In freestyle and backstroke, perhaps everyone has a favorite side to start the first stroke, either left arm, or right arm, making the first pull. How many can start on both sides equally well? Even if not equally well, how many can nonetheless make a fairly okay start on the weaker side? Do the professionals train on both sides?
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Former Member
I don't see any advantage of starting with one arm versus the other in backstroke, so I'm sure I always pull with the same arm at the breakout. In free I can use either. I try to always pull with my right arm first. This is because I breathe to the right, so by pulling with my right arm first it causes me to breathe on the second pull rather than the first. When I get really tired in practice I'll sometimes pull with my left arm first and breathe right away, but I really try to do this as little as possible.
On starts, I have no idea which arm I pull first with. Since I always come off the wall on my left side after a turn, that dictates my left (bottom) arm must pull first. I suspect, due to that habit, I probably always pull with the left first off a start too.
I don't see any advantage of starting with one arm versus the other in backstroke, so I'm sure I always pull with the same arm at the breakout. In free I can use either. I try to always pull with my right arm first. This is because I breathe to the right, so by pulling with my right arm first it causes me to breathe on the second pull rather than the first. When I get really tired in practice I'll sometimes pull with my left arm first and breathe right away, but I really try to do this as little as possible.
On starts, I have no idea which arm I pull first with. Since I always come off the wall on my left side after a turn, that dictates my left (bottom) arm must pull first. I suspect, due to that habit, I probably always pull with the left first off a start too.
