Getting Height on a Thrust

I think thrusts must be one of the most asked about skills out there. I often get questions about this skill. I am going to attempt to bring clarity to to the most common question about thrusts; getting height.

I believe to be successful at the thrust four things need to happen:

1. Athletes need accuracy in the movement of the body and hips into the vertical.
2. Athletes need accuracy of the hands moving past the hips.
3. Athletes need flexibility in the pike position and throughout the unroll.
4. Athletes need arm and hip strength.

Athletes need accuracy in the movement of the body and hips into the vertical

The movement of the hips needs to be a hip lift where the belly button is coming back into line with the hips. I like to think of it as if the body is trying to get into a “J” position. At the same time the body needs to remain as close to the body as possible. This is where most people get robbed of their height. They start to open up causing drag. The best swimmers in the world barely move their body. The body just slides back.

The hips need to lift like in flamingo roll back. If there is no lift and rolling under the hips the thrust may start to look like a porpoise lift.

Athletes need accuracy of the hands moving past the hips

If you examine the top swimmers you notice that their hands stay behind their hips before they press and the press happens anywhere from just past hips to shoulders.

Often swimmers flip their hands earlier because they are trying to push themselves up to the vertical line or trying to push their body back. More height comes from pulling the hips to the surface and using the body.

Athletes need flexibility in the pike position and throughout the unroll

The swimmers need to be able to get into a 45 degree or less pike position to start and then maintain that closeness to the leg.

Often the swimmers can get the 45 degree position, but as they unroll the body opens up. The chest and head must be as close to the body as possible until the vertical click at the vertical.

Athletes need arm and hip strength
It is not enough to have the mechanics correct the swimmers need to be strong. They need to have strong forearms and biceps to hold the arms parallel in the water before flipping the hands. Swimmers often lack the parallel arm position.

The hips need to be strong so that the athletes can drive the hips to the ceiling.

DRILLS for YOU

This one is good for body movement:

This drill is good for body and arms:

This drill is good for hips:

This drill is good for arm strength (however arms are not in the correct position due to the wall) and hip strength:

There are loads more thrust drills. I will do another post on thrust drills.

If you have any drills to share I would love to see them. Go over to my Facebook page and post them there.

Yours in Synchro,