Dryland - EVF Isometric Exercise

There's actually a discussion starting on this in the Race Club Forums. I think this is something that could bring up a controversial discussion as is doing the under water fly kick.

The video is great. I was visualizing my elbow pointing towards the ceiling.

Yah! Great to see more info out on EVF & the dry land exercises to promote it!! I coach both high school girls & masters & have been working to increase shoulder and forearm strength for years!! thanks so much & keep up the good work! FYI: I have had great success with very light weight stretch cords in working these muscles. :)

This is a great and very helpful video! Will use this on my swimmers.

LOL. Thanks Robert. Too funny. If you want it before next week... visit Kara Lynn's page and click the BUY button. :) Thanks for the post.

If a drill helps a swimmer feel and then do a movement skill well, then add it to your tool box. If this floor based isometric action helps, then add it to your tool kit.

Another thought with a fairly similar drill is to kneel on the ground with a stability ball in front of you. Carefully place your palms on top of the stability ball so your back is flat and level and you hold a horizontal line from your hips / waist along the core and torso to the ends of your fingers - the palms being on the ball. Ideally your hands are a tiny bit past the top center of the ball - slightly onto the other side (essentially on top still).

Now press your palms against the ball so your finger tips orient downward and feel that set; that EVF anchor position.

Now try the same drill only this time initiate the movement by carefully and slightly rolling the all forward so your hands are now slightly on the far side of the ball and press. You can now feel a steeper angle of the forearm with finger tips oriented downward for the catch (anchor).

Notice the upper arm barely moves early in the action which lets you "set" the EVF and also minimizes bad drag. "Bad Drag" occurs when the forward limb "drops off the line" early with little or no elbow bend (often from rushing things or lifting the head out of neutral).

Similar to Barbara's floor based drill, the elbows will be higher after the "press" and the movement is a rather small one - to feel and set into the "anchor" position.

Hope this helps or can at least be another tool to play with in your swimming drill tool kit.

Kopie

I have been working on EVF this year, but keep on going back to my "old ways". This video was especially helpful b/c it shows an out of water drill which I think is easier to practice and 'reset' muscle memory so to speak. Thanks!

I use a very similar mat exercise to yours, but with a different emphasis. My goal with the exercise is to improve the swimmer's ability to rotate their arm externally, so that they can get their elbow "on top" and into an EVF position. I emphasize the movement - rotating the upper arm in the shoulder socket - in fact rotating the the entire shoulder toward the head. So I leave out the flexing part, tell them to move very slowly at first, and perform many repetitions (usually two sets of 25). When the movement can be performed comfortably, we start working on doing it faster - but still no flexing in a fixed position. I've tried variations using just one arm at a time or both together, flat on the floor or lying on a bench (with arms horizontal and unsupported), or starting with the arms at 9-10 o'clock and easing forward toward the 11 o'clock position as they progress. Regardless of how the exercise is done, it seems that almost anybody (including older folks) can dramatically improve their ability to get into an EVF position. Whether they can apply force effectively from that position (and at that instant) is another whole matter. But I would rather deal with the issue of pressing on the hand only after I know that the catch is as high, and as vertical and as early as it's going to get.

Apparently we all want a free DVD.

However, I have just been learning how important the scapulae are for swimming in general. So this is possibly a too-advanced exercise for my rotator cuff right now (will try it out anyway). Who knew that swimming with the shoulders was so important? (As opposed to the pecs?) Try lying on the ground on your back and raise/lower your arm straight up to the ceiling without engaging your pec. Very challenging. Very important.

OK. Must try exercise right now.

No pain! Seems like another good scapular stabalization exercise as well as memory for EVF.

Great exercise! Kara Lynn's video at the beginning really brings home the technique in the water too. I found that trying to be more streamlined was defeating my efforts to maintain a high elbow. The "lifeguard" drill also helped me find the right hand placement to start the pull.

Excelent follow up to the high elbow film posted earlier......(The Dad)!!!!!...PS....looks like great additional excercise for Juliette's arm injury

Excellent drill. When taken to the water this very subtle rotation makes a world of difference! Also a very" shoulder friendly" drill for those with limited shoulder joint mobility. Thanks

I use tennis balls and a drill to help over compensate the pressure needed at the front of the stroke to create an early catch! By holding a tennis ball in each hand the swimmer can swim any stroke, but you have to complete it with focus! For this example it would just be freestyle!

Tennis Ball Swim
1. Tennis Balls Float - So you have to press down!
2. When Pulling Create a "C" shape with your wrist, elbow all the way up to your shoulder!
3. Control the ball(keep pressing down), don't let them float up this will make the elbow drop!

6-Kick Point "C" Pull
1. Do a arm-lead kick with 6 kicks on each side!
2. Once you've completed 6 kicks, Point the Finger Tips to the bottom, press and create the "C" shape, Pull down to the hips.

Try a set like below to create that neuro-muscular adaptation and by over compensating the press soon you'll automatically press the finger tips!

5 x 100 w/ :30 rest
1st 25 Slow Swim with Tennis Balls (focus on press)
2nd 25 Drill 6 Kick (Point "C" Pull)
Last 50 Build focusing on the press! (Start Slow and Build / If you loose the press slow down)

Good Luck!

Great drill! Thank you, Barbara!

I couldn't figure out EVF for a long time. My coach tried to help me finding a way to fix the issue. But so far no luck.

After watching this drill, I realize I don't have the strong muscles that help make it happen.

I will try this drill from now on. Thanks a lot!

James, the arms are in front of your face on Backstroke?!

Lovely, certainly solves the problem of getting in.

Great drill. I am posting it to my team through Facebook. This will get some responses from my kids I am sure.

Yesterday I was thinking man that sure is a lot of comments shortly after posting the week's video. In fact, most I have ever seen. Today I just now went through my email! lol.

Ok, I like free too :/

Actually, this drill did get my attention soon as I saw it then watched it. Great job Barbara and Glenn. As an older guy basically re-learning I am having a hard time with the whole EVF deal. Just recently started to "feel" it a bit here and there. However, I know the problem is strength and developing muscle memory so really looking forward to doing this! Just wish you had posted it about 3 months ago when I started! lol
PS Along the same lines, (learning EVF) I will be trying your 2 penny idea in your re-posted article.
If any of you have not seen that read the article about Coaching on a budget.

Good video. This exercise also helps to strengthen the shoulder and back muscles.

I do struggles abit while swim EVF cos I has strength problem so this exercise is vital to me but any more exercise to help me swim stronger on EVF stroke? many thanks

James, if you want to be born knowing everthing and being able to do everything, you live in the worng world. Stop whining and keep on practicing.

Re-tried it saturday in the pool. I figured out that using a kickboards would have helped me to better isolate the movement of the shoulders and the arms during the execution of the EVF catch. And in fact it worked and was gliding through the water like a charm. I don't know if it's me but the EVF catch seems to work better if I avoid swimming in a neutral position keeping the head a little bit more uplifted than usual. Anyway EVF seems yet out of my reach without a kickboards! I will try to do better next time!

You can stop posting now. Glenn was joking about the price DVD! :P ;)

I was just joking :) (Sorry Glenn, you know me. Silly as always :))

Grear EVF dry land exercise, really makes you concentrate on your shoulder muscles.

REg., U.K.