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?
He's a whale, they have a breathing hole on the back side
it's ok, unless someone hits a golf ball that lands in the breathing hole. :D
I learned to streamline off the dive and walls with the strongest hand underneath, so the first pull would then be by one's stronger arm; this should result in more pulls per length by that stronger arm over the long-run. It's like a lead-off hitter in a baseball lineup - the lead-off hitter gets more at-bats per game and over the season, so you want a lead-off hitter to have the highest on-base percentage and be in position to score more often.
For me, my right arm is stronger and dominant, i also come off the wall on my right side, and breathe on the right. Based on James Adams' coaches' admonitions (you could hear it all the way over to the east coast), I'm trying not to breathe right side on breakout.
I think phelps and other elite swimmers don't have a "stronger arm," so for them the decision is technique based.
Thanks for the replies. It seems you all can start on either sides. I don't do the dolphin kick to start. I just push off the wall, and if I try to start on the side that I'm not used to, it is extremely awkward, almost impossible. I wonder if this is something I should overcome, to get used to both sides, or it is unimportant--maybe the main disadvantage is that in the long run it can result in the asymmetrical muscle development. I wonder if the professional swimmers deliberately train both sides, or are even required to do so?
In the grand scheme of things I'd say it's not that important.
Agreed.
One thing I would consider is whether or not you are trying to breathe on the first stroke. I breathe to my right side almost exclusively. I generally try to take my first stroke off the wall with my left (no breath). If I'm gassed (more common nowadays...), then I sacrifice a little efficiency and take the first stroke with my right arm and take that all-important first breath too. If you are having trouble starting with one side but not the other, I wonder if you're trying to breathe on that first stroke and that's to your normally non-breathing side.
How much time is lost breathing on the first stroke off the wall, compared to waiting for the next stroke?
Hard to say, but you want to carry your momentum from the turn. If you breathe first thing it's like throwing an anchor out.
