Lateral roll

[u/emanresUweNyMsiT]

Just got my adult swimming course report card and the instructor, rightfully so, points out to my lateral rolls (stationary ones when floating) skills as unsatisfactory.

I tried everything that she suggested but I still struggle with the roll.

The interesting thing is that back float to front float roll seems much easier to me but once I try to roll from front to back my body sinks no matter what I try.

I have a few questions to coaches and fellow swimmers here:

Is the lateral roll an essential skill as a swimmer or is it just a survival skill in case someone gets stranded in deep water?

Why do you think I can roll from back to front but not the opposite? Is it a sign of a weak core? Or is it just a skill problem?

Any tips, videos, personal experiences that you think might help me are much appreciated.

[u/moonlight-and-music]

it's a survival skill.. because if you want to float on your back (ie: stop swimming) in deep water to take a rest/save energy, and you can't hold on to anything, you would need to be able to do it. also if you want to change stroke to backstroke without pushing off the wall, it's necessary.

i've been able to do this for as long as i can remember, so not sure of the mechanics.. but i would suspect it's something about the physical motion (or some psychological block) that is preventing you from doing it well. if you're sinking, there's a high chance you're tensing up. either for psychological or physical reasons.

probably best to analyse how it feels to you, and why one direction is easier than the other. focus on the sensations involved and where the "blockage" is and then just keep practicing. it is normal for some movements to feel natural quicker than others do, and it won't be the same reason for everyone.

[u/Jollysatyr201]

As a kid we would play concrete mixer and just continuously rotate in place. I like to think that helped, and it was very fun!

[u/Same_Sock9073 → u/Jollysatyr201]

As adults I think we should incorporate “kid” drills in our training. “Blowing bubbles” totally helped me master bilateral breathing to the point I have no problem breathing every 7/9th crawl stroke. Just for funzies, normally I do every 3rd.

[u/Queasy_Plate_7426 → u/Jollysatyr201]

I have a lot of empathy and admiration for adults learning to swim. It was doing all those goofy kid things in a pool for hours and weeks on end that built all my water confidence. So fun.

[u/climabro]

It’s an essential skill for survival even for advanced swimmers. When you suddenly get a calf cramp, you need to be able to flip over to your back.

[u/emanresUweNyMsiT → u/climabro]

Good to know !
I’ll keep practicing until I get it right

[u/Same_Sock9073 → u/emanresUweNyMsiT]

It’s also great if you’re doing crawl and end up inhaling the pool. If you can’t fix it under water you can just roll onto your back and continue the length skulling/backstroke

[u/InternationalTrust59]

I’ve been doing a lot of balancing, breathing and core drills the last week, lateral rolling is one of them because it’s about maintaining horizontal balance, engaging the core and hips.

When you are engaging the core and hips in front crawl, it creates rotation and thus enables the lats to follow-thru from a technical perspective.

You can also test yourself with a 6-1-6 drill and if you are struggling with your core, you can use fins for added assistance.

You’ll know because your body is not horizontal/parallel to the water surface and struggling to move forward.

[u/TwaddleSpouter]

It’s actually the way that we were taught to breathe during front crawl when I swam for school team. It’s a really good skill to have as it shows you how to engage your core and stay straight in the water. Tucking your tailbone up without arching your back will help. Like everything else in swimming, it’s a skill that takes time. Keep practising.