What I talk about when I talk about swimming

[marathondan]

Body roll – on a skewer, 45 degrees
Not sure if I do that.

Not sure about that one - 45 degrees, really? But it seems the body should be straight in a line, and rotating as on a skewer.

3 kicks per arm
Maybe..

This is variable; someone said 6, 8 or 10 per full cycle is acceptable (so I chose the lowest). But elsewhere I saw mention of a 2-beat kick (i.e. just one per arm).

Kick from hips
No, more of a wriggle of toes.

Many people, including Tom, have noted that runners tend to have overly rigid ankles when swimming.

Thumb enters first
Definitely plunge in fingertips first.

I think the sideways entry reduces drag. It's an easy one to fix, and certainly felt smoother for me.

Bilateral breathing
No

This is recommended for open water swimming, in case you get prevailing waves (or a splashy swimmer) on one side. But obviously also good for balancing up the muscle use.

Wow, there's more to trhis than meets the eye..

And this is just the basics...