Artistic Swimming demands advanced water skills, requires great strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, artistry and precise timing, as well as exceptional breath control when upside down and underwater. Our USADSS artistic swimmers are passionate and enthusiastic - true T21 Swim Warriors!

Artistic swimming requires a lot of training time. Sessions are divided into land practice (flexibility and routines with music) and inside the water ( swimming, resistance, techniques and choreographies).

Below are some links and details about the techniques that our athletes are learning.

Barracuda Land Drills

Ballet Leg

1. Fina Description

Ballet Leg Position
Body extended with face, chest, thighs and one foot at the surface. Head (ears specifically), hips and ankles are in line. One leg extended perpendicular to the surface.

To Assume a Ballet Leg
Begin in a Back Layout Position. One leg remains at the surface throughout. the foot of the other leg is drawn along the inside of the extended leg to assume a Bent Knee Back Layout Position. The knee is straightened, without movement of the thigh, to assume a Ballet Leg Position.

To Lower a Ballet Leg
From a Ballet Leg Position, the ballet leg is bent, without movement of the thigh, to a Bent Knee back Layout Position. The toe moves along the inside of the extended leg until a Back Layout Position is assumed.

2. Description of Ballet Leg Technique

Body Extension and Posture
The body must be fully extended horizontally and vertically through the legs. The head should be in line and focused upwards; the neck should feel long and relaxed. Ears should be underwater, and the chin should remain dry. Shoulders are down and back, chest flat and wide.

Assuming a Ballet Leg
From the Back Layout Position to the Back Layout Bent Knee Position: The draw into the Bent Knee Position should begin by curling the glute muscles up toward the ceiling/sky. One foot should be drawn along the inside of the extended leg (make sure that the toe does not drop below the horizontal leg). The actual position of the big toe when the thigh reaches vertical will depend on how high or low the hips are in the water, but it must stay in contact with the thigh or knee. The goal is to keep the entire body (including the hips) at the surface but there may be a slight drop of the hips. It is important that the foot of the horizontal leg stays as close as possible to the surface. Focus on the upward movement of the kneecap instead of pulling the leg back towards the head. The top portion of the horizontal leg should remain facing up and dry throughout. Make sure the posterior of the body is engaged and lengthened. The neck should remain long and relaxed (giraffe neck), the shoulders down, with the chest remaining wide and flat.