David Marsh's Next Wave Technique: Starts

with David Marsh,
Cal Berkeley Men's Assistant Coach;
Team Elite Aquatics (San Diego) Head Coach;
Israel Swimming Association Professional Adviser;
UCSD Head Coach from 2017 to 2019;
2016 USA Women's Olympic Team Head Coach;
14 Marsh-coached athletes competed in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympians Games;
Head Coach, SwimMAC Carolina from 2007 to 2017 (3 consecutive USA Swimming Club Excellence Championships);
Auburn Head Men's and Women's Coach - 1990 through 2007;
12x NCAA Team Championships - 7x for the Men's program, 5x for the Women's program;
including Men's/Women's sweeps in 2003 (1st time in NCAA history to have a Men's/Women's coach sweep Championships) , 2004, 2006 and 2007 ;
8x NCAA Coach of the Year;
3x USA Men's Olympic Team Assistant ('12, 00, '96);
has coached 49 Olympians from 19 different countries;
2000 & 2003 National Collegiate and Scholastic Swimming Trophy;
North Carolina Swimming Hall of Fame - 2016;
Auburn Swimming Hall of Fame - 2015;
competed at Auburn (5x All-American; backstroke)

Twelve-time NCAA National Championship coach David Marsh shows you how to establish a straight, tight entry line to maximize carrying speed from the start into the water. He covers traditional start drills as well as creative and innovative drills he has developed while working with his world-class swimmers maximize their starts.

Forward Starts
Beginning with forward starts, Coach Marsh addresses safety considerations, pre-race routines, and proper set-up on the blocks. His forward start progression trains swimmers to execute safe starts with the correct body line to carry the power of the start into their race. He discusses the differences in forward starts for freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly, and covers relay exchanges from approach to finish, demonstrating exchanges for freestyle and medley relays. Coach Marsh also addresses common forward start errors and shares drills that can help swimmers correct these errors.

Backstroke Starts
In backstroke starts, Olympic medalist and world record holder Nick Thoman describes his newer style powerful backstroke start. He begins with a straighter back and places his feet higher than in the past. He focuses on getting as much distance as he can and enters the water on his ideal backstroke line instead of the more traditional high amplitude start. Coach Marsh addresses adjustments that must be made for different starting conditions. He discusses transitions and demonstrates a staggered stroke breakout technique that can get you up and into your race with power.

This season, carry the power of your start into your race and take full advantage of your speed off the block.

48 minutes. 2014.