Tri Swim Coach Podcast · Dominic Latella

Rotation 101: Stop Overthinking, Start Swimming Better

·36 min·2 clips

The rotation comes more from opposite shoulder blades than from the hips alone.

The episode begins with camera and audio hiccups from the previous recording and a quick recap of how the last filming attempt worked. That aside leads into the main question: where does swim rotation come from, and why do the hip cues matter so much? Hips come up early. The coaches talk through hip weight and weight distribution, then connect the right shoulder blade pressing toward the butt with the obliques, the pelvis, and the upper body so rotation feels like the body organizing itself instead of forcing a twist. They keep returning to one point: do not overcook the cue and do not make blind changes. The drill stays intentionally simple. They describe a shoulder press or shoulder pump setup with both arms forward, fingertips a few inches below the surface, eyes down, a long spine, a tucked pelvis, and the legs pressing inward to keep the shape connected. The goal is sensitivity, not toughness. Small shifts in shoulder pressure, core tension, and leg engagement change how the swimmer floats, rotates, and breathes, which is the point of the lesson. The close lands on observation: notice where your rotation is coming from, how much of it there is, and get the information first before changing anything.

As heard by us

A direct reset for swimmers who overthink rotation.

Rotation 101 treats rotation as a usable reset for open water swimmers and triathletes, and it stays grounded by tying the movement to hips, obliques, shoulder blade position, and a simple prone drill.

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Why you'd press play

Fix your rotation without turning it into a mystery.

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