{"id":68236,"date":"2021-10-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.arenaswim.com\/uncategorized\/learn-correct-hand-position\/"},"modified":"2021-10-13T15:22:25","modified_gmt":"2021-10-13T13:22:25","slug":"learn-correct-hand-position","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.arenaswim.com\/en\/training-technique\/learn-correct-hand-position\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Perfect Your Freestyle Hand Entry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting a stronger and more efficient freestyle is the goal of almost every swimmer. Who wouldn’t want to become even faster at swimming’s fastest stroke? When freestyle swimming, it’s all about perfecting those little nuances, such as your arm stroke and <\/span>leg kick<\/span><\/a>, if you want to keep up with the elite swimmers of the sport.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the most important parts of your freestyle stroke happens in the water, and this all begins with the way your hand enters the water\u2019s surface. A good hand entry can lead to a good freestyle catch and freestyle pull. It\u2019s the setup of the most labor-intensive and results-heavy phase of your freestyle technique.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we’ll use an experiment to find out if your freestyle hand entry needs improvement. We’ll also provide pointers and give you an idea of some of the most common mistakes that can affect your swim stroke. A perfect freestyle swim is a sum of its parts, and you really can <\/span>improve your freestyle<\/span><\/a> on every section of the stroke with different drills.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is Your Freestyle Hand Entry on Point?<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"Underwater<\/p>\n

How many times have you been told, \u201cClose your fingers. Otherwise, you won\u2019t catch the water\u201d?<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, when you swim, you have to think of your hands as paddles.<\/span> The larger and more compact the <\/span>surface area<\/span>, the greater the pulling force will be through the water. Sure, it doesn\u2019t all depend on the hands, but these have an important role in the efficiency of the stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n

To help you understand how the position of your fingers can vary the efficiency of your stroke, try out this simple experiment the next time you’re in the pool or <\/span>open-water swimming<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Swim 25 meters (m) <\/span>freestyle<\/span> using the various swimming techniques described below. Keep track of the number of strokes needed for each lap. Make sure you get plenty of rest between sets and record your results.<\/span><\/p>\n