March 10, 2026 - Win the First Yard

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Winning the First Yard in Swimming
Doug Cornish, a former technique-first coach with 23 years of experience, delivered a presentation on the critical importance of winning the first yard in swimming. He explained that elite swimmers create more velocity off the wall and slow down less between walls, emphasizing that winning the first yard is essential for success in races. Doug discussed the four sources of power in a push-off and the importance of proper setup and practice to improve performance. He also highlighted the significance of using visual cues, such as the lane rope and the shimmery surface of the water, to maintain the correct position during turns and push-offs.

Swimming Turn Techniques Discussion
Doug and Glenn discussed swimming techniques, focusing on turn strategies and the importance of maintaining the correct body position during turns. Doug emphasized the significance of the tailbone to fingertip line in determining the direction of movement and highlighted the need to minimize time on the wall while maximizing power. They also discussed the debate around hip distance from the wall, with Doug suggesting that coaches should adjust techniques based on individual swimmer needs. Glenn added that limb length and power-to-weight ratios should be considered when teaching turns.

Swimming Technique Analysis Discussion
Glenn and Doug discussed swimmer techniques, focusing on turn efficiency and underwater dolphin kicks. They analyzed videos of Olympic-level swimmers to identify optimal positions and movements, emphasizing simplicity and precision in coaching. Glenn highlighted the importance of maintaining velocity post-turn and shared insights from a video by Ricky Barons, who demonstrated strategic adjustments in underwater kicks based on fatigue. Doug noted that higher-level athletes are more receptive to identifying and correcting mistakes to improve performance.

Butterfly Kick Technique Discussion
Doug and Glenn discussed techniques for improving a swimmer's butterfly kick, focusing on the balance between belly side and backside positions. Doug emphasized the importance of holding water in both directions, particularly for younger swimmers who should aim for 80% belly side to avoid slowing down. He explained that elite swimmers often use a reverse kick that is as propulsive as their forward kick, but this is not common among age group swimmers. The discussion included analyzing video footage to demonstrate these concepts and the need for proper technique to maintain speed during underwater kicks.

Swimming Technique Kick Discussion
Doug and Glenn discussed swimming techniques, focusing on the importance of the kick for young swimmers. They emphasized the need for a majority of the kick to be on the front side of the body, particularly for those under 10 years old. They also analyzed videos of elite swimmers to demonstrate proper technique, highlighting the importance of keeping feet connected to the water in butterfly strokes.

Swimming Kick Technique Instruction
Doug emphasized the importance of teaching children the correct technique for swimming kicks, particularly the A-frame structure achieved through hip rotation rather than focusing solely on foot movement. He explained that proper kicking involves holding water on the up kick and catching water with the whole foot on the down kick, contrasting with current coaching methods that rush children into adding arm movements before mastering kicks. Glenn shared a historical video from 2003 demonstrating similar techniques, while Steven expressed interest in implementing these teachings with his staff and noted the importance of proper technique in competitive swimming.

Swimming Push-Off Techniques Discussion
The group discussed swimming techniques, focusing on the importance of push-offs and turbulence created by swimmers. Glenn presented a model demonstrating how swimmers' speeds and push-off forces affect their performance at the wall. He showed that increasing the push-off force and distance can improve a swimmer's performance, even if their speed remains the same. The discussion highlighted the need to adjust push-off parameters to gain an advantage, with Glenn suggesting that teaching these techniques could help swimmers improve their times.

Swimming Technique and Technology Discussion
The group discussed improving a swimmer's breakout point and underwater dolphin kicks, achieving a win by 0.03 seconds after adjustments. Doug explained a technique for practicing the butterfly kick using a lane rope, with participants agreeing to follow up on video content. Glenn demonstrated a HTML-based swimming simulation game he developed, which Monty suggested could be expanded to include various swimming concepts. The conversation ended with Doug expressing gratitude for the sport's advancements, particularly Glenn's contributions to swimming technology.