
Meet Ori Sela, open water coach and water therapist, explaining how the West swimming technique uses flexibility to reach goals without injuring the back or neck.
Four life-changing testimonials show how the West swimming technique enables weight loss, pain relief, injury recovery, and return to sport and work through freestyle swimming and pace control.
One of the most important swimming workout
Perform arm circles while walking to open the lungs and loosen the neck and lower back, keeping a streamlined hand about thirty-five centimeters from the waterline.
Practice circles with arms and gentle freestyle kicking, then transition to a slow stand to open the lungs. Maintain a neutral head position and prepare for the next exercise.
Practice the walking windmill to loosen shoulders, open lung capacity, and improve freestyle with loosening and gliding over about 10–12 meters, maintaining shoulders inside the water and balanced body posture.
Master the walking windmill drill by gliding underwater with straight, relaxed hands, touching water before glide to loosen the neck and avoid stress from gliding above the water.
Practice the three points in freestyle without fins: walk to view the palm, elbow, shoulder sequence, then glide with the elbow high and neck protected, face down.
Stretch arm across chest, feeling pressure on triceps and deltoid, then move the body to stretch between scapula and spine to protect neck and lower back while swimming.
1.8 Weekly tip: Set in your callender fixed days and times which you will dedicate to the training program. Scheduling your training in advance 2-3 times a week, guarantees your success and improvement.
Focus on swimming workout two by breathing hard while protecting the neck and lower back. Improve flow and glide with minimal neck movement and avoid rolling the body.
Learn to stand up with fins after transitioning from prone to standing, protecting the neck and lower back by rolling onto the back, folding the knees, and rising easily.
Learn to glide slowly with fins, drag the legs, and keep kicks light as you reach 10 meters. Roll and stand up slowly with fins to loosen the lower back.
Explore the West swimming technique drill of walking with the palm shape above and inside water to loosen the neck, improve body float, and reduce neck and lower back pressure.
Walk and glide with the correct waterline to master the underwater stretch depth in west swimming technique. Develop this drill to strengthen the lower back and improve flow for swimming.
Learn freestyle with and without fins, focusing on palm shape above and below water, swim 10–12 meters without breathing, and stretch the hand to loosen the neck and lower back.
2.5.1 - At the end of every round (12.5 there and 12.5 back), gently pull the end of the flipper towards yourself and slowly try straighten your leg (10 seconds each leg) and then continue the superman drill.
Roll from belly to back while kicking with fins, alternating from prone to supine every three seconds, breathe through the nose, and keep the neck and lower back relaxed.
Learn freestyle breathing by rotating 180 degrees and rolling onto your back every three strokes. Keep the palm upward, then breathe easier when your body is at 90 degrees.
Analyze your freestyle technique with expert tips by submitting a 15-second or 25-meter video for fast feedback from the instructor and team on breathing and neck and lower back alignment.
Learn the classic backstroke to float on your back, time breathing to protect the neck and lower back, and glide to breathe easily for smoother, better flow.
master freestyle without breathing in west swimming technique, with and without fins, by optimizing palm placement to loosen neck and lower back and by correct depth from waterline.
KP6 - Dragging legs:
Gently kick with legs, just enough to keep them buoyant (not in order to progress) and prevent the pelvis from stiffening up.
B or C Do not kick, allow extension of the arm to move the legs.
KP8 - Head position:
A - Gentle tilt of head downwards.
B or C - Neutral head with eyes fixed towards the floor.
KP13 - Duration of glide:
A - Glide 3 seconds from the moment your palm touches the water’s surface.
B - Glide 2 seconds until shoulder touches 1/2 chin -1/2 cheek.
C - Glide 1 second till shoulder touches cheek.
Learn to swim freestyle with breathing every two strokes, alternating right and left sides. Balance the body, exhale gradually to keep legs buoyant while you blow bubbles.
Master the freestyle elbow height to optimize the pull with no fins and no breathing, adjusting lift for flexibility to reduce neck and shoulder stress and improve buoyancy.
Swim the west classic backstroke with fins, float, kick gently, and sweep both hands from the thighs to the shoulders in a tee position, exhale and inhale for two minutes.
Perform an ankle stretch with heel on floor and toes to the wall to lengthen leg muscles, prevent cramps, and protect the lower back and knees, reducing drag during freestyle.
Head to knees stretch, a key hamstring stretch for West swimming technique, protects the lower back by lengthening leg muscles; alternate legs for 10 seconds, and adjust if pain occurs.
Step with one leg forward and the other back, bend front leg to stretch groin. Lift front leg if needed; this helps legs move and float better for swimming.
3.8 Weekly Tip: Your breathing in freestyle will improve due to the buoyancy principles. The more buoyant your body is, the easier it is to breath. Therefore, do not insist on breathing, just keep in mind your personal WEST key principles and your buoyancy and breathing will improve.
Learn to count strokes and understand its importance in freestyle, swimming in 12 strokes while training muscle coordination to float better with and without fins in the fourth workout.
Swim 25 m with fins, no breathing, then breathe when needed, stretch the right and left legs 10 seconds, and swim slowly to next 25 m to open the lungs.
Swim in the breathing position with fins for six minutes, covering 100 to 300 meters, alternating the right hand up and the left hand near the thigh every 25 meters.
Learn to count exactly twelve strokes in a freestyle drill with fins, coordinating breathing every stroke, and kick only at the end of the glide to protect neck and back.
repeat two to four 100s freestyle without fins, breathe every three strokes, flip on the back with palm toward the sky to turn without neck movement, rest 20–30 seconds.
Count strokes in freestyle to minimize strokes over 25m, focusing on palm shape and underwater depth, without kicking, with rest and stretch between 25m efforts to reach 18 strokes.
Master the inverted, upside-down streamlined stretch to lock elbows and extend the hands forward, improving floating and upper body engagement for faster freestyle swimming.
Practice 2 to 5 × 100 freestyle with fins in eight minutes, breathing every three strokes, aiming for twelve strokes per 25 meters, with 45-second rests between each 100 meters.
Swim 100 metres freestyle while breathing every three strokes, and count strokes each lap to compare differences across laps and assess fatigue versus glide, then finish with an eight-minute stretch.
Practice the behind-the-back arm stretch to open the lungs and chest, engage the scapula, and reduce neck and lower-back stress for long-distance swimming.
Record the exact distance from the first and third attempts of this freestyle 1k workout. Compare the difference in performance between those attempts.
4.9 - Weekly tip: shape of palm, depth of stretch, long glide and neutral head will assist you with reducing your stroke rate. A low stroke rate is created by extension of the glide and not by a stronger pull under the water..
Learn to control stroke count in a 100 meters swim, aiming for 12 strokes, and master the holy triangle linking stroke count, age-based pulse, and time.
Swim 100-400 meters freestyle with fins, alternating backstroke laps and kicks, with every fourth lap as normal backstroke, and optimize shoulder distance for flexibility to open lungs and improve buoyancy.
Learn to count your pulse in water and use it to pace freestyle training across warm-up, technique, and upper aerobic effort. Understand 50%, 65%, 75%, and 85% ranges.
Do 4-8 50s with 15-second rests to drill a streamline glide off wall. Apply options: no kick for glide, three-second kick, and two-to-four dolphin kicks in west swimming technique.
For each KP walk for 30 sec to see and feel that you do it correctly, and then practice same KP in swimming.
Angle between arm and forearm:
A - Angle when palm enters the water is 90 degrees
B - 120 degrees
C - 160 degrees
Learn the palm angle at water entry in freestyle, from 0 to 90 degrees, with drills to observe entry and practice breathing while feeling the hand enter the water.
Master the end of the freestyle pull according to your flexibility to avoid neck stress. Finish at inner, middle, or outer thigh, then walk a minute and swim with breathing.
Practice the holy triangle in freestyle by counting strokes and time per 25 meters, maintaining a 22-in-10-sec pulse and 65 percent aerobic pace across eight minutes.
Practice pacing a 100-meter swim with fins, hitting exactly twelve strokes per lap and maintaining a steady kick, for 10 minutes, 3–6 repeats.
Perform a four-minute sequence of arm stretches, choosing to target hands, legs, or neck, and repeat the routine three times for a complete arm stretches workout.
Know your exact 100 m freestyle time without fins during a focused workout, even when tired, with rest after 25–50 meters and pace checks at 65 percent.
5.9 Weekly tip: It is preferable to swim slowly and extend our glide with every stroke. Long efficient strokes will assist in the future with swimming fast with ease.
Before you go on to your next section it is important to send me a 15 seconds video of you swimming.
3 swimming tips can make a huge change and help you swim easier and faster.
How do you upload a video:
1. Go to: "The WEST way to swim" Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Swim-WEST-The-WEST-way-to-Swim-190256757788923/
2. Upload your video as a message.
3. Smile....
Master 200–400 meters freestyle with fins, practicing right-hand breathing, 25-meter kick drills, and switching hand positions, then breathe every three strokes and refine to 10–12 strokes per lap with Vince.
Swim eight 50-meter repeats within two minutes, increasing pace from 50% to 85% across reps, then repeat the drill and rest with light stretching between each 50.
swim 200 to 400 meters with twelve strokes per lap after an accurate streamline off the wall, push off and stretch, pause three seconds, then perform dolphin kicks before continuing.
Perform a 14-minute freestyle drill starting with four 50s on 20-second rests, then swim without stopping for the remaining time, with brief rests allowed near the wall if needed.
Eight 25-meter West freestyle repeats, focusing on glide and breathing; each 25m targets one element—palm cues, depth of stretch, leg drag, and head position.
6.9 Weekly Tip: Swimming at a high pace while maintaining a low stroke rate will prevent you from feeling tired right at the start.
swim a seven-minute warm-up of 200-400 meters, alternating backstroke and freestyle, with slow kicks, full arm extension, and one lap freestyle to prevent sinking.
Perform eight 50m repeats, alternating fast and slow laps while counting strokes to maintain a precise tempo. Glide efficiently and rest 20-30 seconds after each 50m.
Swim freestyle with fins for five minutes, then switch between freestyle and backstroke with 180-degree breathing to learn a smooth, neck- and lower-back–friendly, gliding turn from backstroke to freestyle.
Swim three to four 100m freestyle sets with fixed time intervals, rest between efforts, and progressively increase pace to swim longer distances faster, using breathing control and precise pacing.
Learn to swim freestyle with arm stretchings, including hand-to-chest and elbow-behind-the-head stretches, by swimming 50 meters slow then eight minutes of stretches to lengthen the upper body and swim faster.
7.8 Weekly Tip: During the main sets we will attempt to think about swimming fast but without burning out your body. You must find a balance between effort and recovery. By this time you should know your exit time and the exact pace you need to swim in.
Swim freestyle with fins for eight minutes, covering 200–400 meters and breathing every five strokes. Rest on the wall for 10–20 seconds if needed, maintaining slow, controlled breathing.
Learn a 3-5x50 fast-slow swimming drill, counting strokes on the fast lap and two fewer strokes on the slow lap, with rest to cultivate a long glide.
Learn to swim 3–5x50 m repeats with 20-second rests using long doggy paddle (freestyle) to glide with minimal elbow movement, then switch to freestyle to reduce drag and swim faster.
Establish a fixed interval pace for eight to twelve 100s in 35 minutes, with 30–45 seconds rest between reps, and use the first 100 to set and chase target time.
Learn west swimming technique for freestyle: pull at waist level with elbow near the water, glide 20 cm, swim 6–8x25m with rests.
Finish every workout with six minutes of stretching, three for the hands and three for the legs, to protect the neck and lower back and prep for the next session.
8.8 Weekly Tip: The underwater pull is not important! Swimmers often mistakenly think that the number of strokes and speed improve by changing the underwater pull. However, it is important to note that extension of the strokes and improvement of buoyancy by relaxing the body as well as adjusting the stroke to your physical build will assist you in swimming more accurately and efficiently without thinking about the underwater pull.
Our goal in this workout is to try to control swimming exactly 5 seconds faster in each 50m( in th 9X50m)
Perform a 200–300 metres freestyle warm-up with glides, breathe every three strokes on the fourth lap, and use a doggy paddle with elbows inside the water to promote strong pulls.
Execute a 50-meter freestyle drill with increasing pace: start at about 65% effort, then each 50 m is 2–3 seconds faster (around 1:28, 1:26, 1:24), resting 15–20 seconds between efforts.
Swim a controlled 200 meters at 65–75 percent, timing breathing with the water touch and glide to protect the neck and lower back; finish slowly for the next drill.
Perform 6–8 x 25 m swims with 30 seconds rest, stretch 15 seconds, switch between palm strokes for 15 seconds, aiming for a long, easy freestyle in west swimming technique.
Estimate your 1000-meter time by pacing five 200-meter repeats at your controlled pace, adding 30 seconds per 200, and multiplying to predict the 1000-meter time for the tenth session.
9.9 Weekly Tip: It is very important to be aware of your stroke rate as a measure of your efficiency in the water (which regresses the more tired you get). If you see that your stroke rate rises by more than 2 strokes per length, it is time to stop, stretch lightly and continue. It is more important to swim correctly than swim long distances incorrectly. The habits you implement will stay with you in the future- Ensure they are correct.
The best swimming technique in the world to treat lower back pain
Learn to swim freestyle from zero to hero, from 0 to 1000m freestyle
Swim with Ori Sela an Hydrotherapy expert, National Israeli open water coach and founder of this revolutionary hydrotherapy swimming technique called WEST.
The only online swimming course which is personalized to each and every swimmer.
More than 100,000 swimmers in 150 countries learned and treated lower back with WEST swimming technique.
The WEST freestyle swimming course will teach you how to swim in the healthiest swimming technique in the world!
The WEST swimming technique relaxes your body, treats neck/back pains and helps your recover after any injuries you may have.
Today we understand that one must adjust to his physical abilities and lifestyle, rather than force his body to train in one general way.
The WEST swimming technique is based on 3 factors suiting itself to each swimmers body shape, physical ability and lifestyle. The technique is specifically modified in order to ensure that each individual swimmer benefits.
Today's modern lifestyle has taken its toll and nearly 70% of the population suffer from neck and lower back problems (mainly caused by stress and overloading.)
During this course you'll enjoy and gain greatly from the many swim WEST benefits and hopefully feel the positive impact it has on you and your quality of life.
The only personalized swimming technique in the world
In this course:
1. Learn and improve your freestyle swimming technique.
2. Learn how to swim taking a breath after every 3 strokes, also learn to swim 1000 m freestyle with a loose and easy swimming technique.
3. Get 10 different swimming workouts - every swimming workout has 10+ videos that will help you understand exactly how to do each training drill.
4. Learn how to stretch your muscles during and after your swimming in order to protect your joints and elongate your muscles - this is really important and helps prevent injuries!
5. If you practice 2 days a week, the course will take you 15 weeks, if you practice 3 days a week, it will take you only 10 weeks.
6. Learn to swim according to your flexibility level and understand the difference between you and Olympic swimmers.
The amazing thing about the WEST swimming program is that you don't need to think!!
We've done all the thinking for you- you just need to swim!
All you need to complete the course is a swimsuit, fins, goggles and a big smile!
Come on, jump straight in!