sports science, research, training and performance
Sculling
A swim concept that will help further develop a great feel for the water is sculling. I like to think that swim drills either restrict bad habits or encourage good habits. Sculling encourages movements of the hand that help improve the feel for the water and the ability to hold onto the water.
Pathway of the hands
Swim coaches will lecture about how the hand movements under the water are always from slow at the front of the stroke to fast at the back of the stroke. This makes sense to avoid the issue of water slipping around the hand if you pull too hard too soon. Think of a front wheel drive car in poor conditions and how the front wheels slip if too much power is applied. With an improved feel for the water you will develop the ability to apply as much power as your stroke can control and make use of.
The FC pull when done well can involve some fairly intricate hand movements; these are not really something that can be taught. You could never calculate and implement the precise movements in degrees. Sculling will help you work them out for your self and strengthen your hold on the water.
When watching a good swimmers hand movements under the water you will notice the slight changes of direction the hand makes. These pitch changes and subtle changes in direction help avoid the issues of water accelerating quickly with the hand or slipping around the hand. Sculling makes use of the forearm as an extension of the hand to increase the surface area of the usable paddle. The motion comes predominantly from the elbow not the wrist. Movements of the hands should be symmetrical between left and right, keeping constant water pressure around the hands. Don’t cup the hands with fingers clenched tight leaving the paddle smaller then it need be.
Sculling is a motion that originates in the elbow with minimal movement through the wrist and with the hand sweeping in and out. The hands slice back and forth creating lift as the thumb leads slightly upwards when slicing in and then with the little finger leading up as the hands slice out. The pitch of the hand will change as the need to generate more lift dictates. At many swimming clubs when introducing sculling to youngsters, coaches often encourage them to just wave at the bottom of the pool while standing.
Chances are you have used sculling motions on a race start line to help manoeuvre yourself into position either while vertical or horizontal. Subtle changes to the hand positions and you can move forwards, back or sideways. I often think of scull movements as the small thruster jets that help manoeuvre the rocket into position! While balancing on the start line it is those small waves of the hands that keep you still while waiting for the gun.
Sculling can be practiced with the body in many positions – flat on your front or back and either feet or head first. You can also perform sculls as if you were sitting in a chair or upright in a crucifix position. Some more advanced positions involve being vertical and head down (for the synchro swimmers amongst you?!) Some coaches are of the opinion that no kicking should be done in any sculling drill as this gives you the chance to isolate the sculling motion and focus on it 100%. This might be something you need to work towards as your sculling improves, so start out using the legs (when appropriate) and keep in mind they are there for balance rather then propulsion.
Putting it into Practice
Practice the following Basic Positions for a length of each. Some positions can be used with fins/pull buoy if you are struggling with buoyancy in the early stages of your swim development. Once comfortable with a length of each create sets of 100metres. In a 25m pool you could swim 3 lengths of 3 different scull positions and then break into a strong full stroke FC length with 30secs rest between each 100m.
The first drill we will look at is the 3 position basic scull. In the first position there is very little lift needed so the hands stay quite flat, palms facing the bottom of the pool. In the second position the hands deepen (keeping the elbows high) meaning the pitch change of the hands can be steeper to generate some forwards motion. The third position with the hands under the elbows can be used with the steepest pitch change to create the most forwards motion.
Basic 3 Position Hand Scull
Head first, prone body position. Face down with a gentle flutter kick for balance (non-propulsive)
Position 1) Hands outstretched in front, palms facing down, with a small waving motion of the hands at the bottom of the pool.
Position 2) Hands outstretched in front, pivot from the elbow, palms down about 20cm under the water level again waving at the bottom of the pool. The movement here is to originate from the elbow with a steeper sweep of the hands.
Position 3) Hands pointing down, underneath the elbow. In this position you can make use of the steepest sweep of the hands as you get to push the most water back and forth.
Pathway of the hands
Swim coaches will lecture about how the hand movements under the water are always from slow at the front of the stroke to fast at the back of the stroke. This makes sense to avoid the issue of water slipping around the hand if you pull too hard too soon. Think of a front wheel drive car in poor conditions and how the front wheels slip if too much power is applied. With an improved feel for the water you will develop the ability to apply as much power as your stroke can control and make use of.
The FC pull when done well can involve some fairly intricate hand movements; these are not really something that can be taught. You could never calculate and implement the precise movements in degrees. Sculling will help you work them out for your self and strengthen your hold on the water.
When watching a good swimmers hand movements under the water you will notice the slight changes of direction the hand makes. These pitch changes and subtle changes in direction help avoid the issues of water accelerating quickly with the hand or slipping around the hand. Sculling makes use of the forearm as an extension of the hand to increase the surface area of the usable paddle. The motion comes predominantly from the elbow not the wrist. Movements of the hands should be symmetrical between left and right, keeping constant water pressure around the hands. Don’t cup the hands with fingers clenched tight leaving the paddle smaller then it need be.
Sculling is a motion that originates in the elbow with minimal movement through the wrist and with the hand sweeping in and out. The hands slice back and forth creating lift as the thumb leads slightly upwards when slicing in and then with the little finger leading up as the hands slice out. The pitch of the hand will change as the need to generate more lift dictates. At many swimming clubs when introducing sculling to youngsters, coaches often encourage them to just wave at the bottom of the pool while standing.
Chances are you have used sculling motions on a race start line to help manoeuvre yourself into position either while vertical or horizontal. Subtle changes to the hand positions and you can move forwards, back or sideways. I often think of scull movements as the small thruster jets that help manoeuvre the rocket into position! While balancing on the start line it is those small waves of the hands that keep you still while waiting for the gun.
Sculling can be practiced with the body in many positions – flat on your front or back and either feet or head first. You can also perform sculls as if you were sitting in a chair or upright in a crucifix position. Some more advanced positions involve being vertical and head down (for the synchro swimmers amongst you?!) Some coaches are of the opinion that no kicking should be done in any sculling drill as this gives you the chance to isolate the sculling motion and focus on it 100%. This might be something you need to work towards as your sculling improves, so start out using the legs (when appropriate) and keep in mind they are there for balance rather then propulsion.
Putting it into Practice
Practice the following Basic Positions for a length of each. Some positions can be used with fins/pull buoy if you are struggling with buoyancy in the early stages of your swim development. Once comfortable with a length of each create sets of 100metres. In a 25m pool you could swim 3 lengths of 3 different scull positions and then break into a strong full stroke FC length with 30secs rest between each 100m.
The first drill we will look at is the 3 position basic scull. In the first position there is very little lift needed so the hands stay quite flat, palms facing the bottom of the pool. In the second position the hands deepen (keeping the elbows high) meaning the pitch change of the hands can be steeper to generate some forwards motion. The third position with the hands under the elbows can be used with the steepest pitch change to create the most forwards motion.
Basic 3 Position Hand Scull
Head first, prone body position. Face down with a gentle flutter kick for balance (non-propulsive)
Position 1) Hands outstretched in front, palms facing down, with a small waving motion of the hands at the bottom of the pool.
Position 2) Hands outstretched in front, pivot from the elbow, palms down about 20cm under the water level again waving at the bottom of the pool. The movement here is to originate from the elbow with a steeper sweep of the hands.
Position 3) Hands pointing down, underneath the elbow. In this position you can make use of the steepest sweep of the hands as you get to push the most water back and forth.
About the author of this blog post
Article reproduced courtesy of Dan Bullock M.I.O.S who runs Swim for Tri and is a highly regarded coach, winning awards as London Region Coach of the Year in 2005/6 and 220 Coach of the Year in 2005. Contact him on 020 7650 7880 or by email info@swimfortri.com or through their website: swimfortri.com.
© swimfortri.com
Tags: drills, sculling, swimfortri.com, swimming
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Comment by Steve Birtwistle on December 5, 2008 at 11:11am - Brilliant stuff. Had an elite swimmer explain sculling to me for the first time 2 nights ago, and then it was in my swim session the following morning, and I can feel how much it will help me actually get a good hold on the water. My problem is that I slip the water far too much and can't get a firm 'grip' on the water. Sculling is really going to help. Excellent article.
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Comment by dan bullock on December 7, 2008 at 4:19pm -
HI Steve,
try sculling with a set of speedo tech paddles (but do not use the straps) use the pressure of the water to hold the paddles to the hands. This will really help you feel the scull.
As for slipping - are your hands in an optimum position? too crunched up and you will not hold as much water, fingers too far apart and the water will slip through.
Try to scull in a 'chair position' with your fingers wide apart - you will struggle to keep your face above water. Similarly with the hands crunched up you will not hold as much and again struggle to hold water. I will upload a picture of chair scull so you can see the position.
All good wishes
Dan
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Comment by dan bullock on December 7, 2008 at 4:36pm
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Chair scull picture should now by on my 'page'
I would suggest an optimum hand position would be something that allows maximum usable surface area. As much as half a centimetre between the fingers would be effective having experimented with stroke counts at certain finger widths but this is all very pesonal etc depending on hand shape. With this much 'spread' you still get currents/airbubbles 'trapped' around the hand keeping the surface area effective and you holding the maximum amount of water.
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Comment by Steve Birtwistle on December 8, 2008 at 7:08pm
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Hi Dan
Thanks for your comments, very useful. I have just ordered the Speedo tech paddles. I think with me it's more from the forearms. I drop my elbow on transferring to the pull, so I'm not catching enough of the water and no matter what hand position I'm not able to 'grip' the water. But yes, I keep my hands not cupped, maybe my fingers are too open. Even with paddles I don't swim any faster!! I'm working with Harry Wiltshire as my coach and we've got some excellent drills to work on, and he's going to have a look at me swim in a couple of weeks, so hopefully we can find out exactly what I'm doing wrong. I think if I can get the catch right then it will all slot into place, as I have good extension and good body position, just no propulsion!! Must work harder in the water!!
I shall have a look at the chair scull and give it a go. Cheers Dan.
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Comment by Steve Birtwistle on December 11, 2008 at 10:58am
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Dan
Loved the article on the catch in thism onths 220 mag. It's gonna help me immensely as I know if I can get this right, my swim times will drop by a good amount. I was swimming 1:45 pace for 100m. With some sculling drills, dropping stroke count and focusing on a good catch I'm now down to a comfortable 1:35 in less than 3 weeks. Improved catch will get me down to a 1:30 pace which I will then work on swim fitness to hold over half ironman distance. So thanks for all the info, it's really helping!
Cheers
Steve
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Comment by dan bullock on January 9, 2009 at 9:26am
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Nice effort Steve, sorry for the delay in getting back to this! if you have any questions just let me know at dan@swimfortri.com
Once drag is eliminated and the tech is at a good level then adding the Catch is I feel the single most important element to creating propulsion and better speed. The early vertical forearm is one of the few common characteristics of all great swimmers. There are many variations across differing swim styles but this part appears common to all.
Just noticed the 'email when people reply' so will see comments now on a more regular basis!
Happy new year
Dan
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Comment by Steve Birtwistle on January 11, 2009 at 10:09am
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Happy New Year!
Just got back from swim camp with DrivnToTri yesterday. Fantastic day at Bath with Harry, Peter Freedman, Matt Henry and the fantastic Jaime King. They really know their stuff and it was a very intensive day, loads of discussion and analysis, video, pool drills and open water swim practice. Focus on the drills ws on sculling, and it was amazing to see how many on the camp had no idea what they were. But by the end everyone was loving it! And coaches noticed such a difference in everyone's strokes when transferring to full swimming after sculling.
I have identified where I am going wrong. My feet and ankles are acting like brakes, and my right arm is a bit low in the water, and there is too much sideways head/body movement. It's pretty much what I thought. But Harry and Jaime did say that I had good body position and leg kick was within bodyline and my catch and pull was very strong. Just goes to show the sculling drills and paddles have been working!! NOw I know I have to work on my streamline and hopefully I can be hitting my target race pace come the start of the season!
Thanks for your input!
Cheers
Steve
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