Steve Fair has coached swimming in Colorado communities for more than 17 years. In that time, swimming coach Steve Fair has guided a number of Colorado-based athletes to state championships and helped others to qualify for national championships and the Olympic Games.
To swim freestyle with maximum speed, the athlete first needs to maintain a correct position in the water. Good alignment on the horizontal axis, just below the surface of the water, helps the swimmer to minimize drag and allows the water to provide support. The swimmer must keep his or her head on the same axis as much as possible, as lifting the head disrupts balance and requires more effort to keep the legs from sinking.
Just as minimized drag helps the swimmer to improve speed, so does increased forward momentum. Swimmers can accomplish this by rolling from side to side with the stroke, thus engaging the powerful muscles of the back, torso, and hips. Meanwhile, the forearm and hand should align in the shape of a paddle, which pushes the body through the water more efficiently.
