Science of Swimming is a thread where we'll discuss the Science of Swimming. Please share links to scientific articles, papers, presentations, videos ... about swimming from a scientific point of view and lets talk about them. Please share your faves and new ones we find.
Here's a recent article some might find interesting.
Balancing High Volume: Building Blocks of Performance
May 21, 2012
Guest editorial by Jim Miller, MD FAAFP / Sports Medicine
I'm afraid I won't answer your question but rather reframe it.
What's early?
What specifically do you mean by early?
I'll put forth that until you can tell yourself unequivocally what "early" means in this context your question is meaningless. Also, once you set out your own definition of what "early" means you then need a way to measure whether or not you are attaining it. Unless you have a very clear definition and also a means to measure whether or not your are attaining it, then there's no way to even begin to answer the question.
Depending on one's definition of early, you may be doing it already.
Unfortunately for you, and all of us really; the people who write about early vertical forearm never tell us exactly what they mean in objective measurable terms. Another thing you'll never see is real data showing that a person who switches to that style is faster after switching.
Unfortunately the only reasonable method to measure is with a side view moving clip, about 5m out, slightly forward and below (or something). Maybe the person shooting wears a monofin, taking care not to transfer any undulation to the footage.
Ande,
I’m so glad you started this topic. There is nothing more important to the future of swimming than how we apply the many innovations supported by science.
The International Society of Swimming Coaching was recently founded with the express mission of integrating science into coaching. If you are a coach, I encourage you to join and become an active member - http://www.isosc.org/ There is no membership fee.
Rod Havriluk
Swimming Technology Research
By the way, Jim Miller also co-authored a paper on shoulder injuries.
