opportunity to propel the body further.
The lead hand is too patient, and doesn't anchor until half the weight shift has occurred.
Newsletter 7 - September 22, 2008
