Stop Forcing the “Perfect” Arm Recovery Action

Why Your Arm Action Should Match You!

Hey Swimmers,

Just a quick one - remember, as a new user you’ve got until midnight on 1 December 2025 to jump on our Black Friday offer: 33.3% off an annual Swim Smooth GURU subscription, or the same discount on six months of access when paying monthly with the code BF2025SSMOOTH.

This deal is limited to the first 100 sign-ups and we’re getting very close to that number — so make sure you secure your spot while it’s still available. To find out more check the website or watch the fun video below (can you tell which movie trilogy is my absolute favourite?!):

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2026 Swim Smooth Experiences

We’ve had a massive amount of interest in our 6-day Swim Smooth Experiences for 2026 already - and haven’t yet publicly announced them! They will likely be filled immediately. If you want advanced warning, please email me on paul@swimsmooth.com so I can give you a heads-up.

We will be confirming the locations* and dates in next week’s blog, but please pencil in the following to your diaries if you are keen to attend:

• 1-7 March - Lanzarote

• 17-23 May - Mallorca

• 1-7 June - Mallorca

• 23-29 September - Crete or Croatia

*there will be additional dates and camp configurations offered too by our Certified Coaches that will be added to here in due course.

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Stop Forcing the “Perfect” Arm Recovery Action

Many athletes come into a 1-to-1 Video Analysis convinced that the key to swimming faster lies in the classic high-elbow recovery — the style so often promoted as the hallmark of “efficient” swimming. And at first glance, it does look beautiful. Elegant even. But beautiful doesn’t always mean better, especially in open water. The truth is simple: your recovery action must suit your body, your flexibility, your goals, and your environment.

This idea came into sharp focus during a recent session with Gerry, who — like many swimmers — had spent years trying to replicate that textbook fingertip-trail style. The more she tried to force it, the more strained and disconnected her stroke became. Her recovery wasn’t flowing; it was fighting her.

Let’s explore why this happens and what you can do about it.

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The Myth of the High-Elbow Recovery

A widespread belief in swimming circles is that a high elbow over the top of the water automatically means greater efficiency. But when we compare swimmers like Rebecca Adlington with her classic high-elbow recovery and Anna-Karin Lundin with her straighter, higher-hand “Swinger” style, we see that elite swimmers use very different recoveries with great success.

Both are world-class. Both are efficient. And both are radically different.

For pool swimmers, the fingertip-trail aesthetic may feel smooth and controlled. But for open water, where chop, swell, and shoulder mobility all play major roles, a straighter arm recovery can provide far better rhythm, clearance, and sustainability.

Efficiency is not about copying a shape — it’s about choosing a style that fits you.

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What We Saw with Gerry

Gerry, a dedicated open-water enthusiast, had been trying so hard to maintain a high-elbow recovery that it was working against her:

• She was lifting the elbow against restricted upper-thoracic mobility.

• Her hand was entering with the palm facing outward — adding significant shoulder stress and then effectively applying the brakes.

• Her left arm drifted across the centreline, especially when breathing.

• Her recovery lacked fluidity, creating shoulder tension.

• Her underwater catch was compromised by the forced mechanics up top.

Once we freed the recovery and allowed her arm to move more naturally, her stroke immediately relaxed, her entry smoothed, and her pull became more effective.

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Try This Yourself: Three Experiments to Refine Your Arm Recovery

Here are practical, swimmer-friendly ways to explore the same corrections we introduced to Gerry:

1. The Broken Arrow Drill

A superb way to break the high-elbow habit:

• Kick on your side with one arm resting by your thigh.

• Lift the recovering arm straight like a mast.

• Pause for two seconds to feel the rotation and posture.

• Bend the elbow slightly and spear the hand in fingertips first.

This drill gives you the “best of both worlds”: a clean, smooth entry without forcing the shoulder into awkward positions.

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2. The Javelin Drill (with One Paddle)

A brilliantly self-correcting exercise:

• Wear a paddle on one hand (use the left if you breathe to the right).

• Kick on your side with tall posture.

• Swim gently, breathing away from the paddle.

• If the recovering arm drifts inward or lifts awkwardly, the paddle will instantly reveal it.

This was a turning point for Gerry in eliminating her crossover and correcting her recovery path.

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3. Doggy Paddle for Better Catch Mechanics

Simple, powerful, and highly revealing:

• Head down, vision slightly forward and down.

• Pull through under the body with a bent elbow.

• Avoid straight-arm pushing — you’ll feel instantly how ineffective it is.

This drill forces great catch mechanics, which in turn encourages a more natural recovery.

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Final Thoughts

If you’ve been chasing the “perfect” recovery shape, it might be time to rethink it. Efficiency is rarely about mimicking someone else’s stroke. It’s about discovering a movement pattern that matches your own structure, flexibility, and environment.

Just like Gerry experienced, freeing the recovery often unlocks freedom — and power — in the entire stroke.

Experiment. Explore. And let your stroke become yours.

Thanks for reading - your Coach, Paul.