Episode #15 - Heavy or Not: Ernie Maglischo’s Coaching Manual Reimagined
Coach Mark takes us through the newly released Volume Two of Swim Coaches Primer by legendary coach and ISCA Hall of Fame member Dr. Ernie Maglischo. With fresh insight into hydrodynamics, stroke efficiency, and modern training science, this episode is a masterclass in swimming technique for today’s coach.
Key Points:
- Swimming in Syrup: Maglischo reminds us that water is 800 times denser than air, making drag reduction a critical coaching focus. He breaks drag into two types—resistive (bad) and propulsive (good).
- Body Position & Rotation: Proper alignment minimizes drag. Contrary to popular belief, too much hip rotation can cause inefficient side-to-side motion.
- Wave Theory: Swimmers generate internal and external waves—coaches should understand how forces interact with the body to refine technique.
- Active Drag & Measurement Challenges: Maglischo challenges traditional methods of assessing resistance and propulsion, pushing for more accurate metrics.
- Backstroke’s Third Peak: Top swimmers are adding a third propulsive phase in their stroke cycle, squeezing more power from every movement.
- Flip Turns & Underwaters: Small mistakes in flip turns can sabotage races. Dolphin kicks are becoming standard for maximizing underwater propulsion.
- Stroke Length vs. Stroke Rate: Efficient swimmers maximize reach without sacrificing tempo. Balance is key.
- Technique Fixes: Common errors like poor hand entry and excessive gliding are addressed with actionable fixes.
- Science-Backed Coaching: Emphasis on understanding why a technique works, not just what to do. Coaches are encouraged to think critically and adapt training.
- Training Specificity: Maglischo emphasizes that dryland improvements don’t always translate to in-water gains. Specificity is essential.
Is your coaching built on science or tradition? In Episode #15 of Heavy or Not, we explore Volume Two of Ernie Maglischo’s game-changing Swim Coaches Primer. From drag dynamics to stroke refinement, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about technique. Dive in—your swimmers will thank you.
This updated ebook from ISCA Hall of Fame Coach, Dr. Ernie Maglischo, is focused on the science of swimming. It examines the hydrodynamics of various strokes to optimize performance. The author analyzes techniques used by elite swimmers, considering factors like water resistance, propulsion, and body position. The manual also discusses debatable aspects of swimming, including breathing techniques and kicking styles. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying physics to inform coaching decisions and stroke modifications. Ultimately, the goal is to provide coaches with insights to help competitive swimmers improve their efficiency and speed.
Water is significantly denser than air (more than 800 times). This means the pressure impacting a swimmer's body moving through water is much greater than for a runner moving through air, creating more resistance.
Strategically placed ridges channel the flow of water in the boundary layer, reducing turbulence and inhibiting the development of disruptive vortexes (areas of turbulence).
Large ridges increase the total surface area in contact with the water, creating more drag, whereas ridges that are too small or misshapen may cause water to spill over the edges, creating cross-flow.
Swimmers should use only the amount of lateral kicking needed to breathe properly. They should focus on keeping their legs within the lateral confines of their body profile, as excessive kicking outside this profile can increase drag.
Good lateral alignment is the product of the summation of all propulsive forces.
Drills can help swimmers become more attuned to their body's position in the water. Practicing maintaining a certain stroke count over a set distance helps develop awareness of stroke length, while focused efforts on increasing stroke rate improve the speed at which strokes are performed.
Effective body undulation allows swimmers to engage more muscle groups to propel themselves forward through each stroke cycle.
"Feel for the water" refers to a swimmer's sensitivity and connection with the water, which allows them to apply force effectively. This can be developed through drills that focus on hand and arm position, early vertical forearm technique, and catch mechanics, leading to more efficient propulsion.
A streamlined body position minimizes the cross-sectional area exposed to the water, which in turn reduces form drag.
Stroke rate is heavily influenced by training load and Distance Per Stroke (DPS), while Stroke Length is impacted by how streamlined the swimmer is.