Your Freestyle Problems Are Messages — Here's How to Read Them

Sinking legs. Gasping for air. A stroke that falls apart after one lap. After 40 years of coaching, I can tell you these are not three problems. They're three messages. And once you learn to read them, improving your freestyle becomes so much simpler.

I'm Audrey. Imagine you visit a doctor because your knee hurts. The doctor hands you painkillers and never asks why your knee hurts. You'd find another doctor.

Swimmers often respond directly to the part they can see: “I lift my head, so I'll force it down. I kick too much, so I'll kick less.” Sometimes the visible action is the main issue. At other times, it is the body's response to something happening elsewhere in the stroke. That is why observation comes before correction.

Your body is always trying to solve a problem. When freestyle feels difficult, it's giving you information — not failing you. So instead of asking “what mistake am I making?”, ask: “what problem is my body trying to solve?”

Possible messages worth exploring

Always out of breath? One possibility is that the exhale is being held or delayed, leaving too much to do during the brief turn for air. That points toward the Foundation.

Lifting your head to breathe? One possibility is that your body does not yet trust the combination of support, rotation, and timing needed to meet the air. That also points toward the Foundation.

Legs sinking? Several things may contribute, including hand depth, head position, tension, breathing, and alignment. Begin by observing what changes at the front of your body when the legs drop.

Working hard but going nowhere? One possibility is that the hands and forearms are moving through the water without creating a useful hold. That may point toward Catch & Power.

Everything works, then falls apart? Notice which part changes first. The earliest change may offer a clue about which floor needs more attention.

The pattern

You see it — the messages aren't random. They point to floors of a house. Foundation. Catch and power. Flow. Integration. Build one floor at a time, and many of the struggles above it may begin to change.

I created a free two-minute Stroke Check to help you reflect on what you are experiencing and identify a useful place to begin.

Try this on your next swim

Change one word. Not “what am I doing wrong?” but “what is my body trying to solve?” Pick your loudest symptom, and just get curious about it. Learning happens when we notice.