Front crawl arm action

[GOODCAT]

I am trying to teach myself front crawl. I can do about a third of a length at the moment and can breathe on either side just about, but I am not sure about the arm action.

As my arm goes into the water should it just be (a) slightly bent but stretching out as much as possible in front of me or (b) very bent and not that stretched out or (c) something else?

I have tried looking online and watching others, but I am still not sure. I could almost do with a line drawing or something to get it.

I’m not much help to you for an answer, but my local leisure centres run swim doctor sessions for adults who can swim but want help with technique. It’s £6 so cheaper than a lesson if there’s a Better pool near you.

I’ve been considering going but the times don’t really work for me at the moment.

Thanks @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound timing of the class near me has been my issue too, but I am on holiday next week so will go then.

There are loads of videos on this on Youtube, just have a google. It's not just about arm action, it's the pull action too.

I currently having lessons to be a more efficient swimmer. The arm entering the water should be bent at about a right angle and it enters the water at face level. The other hand is in the water (in the superman position as my instructor calls it). Apparently you should be aiming for a "glide to glide" side action. Hope this helps. I've taken up swimming recently after last swimming as a teenager, several decades ago, and I love it.

No expert here, but your hand/arm should be entering at approx. 45' angle.

You should be reaching as far as you can, and almost glide, before starting the next movement ...

HTH x

Elbow should be raised and pointed when hand out, when re entering it should be bent and then go to fully stretched and straight in front of you.

As passing your head it should go past your ears if head in water, skim forehead if breathing

Hope that makes sense?

You're trying to work with physics, so to be as streamlined as possible while pulling. Your arm should be bent,and your hand should enter slightly in front of your face and at a slight angle. It should then go forward a little way under the water before pulling back, close to the side of your body - because you're aiming to move your body through the water, not a load of water out to the side.

It's hard to describe in writing without showing, either by drawing or demonstrating, so do ho back to YouTube, and if that doesn't work for you, consider adult lessons.

All the answers, when put together, describe exactly the instructions of my swimming coach. It just shows how difficult it is to explain without an actual demonstration!

I was taught to slice my arm in at an angle, elbow high.

Not like the obligatory splashy front crawl man in the fast lane, slapping his arm and causing waves 😂

Thank you everyone. That is all very helpful and I am much clearer.

@BogRollBOGOF Not like the obligatory splashy front crawl man in the fast lane, slapping his arm and causing waves 😂
I never realised there were so many of these men before!

The thing with front crawl is that the arm movement isn't the important thing to get right - the main thing is rotating in the water enough that you're just moving your arm almost along the front of your body.

You should be lying on your side pretty much when you're bringing your arm forward. It makes that movement SO much easier and stops your shoulder straining to lift your arm out of the water.

It's much easier to breathe as well when you don't have to turn/lift your head.

When I was learning how to do front crawl I did all sorts of drills to work on body position. I did feel like a weirdo in the pool alongside everyone else but it worked!

Sorry, you'll never unsee it again 😂

Since taking up open water swimming, I now wonder if they're aspiring to swim across The Channel, battling fiercely against the non-existant elements and waves. In open water, the power of the pull in the water is the stronger influence on the efficiency of the stroke; wind and waves (even inland) negate the efficiency of slicing the arm in.
Worth it in the pool for a smother swim though!

I went on a fabulous course with Total Immersion - it was a weekend and by far the best birthday present I've ever had! Not sure if they still do courses but if not there are lots of free videos here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sdQrXBzm7yI. Good luck - once you nail it swimming becomes pretty easy!

@BogRollBOGOF I’m pretty close to thinking stuff it and starting open water swimming after the other day in the pool despite not liking the idea of swimming though a patch of seaweed or negotiating jelly fish. The slow lane was too slow, the medium was too fast and the free swim bit was full of bobbing ladies chatting and men who don’t mind running you down instead of moving.

The sea has to be less annoying than that surely?!

You should be lying on your side pretty much when you're bringing your arm forward.

@HipsterCoffeeShop -- I wonder if you can explain that better. I understand turning sideways when pulling & taking a breath, but I'm not comfortable turning my whole body sideways on non-breath strokes. Would give me back problems if I tried.

I saw a video about right angle etc. for entry. I was trying that... which caused One of the Channel swimmers to ask me in genuine bafflement why I didn't stretch further on strokes. I figure ChSw knows what she's talking about. I always stretch out far like they do, instead. Suits me better.

@lljkk lying too flat in the water will eventually cause shoulder/neck issues. An efficient pool stroke is high elbow, relaxed forearm - the momentum of your upper arm swings your forearm forward, underneath your elbow. If you're lying too flat, you are moving your whole arm physically yourself and might also be lifting your arm beyond the line of your shoulders.

Hopefully this link will post! I find it really hypnotic to watch

That's one of the reasons I could still be found in a lake in January at 5⁰C 😂

I love swimming, but the quality of a lane swim is wholly dependent on who else turns up that day!

Although there's nothing like a bit of lane rage and the middle lane being rammed with people who can't admit to being slow, and feeling the pressure of keeping up in the fast lane to get some speed work 😂

Total immersion is how I learnt to swim crawl as an adult, having only really swim breaststroke from childhood. I had the book and a VHS video and used to probably look very weird doing all the various drills in my local pool, but it worked so well.

Apologies, that was supposed to be a reply to @SummerSazz I must have clicked reply on the wrong post