Question:
Hi, in swimming freestyle, my child is bobbing up & down. How can this be fixed? Thank you J
Answer:
Bobbing up and down in freestyle is a common problem for many young (and not so young) swimmers.
The most common reason swimmers bob up and down is because when the hand is pulling through under water, the back of the hand is facing upwards so the body lifts / moves in an upwards direction. It then drops back down in the water when the hand finishes pulling. This results in an up and down or bobbing action. This poor hand position is often caused by a dropping of the elbow.
When you swim, you move in the direction of the back of your hand.
To solve the problem of bobbing up and down, keep the elbow high under water and ensure the back of your hand is facing forward so that as they pull through the water, they move in a forward, and not an up and down, direction.
If the hand position is correct, and your child is still bobbing up and down, ask them to keep their head still, as an up and down movement of their head may also cause a bobbing action.
Regards
Gary – The Swimming Expert
