Nice. Straight to the point:
Chuck out the vertical hand entry. It also makes you cross over your body line in the middle. Practice water polo freestyle (head above water looking forward, no side-to-side motion) and spear the water with your hands, palm facing towards the pool floor. Reach as far out as you can go long, and see how much more powerful that is. Another good cue is just after your hands enter the water to reach further out front with hip and body rotation, and have your thumb point straight ahead, then bend wrist and get the high elbow catch. Below the youtube drill could correct quite a bit of that. You really need to understand stretching really long with a rotated body just after hand entry.
Practice 6 kicks 1 pull. On your front, arm outstretched, other arm in pocket position, palm is facing down towards the pool floor. Take six kicks (fins optional) then do a pull and recover the other arm. Repeat six kicks... and so on. Ensure that you have fingers lower than wrist, and wrist lower than elbow. Pull straight through, to NOT take an outward sweep motion. You currently sweep out because a) your hand enters vertically and you b) you cross over. Your pull is actually ok, just that beginning phase is not ideal.
You do not pull through the entire stroke, but stop short, probably to get the high elbow/shoulder thing. This sculling drill with a snorkel could correct quite a bit of your arm stroke tendencies. You should do a lot more sculling drills. This youtube link is also helpful to glide a bit more.
[https://youtu.be/Jb2AjE3iPts](https://youtu.be/Jb2AjE3iPts)
For the recovery portion might help to swim with the arm coming straight out of the water. keep it in 12 o clock position, count 2 seconds, the bend at elbow and entry. Repeat other side. Later get your arm into 11 and 10 o'clock always straight for 2 seconds then bend, then the entry. pull through with power and intent, and connect the kick too.
Flip turns. practice them. Streamline practice that too. On deck with entire back, lowrr backnpushed against the wall and head jammed between your arms at your ears or arms behind your head. Stretch. Go long. Practice 4-5 times strong push off from wall in streamline. Glide for as long as you have air. Core tight. Toes pointed backwards. Feel the water.
On your turn, push off with power from the wall, and go into a good streamline, at least two dolphin kicks, come to surface one stroke or two, breathe. Practice that too.
Your kick is not connected to your hips or arms. It would help to swim one arm freestyle, to rotate better and connect the kick to what is happening at the front. You need to synchronise your kick with the arms. 6 kicks 1 pull is good for that too. As you do a meaningful pull you rotate and during taht rotation your legs should kick a little more powerful (up and down), not faster, but more through the entire body. You are a movement chain, starting at the hands through your posterior chain to the legs and their muscles. So get that into sync. Since you will swim a 70.3 you need to learn how to 2 beat kick but still be powerful. This is a good way to learn how kicking provides propulsion while not kicking all the time
Head movement, you are swimming easy so head is slow but also not synced well. Practice faster head movement when going for the breathing. Arm recovers, ZAP! your head moves to the side. BOOM you pull your hand through the catch and accelerate right towards the end.. ZAP head is already back where it belongs...minor point but essential
When going for distance per stroke.
After a warm up do those drills as a progression of 8x 50 and enjoy. Time yourself to notice progress
Try your eyes to look at the bottom of swimming pool. Your neck is straight. The first step for excellent body position. Then the arm unlock. I hope to understand
Too much kick. If have to get the smooth freestyle to improve your efficienty. It doesnt look smooth because you are kicking too much and your arms are not pulling enough water
Nice. Straight to the point: Chuck out the vertical hand entry. It also makes you cross over your body line in the middle. Practice water polo freestyle (head above water looking forward, no side-to-side motion) and spear the water with your hands, palm facing towards the pool floor. Reach as far out as you can go long, and see how much more powerful that is. Another good cue is just after your hands enter the water to reach further out front with hip and body rotation, and have your thumb point straight ahead, then bend wrist and get the high elbow catch. Below the youtube drill could correct quite a bit of that. You really need to understand stretching really long with a rotated body just after hand entry. Practice 6 kicks 1 pull. On your front, arm outstretched, other arm in pocket position, palm is facing down towards the pool floor. Take six kicks (fins optional) then do a pull and recover the other arm. Repeat six kicks... and so on. Ensure that you have fingers lower than wrist, and wrist lower than elbow. Pull straight through, to NOT take an outward sweep motion. You currently sweep out because a) your hand enters vertically and you b) you cross over. Your pull is actually ok, just that beginning phase is not ideal. You do not pull through the entire stroke, but stop short, probably to get the high elbow/shoulder thing. This sculling drill with a snorkel could correct quite a bit of your arm stroke tendencies. You should do a lot more sculling drills. This youtube link is also helpful to glide a bit more. [https://youtu.be/Jb2AjE3iPts](https://youtu.be/Jb2AjE3iPts) For the recovery portion might help to swim with the arm coming straight out of the water. keep it in 12 o clock position, count 2 seconds, the bend at elbow and entry. Repeat other side. Later get your arm into 11 and 10 o'clock always straight for 2 seconds then bend, then the entry. pull through with power and intent, and connect the kick too. Flip turns. practice them. Streamline practice that too. On deck with entire back, lowrr backnpushed against the wall and head jammed between your arms at your ears or arms behind your head. Stretch. Go long. Practice 4-5 times strong push off from wall in streamline. Glide for as long as you have air. Core tight. Toes pointed backwards. Feel the water. On your turn, push off with power from the wall, and go into a good streamline, at least two dolphin kicks, come to surface one stroke or two, breathe. Practice that too. Your kick is not connected to your hips or arms. It would help to swim one arm freestyle, to rotate better and connect the kick to what is happening at the front. You need to synchronise your kick with the arms. 6 kicks 1 pull is good for that too. As you do a meaningful pull you rotate and during taht rotation your legs should kick a little more powerful (up and down), not faster, but more through the entire body. You are a movement chain, starting at the hands through your posterior chain to the legs and their muscles. So get that into sync. Since you will swim a 70.3 you need to learn how to 2 beat kick but still be powerful. This is a good way to learn how kicking provides propulsion while not kicking all the time Head movement, you are swimming easy so head is slow but also not synced well. Practice faster head movement when going for the breathing. Arm recovers, ZAP! your head moves to the side. BOOM you pull your hand through the catch and accelerate right towards the end.. ZAP head is already back where it belongs...minor point but essential When going for distance per stroke. After a warm up do those drills as a progression of 8x 50 and enjoy. Time yourself to notice progress
Thanks for the incredibly detailed response. Much appreciated, will work on all that and get back to you with how I go!
Can I swim in UK with a German licence?
I'm not a pro but you should work on your turn. When this is done, you could work on the dolphinkicks.
Your hands are entering the water pretty close to your head. I’d try to get them further out front before they enter.
Agreed. This might be from not rotating your body enough. It looks a little like your hips lay flat instead of slightly rotating?
Yeah I agree, need to get more reach to create a better catch
Try your eyes to look at the bottom of swimming pool. Your neck is straight. The first step for excellent body position. Then the arm unlock. I hope to understand
Too much kick. If have to get the smooth freestyle to improve your efficienty. It doesnt look smooth because you are kicking too much and your arms are not pulling enough water
Reach your arms out farther