To help you improve your freestyle, we’re diving into the most common mistakes and showing you how to fix them!
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:46 Looking Forward
2:40 Kicking Too Much
3:55 Breathing
5:11 Crossing Over on Hand Entry
6:39 Straight Arm Pull
8:57 Swimming Without a Plan
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Fares Ksebati is the Co-Founder and CEO of MySwimPro. He is a 3x Individual U.S. Masters Swimming National Champion and Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimmer. Fares is a Fellow by the American Swim Coaches Association and certified USA Triathlon coach. He is the author of Swim Like A Pro and loves helping swimmers reach their full potential. Follow him on social media @FaresKsebati! Contact for business inquiries: dan@myswimpro.com
What part of freestyle do you find most challenging?
Breathing on both sides
Shoulder cramps when you swim 1500m lol
@@ECsponger2 I struggled with this as well - YEARS of swim lessons and could not quite get everything together. My knees were bad in HS so I was introduced to a pull buoy? Hundreds of pull only laps cleaned up my breathing. A set of laps with 3, 4, & 5 strokes per breath.
Synchronisation between hands and legs movements
Yes
This channel deserves way more recognition, its pure QUALITY
Thanks! Happy swimming!!
Thank you! Happy training!
Agree
@@fksebati Lol
Heck ya
Sometimes, when the lane is clear, I swim freestyle with my eyes closed and count the strokes as much as I can. It gives me a pleasant feeling of detachment, of floating in the unknown. Also, it is a challenge to swim the entire length of the pool in straight line (50 m). Stay strong and safe!
Thank you for sharing!
I can swim noticeably longer when I close my eyes
Very cool. I’m WAY TO SCARED in the water to try something like that!
@@watcher3372 its probably because youre more focused to your body when you close them
@@watcher3372 me too
What I learned from this is that I am not a fish 👍
😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Exactly We are crabs
@@The_Mysterious_Saiyan So we walk on the bottom?
@@awatarpl2241 yes
Even as a swimmer of 6 years and counting, this helps tremendously. Your stroke is always going to continue to change and grow with you as a person. It’s never going to be prefect but what matters is your technique and your confidence.
So true! We are always growing, changing and learning! Happy swimming!
4:00 Wow! Thanks for using me on your video, really like your content, big fan! Best regrads from Brazil! 🇧🇷
The lady's swimming is just perfect
🏊🏊
@@yimins_baybeh he talk about her body lol
Of course women don't carry weight like men do so it's easier for them to swim then guys
@@josephpayne2253 not true at all. Guys are still faster and have the muscle mass to carry their weight in the water. I’ve seen plenty of girls with awful technique along with guys.
@@startledmilk6670 i feel like your gender doesn’t matter, it’s how much dedication and practice you put into swimming.
I was a swim instructor for 10 years and everything this guy is saying is absolutely correct. Great tips!!
Great to hear!
This is a really well made video, not only that you talk straight to the point, you also showed the wrong and correct samples. I swim regularly long ago, and just recently get back to it and fell in love with doing freestyle. It seems like i still struggle with the kick and i rarely rotate my hip. Thanks for the tips and advice. Definitely subscribed 😁
As a new swimmer the best thing I've tried to fix my kick was training fins strongly recommend, they make you fast when swimming correctly, and slow when not. It fixed my idea of how to kick in 2 laps
Dol-fins 😂
Also you need to focus on keeping your feet in the water. Kicking air won't maximize the strength in your kick. Make sure you are kicking with your hips and point your toes. I've competitively swam for 10 years, still do, and I coach. I recommend working on stabilizing your core aswell to make sure when you rotate you don't go too far.
I started swimming about 2 years ago, are you capable of doing basic turns/wall touches? Such as flip turns, bucket turns, and 2 hand touch? The turns can give you a huge boost
@@graeson3317 If you're swimming strong and fast and you begin to hydroplane, kicking some air and splashing naturally occurs, so let it. I would not put over emphasis on keeping feet in the water, once you become more advanced, faster, and stronger. Still a good tip for a beginner, sort of.
@@valiantvasquez yes it will but when focusing on technique its great to focus on smaller kicks so you don't waste energy. as you become more advanced it becomes more natural and less of something you have to focus on because your normal kick is smaller. With that when you do come out of the water its less impactful on your technique and time.
Just keep swimming! 🏊♂️
🏊🏊
I ve watched most videos and never comment . but ive swam all my life and everyone needs to listen to this mans advice , to have it for free on the internet is something that is new to swimming. Excellent stuff!
Happy swimming!
Does anyone swim 1 lap and feel like there lungs will break. That’s why I am here
Yesssss
Keep your head down help keep the body streamlined. When I started swimming I was lifting my head, which caused me to drag my legs through the water. Also, slow down and find a good pace, then work at reducing your stroke count as you perfect your stroke. I'm an asthmatic, so I found the slower pace helps with breathing.
Same
Same for me also
No maybe like three or four laps cause ive been swimming for a while
KZhead really said "Recommended" but I was actually wanting to see if I needed to fix anything. I'm a freshman in high school and joined the swim team. It's my first year, so the other freshman and I are the newbies on the team. We have our first meet March 9th, but should've been our 4th(covid spiked up at my school, so we had to postpone the season) and I'm competing at the meet. I'm really nervous that I'm going to mess something up, but watching this video showed me what I could try to do to help make sure I fix some things. My coach has told me whenever I do free, I've lapped people that have been on the team before and I said I'm not really trying to go that fast. It just happens. This video definitely helped. I have practice later today, so I will definitely try to fix a couple things
Thank you for sharing! Let us know how the meet goes! We are rooting for you!
Good luck at your meet!! I have my first ever inter squad meet on the 9th also! And my actual meet is on the 11th. I’m in 7th grade and I’m really nervous. Freestyle is my weak spot. I’m good at breaststroke though so let’s hope I do good! You’ll do amazing!!
@@shelbynewgent1772 thank you!! Good luck to you too!! Free and back is my strongest, so hopefully I compete in either one of those and not fly or breast. My meet is against my school's biggest rivals, so someone has to win. Just know, it's not where you place. It's how hard you worked to get there. Do your best and you'll always win. Winners focus on winning, losers focus on the winners
good luck i have my last short course meet march 19-20
Did u do 50 free 100 free or both?
I've been swimming without technique, casually just as a regular ol joe my whole life. Recently I moved somewhere with a pool and decided...You know it's never too late to learn technique? So I randomly ended up here and I just gotta say this a great video. You really covered your bases from beginner - veteran and lots of good visual examples and other resources! If I can stop floundering around in the pool it'll definitely be in thanks to your channel!
That's awesome, Courtney! Good luck and happy swimming :)
Love this video! I'm new to swimming and I've watched like 5 videos to this one which was a perfect summary for some of those! Definitely help me see where I can improved. New subscriber!
I was just thinking the other day, "I wish there was an app for REAL beginners like the couch to 5k." Downloading the app now, and super excited to see. Appreciate the layout and content of your videos so far!
Let us know if you encounter any issues or have any questions at support@myswimpro.com !
Lol that’s exactly where I’m at now. Going from couch to joining a team.
Thanks for the brilliant information I've added some of the techniques, in just one session I finished 1000m much less tired than of previous sessions.
I learned to dolphin kick from you.. thank you.. best thing that helped me learn that was long flexible speedo fins this helped me with rythum since I have none..
Nice work!
These tips are just what I needed. So you breathe through your nose under water. I'm practicing and been doing it wrong blowing through my mouth and getting the water up my nose.
I decided at the end of 2020 I wanted to swim more, so I set a goal to swim 60 miles in 2020. I hit that goal last Sunday - I swam a mile and my total was 60.52 miles so far this year :) I now have a goal to swim 60 more! I have been swimming since I was 5. I was on the swim team when I was 9 years old until around 12. Swimming has always been my fall back exercise! I really love it. I started out with a goal to swim at least 1/2 a mile 3 days a week, I always swam a few more lengths than required (started around 36) Now I am up to swimming a mile, which is 68 lengths in the pool I swim in, but I usually do 70. ;) I feel so much better, and It used to take me almost an hour to swim the 36 lengths, now I get 54 lengths in in 60 mins, so I have greatly improved my speed. I also started with only 1 length of Butterfly in my workout, I now do up to 14! I am so pleased with my progress!! Glad I found your videos, I really want to improve my speed on Breast stroke and back stroke. Those are my slowest strokes.
That's such an awesome story, Sue! Love that you love swimming! Do you use the MySwimPro app when you swim?
My favorite tip from the video was to swim with hands in the fist to focus on the forearm pull. Can't wait to try it out
That's a good one!
Good luck!
This is awesome. I really learned a couple of things from this Video about the arm during free swimming and keep one eye under the water because the more the head goes up the more body go down then you will work harder to keep up and you will end up getting tired faster. I love to be slow and relaxed and breeze during my swimming to keep going longer distance. Good swimming listen. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
I have been watching swimming lessons for 3days in a row now because I need this for a job in a cruise line and for my training and I can tell this has been the best and most informative video I've ever come across with. It is full of information, it is fast and direct to the point. I can feel that I can already swim just by simply watching the video. Congratulations you just earn a new subscriber here! Thanks a lot for the tips! For a person who doesn't know how to swim this really means a lot to me. Thank you.
So glad to hear that, Mara! Happy swimming and good luck with the job :)
Same here, I’ve spent a lot of time in the water and I think there are some things I can do next after watching this video
Thank you Fares Ksebati for very informative videos on swimming. Please add to your instructions for efficient swimming: keep your thumbs together with the other fingers, keep all your fingers together, do not let the water flow between your fingers, make your hand a scooped paddle !
These videos are on point!!! Keep them coming 👏
More to come!
Great things to pointe out! Really great!!👍👍
Can't wait to try all of that!💛
I think that fist exercise will be a huge help for me! Thanks heaps mate!
This dude is amazing he taught me how to do the front strokes . I am a beginner swimmer and want to become a strong swimmer 🏊♂️ someday. He has truly started me in the right path. I put swimming on my boxing 🥊 regimen once a week . All I do is think about is either swimming or fighting. I am 52 years of age . You can learn and keep learning if you desire too at any age.
So glad to hear that, Rick! Swimming is a great way to cross-train. Keep up the hard work and happy swimming :)
Thank for this video. I'm a beginner swimmer now due to some surgeries on my right leg. I lost the ability to bend my leg because of a leg fusion surgery that removed my knee. So I need to re program myself to swim again and this video really encouraged me. I'll be definitely getting the app to.
The last one is really the most important one, big thanks!
Good video! In my swim of 777 km in 30 days, it was difficult to keep the right stroke, but gliding is very important, I agree
What a great resource - love your energy. Keep 'em coming.
Happy Swimming!!
More to come!
Seriously good video ...I'm an old dog swimmer from the early 70's ...I now do ocean swimming or any open water swimming for that matter ...the information you supply in this video is perfect , the pulling through the water the head down with pointed toes ...perfect
Glad you enjoyed it!
Quality video bro, especially point 5!
Love how he speaks with passion and zest!!
Great video, the only time the kick really needs to be high octane is when you are a sprint freestyler, then big kick but still with hip rotation.
I’m very slow at 50 freestyle because one of these problems I HAD TO GET A. 33.0 seconds. WHY AM I SO SLOW. I watched this video. Now I’m ready for state! Thanks!
good luck at state!
what is an ideal 50 meter time?
@@imdva for freestyle I’m 10 and mine is 32 seconds
@@5kbounty518 wait i just processed this you’re not bad compared to some ppl on my team, their 50 meter is closer to 40-50 seconds so don’t stress out too much just work hard!
@@imdva yes but I’m ten and the reason I need to be faster is becuz I’m with heats of 1 (fastest some meets) or 6. And so I’ve only one about 3, 50m free.
This is the best, most efficient video I've seen on what I can do to correct my errors.
This vid just helped me a lot. Thanks for the tips!
Best video for swimmers in youtube
one thing to point out is, if you are keeping your head above water, do keep your head locked straight ahead, while it increases drag etc to do this, it also improves technique. You would mainly use this in rough sea water because turning your head may not get you any air and poor visibility.
Been trying to get back to swimming since high school (That's about 15 years) and these tips were badly needed! Appreciated
Now I got my mistakes in freestyle swimming technique. These tips will definitely help me improve more. ❤
Great video Fares!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Ive been barely able to swim one length all my life despite being a reasonably strong build and having practiced a fair amount. After watching this video i realised ive been doing literally the opposite of everything this guy does so this really helped. Thank you!
Huh? How???
The bonus tip is really important, thank you!
Best swim channel out there hands down! These videos have been a huge help! Thanks!
Wow, thanks for the kind words, Robert! You're so welcome - happy swimming :)
Kicking! Always the last in kicking drills
i’m was quite a average swimmer in my group but now i am the top fastest and most technical person
Gooood job on your progress (now tell me what did you dooooo???) 😂
Videos please.
Best channel for swimming out there ... this guy is in real shape .. keep it up
Appreciate it! 🙌
This is great. I am training to do Triathlon one day. Thank you!
Another tip that i find helpful, is right before your palm hits the water, to angle it a little bit (horizontally) preferably towards your body, to have less water resistance, then angle it back under the water to push yourself. It has very small effect but with time i got used to it and now i do it unconsciously.
Thanks for this whiteboard & video. Long time swimmer, know most of this info. But the last 2 months I've been swimming as recovery from a patella fracture and ankle fractures. Swimming was great at first, but I'm at a plateau. Needed good reminders before swim tomorrow morning. Need to find the 😊 joy
I can SO relate & hope you’re back to enjoying your swims & that your recovery has progressed well. I’m currently only able to swim upper body due to a femoral neck stress fracture, & while I’m SO thankful that I was already a swimmer, that I’m able to do anything at all to keep moving, & that I haven’t killed myself whilst getting out/ away from the pool on crutches while wet & slippery🤪. But…even w/ paddles & drills there’s only so much variety to be had in a pull only workout (not to mention I think it had been 20yrs since I’d pulled anything other than free😂🤦🏻♀️).
Wow...very helpful indeed. Thanks. Subbed.
wow.. This is the best swimming techniques on You Tube... Great work Thanks a lot
Good for beginners. If your looking to tweak your technique to maximize speed, number 5 is not always correct. Check out Richard Quick’s straight arm technique for sprinting
Love you teaching style! Have already gained many skills from all your whiteboard Wednesday videos. Thanks for the knowledge!
Awesome! Happy swimming, Barry!!
Very informative video and the visuals were amazing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the Video.
This lessons are awesome and changing my swimming style...I could teach my son.
Thank you for your support! Please do, and grow the love of swimming!
Good video. I’m trying to learn to swim for triathlon in my 40s with KZhead, since no one will work with adults where I live. It’s TOUGH!
Good luck! Here's a video on triathlon swimming you might like: kzhead.info/sun/ga2HgZqBmmd4qn0/bejne.html
You are a good teacher. I have been told this some 100 times before but somehow I understand better now.
Glad to hear! Happy swimming!
I am so happy I watched this it helped me a lot and I am literally going to watch all of this channels vids
Let us know what you'd like to see next!
This is a great video! Congratulation for the useful content! I am telling this as an ex-swimmer & an ocean lifeguard..
Wow, thanks!
Very simple an accurate class... Thank you 🙏
What’s weird with the fist drill - I swim quicker doing this than when swimming normally! Great video and may result in me chopping my hands off 😀
I just can't believe! - over 6 years of swimming in the past in local swimming club as a teenager and noone discover my mistake yet! The freestyle was always very hard for me and I was wondering why? How? I was worried and ashamed, feeling weak! Because I was getting tired so much. Today I was analysing it and to be honest I was always wondering if my arms have to be that straight.. 😳 Couldn't find information about that even in Internet. I just found it in your video! What a relief! Thank you! 💙💙💙 I finally understood. Can't wait to go to swim again and try to change my super straight arms technique. I'm afraid if I can still change it though, I'm 30 now 😅 sorry this story is so long but I just feel like my life will change haha. Greetings from Poland! 🌊
This all points are really important!! 💯
Oh man... thanks for the tips on not doing the arms super straight. I never had formal lessons, and thought I was supposed to do an almost perfect windmill motion. I will have to work on that!
You've got this, Jennifer! Keep it up and happy swimming :)
Thx coach. Very useful
helped me a ton it was recommended by my swim coach.
Just getting into this, last time I went to the YMCA a week ago and Im just healing from a broken ankle. I noticed the lifeguard looking at me and I felt she was probably subconsciously judging my shitty swimming skills, I don't really wanna go now but I'm glad I watched this 😂
I swim regularly at my local Y, and chat with a lot of the guards. None of them are judging your swimming: they're actually cheering you on, getting out there and trying to improve. They may notice if you look uncomfortable, that's they're job, to keep you safe: they seldom have to save a regular lap swimmer, it's the kids who don't know what they're doing, or are horsing around that need rescue. (They tell me the 6am, swim-before-work crowd is the easiest shift for guards)
@@RossReedstrom you're a good person, Ross! i love this comment ♡
@@RossReedstrom as a former guard/ pool supervisor/ instructor/ coach - & now one of those early morning lap swimmers at the Y myself - I couldn’t agree more on all fronts!👍🏻👍🏻
Yeah it’s kind of annoying when people just sit around and stare at the swimmers. I prefer 5:30 am - 6:30 am or after 8am swimming. Evening swimming is the worst with people jumping in the pool and lots of horse play and disrespectful people. (24 hr Nautilus)
@@enriquet548 you get it lol
I really needed this video gonna try the fist drill I feel like my stroke is better but I’m sure I can pull more water I’m told I have strong pull so far but just to be more efficient for long distances since I’m a noob I’ll do that.
Kll Hukkrdmw 0
Amazing video, never thought about the straight arm point! I will defiantly make sure to watch it next time!
Let us know how it goes! Happy swimming :)
Perfect! Thank you!!! I needed this video this morning. 🎉
You are so welcome! Happy swimming, Amy :)
6:24 a fish watching. Waiiiiiit im not a fish
Thx so much i think this will help me a lot
You bet! Happy swimming!
Glad it helped! Happy Swimming!
@@FaresKsebati thx
Thanks for this 😊
Excellent tutorial!
I was feeling self conscious of how i swim and watching this i realize i do things correctly but this video def is helping me realize what i can improve =3 thank you for this!!
You got this! Keep it up and happy swimming :)
When you say exhale do you mean while my face is in the water. Thank you so much for this info! Your Amazing Brother!
Yes! exhale through your nose while your face is underwater, and inhale with your mouth.
@SunsetKhaliyah no, inhale with mouth when you lift your head
That is revolutionary! Well done and thanks a lot for making such an informative video. I’m glad I found you in my feed! Already subscribed ❤
Thanks for tuning in and welcome to the MySwimPro community!
Another brilliant video thank you sooo much!
Thanks for tuning in, Natalie! Happy swimming :)
Wish I saw your videos before joining the Marine Corps a few years ago, lol but hey... I hope this reaches all the iron ducks lol 😂
Partially disagree with looking straight down, it depends on your anatomy. I did this for years in open water and kept drifting to the right (yes, I breathe to the right only, old neck injury from hockey) and even in the pool I would fight the tendency to drift right. Between me and my coach (former Olympian, so no slouch), we finally figured out that my head sits way forward on my upper body and is not a straight extension of my spine. The result was that when breathing my head was to the right of my center line, acting like front mounted rudder. Solved by looking at a 45 degree angle and with my head already below my centerline, no leg drop.
Correct, eyes should not be directly straight down, but ever so slightly looking diagonally forward. This is difficult for most so it’s easier to say straight down. The goal is to have a straight spine.
Much appreciated. Thanks
At 77, I don't use the word awesome much, but this is. Thank you. You are GREAT! Aquatic therapy, swimming and certifying instructors in therapeutic exercise, swimming, personal training, common medical conditions, etc., is my 4th (simultaneous, because I never stop one while merging into another dimension) 60 year career/profession. The first--Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Poetics and Comparative Literature and Professional/ Scholarly Creative Writing. What dos that have to do with swimming and water work? Everything. Everything on your white boards is precisely what I teach aquatic instructors and classes: body position is in vertical position Posture. Posture posture posture. Critical. The catch: absolutely on target: how those hands and fingers are used, which fingers enter the water first, finish, and at what angles, crucial. Every finger and angle controls a different muscle group in the arm or should or leg, and the combination on the core is breathtaking, oops, rather giving. Breathing. the most important thing besides alignment and posture. Lever length:of course--you work the leg from the hip, which is the top of the leg where it joins the torso, or the shoulder head where it joins the chest and the arm. The longer the lever the more powerful the stroke. And so on, right down your six major points, which I just LOVE! Thank you, I have subscribed!.
Thank you so much for sharing, Lucia! Appreciate your feedback - happy swimming :)
Cool. What about shoulder rotations in the water? How far over should a shoulder dip as one pulls? I tend to keep my arms straight but dig deep as I pull dipping my shoulder further into the water from side to side. I'll make a point from now on to bend my arms more, but I'm still wondering what proper shoulder movement should look like. Thanks!
It sounds like you are over reaching to the 12 position instead of the 1 and 11 position, therefore you are over rotating and over dipping that shoulder. You probably have figured that out already by now, but I mention it just in case.
great video btw
hey mate
he mate i wanna slip it in in adiin \@@samatkins2730
I'm glad you showed how the head placement affects your swim! Lots of tips in between.
Glad you enjoyed! Happy swimming!
This video really helps my teaching skills. It really explains the scientific facts of swimming. Thank you!!
Great video
Happy swimming!
Glad you enjoyed it! Happy training!
In freestyle you never really look at the bottom neither(as shown here).Try doing freestyle stroke looking 90 degrees down,lol,you'll see how hard it's on shoulders,awkward on the neck too(seems like stiff,uncomfortable).Because stroke is fast one and carries head,shoulders and chest forward,head position is somewhat forward slightly at some angle when you feel your stroke going smoothly,where you don't feel discomfort in motion of your arms and where stroke feels without obstruction.You never look 90 degrees down.
great breakdown, learn a lot. Thank you so much
Glad it was helpful! Happy swimming!
Omg I was embarrassed and saddened I hadn’t been in a swimming pool in 20 years . I can’t swim now actually never could. But when I started today I was looking a head and my legs feel down and I had a stroke like Friday 13 running away from Jason. I decided to listen to your KZhead video and keep practicing. Also add a instructor but your so on the point.
Great tips here!
I believe the crossing over is the most important one, it can permanently ruin your shoulders if you get into the habit of doing it
Thank you for the tips. I really need them because I don’t know how to free style but I started emulating it in the pool. These tips will help me to visualize the correct form to start drilling.
Thank you so much, Jen! Happy swimming!
"You my friend are not a fish". That one hit hard.