Straight arm free

RE: Straight arm free

Former Member — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:11:50 GMT

Straight arm UNDER WATER ? Will this be a really heavy load on the shoulders? Actually it shouldn't be if you're pulling correctly. The load of the pull should really fall on your lats after you catch. And really biceps, while certainly used, are not a major contributor to the pull in free.

RE: Straight arm free

orca1946 — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:32:47 GMT

That seems to take the biceps out of the stroke. I tried it last night & was not impressed at all, of course, I'm not a sprinter.

RE: Straight arm free

orca1946 — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 05:47:40 GMT

That makes sense. I have found distance to be my forte. I prefer my high elbow & low fingers. something about an "old dog "& turning tricks, or something else like that !!!! L O L

RE: Straight arm free

__steve__ — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:46:51 GMT

The inward rotation of the upper arm which points the elbow more forward during high elbow catch seems to bug my shoulders more than with a straighter arm, even with the greater load in the joint. Which is probably why I choose shorter events.

RE: Straight arm free

knelson — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 03:05:53 GMT

Actually it shouldn't be if you're pulling correctly. The load of the pull should really fall on your lats after you catch. The shoulder is the rotation point and must react the moment produced by the arm's pulling action through the water. The straighter your arm is, the longer the lever arm will be, thus increasing the moment. I think you're right that most of that force is going to be reacted by the lats, but I've got to think the small stabilizing muscles of the shoulder are stressed much more with a straight arm pull.

RE: Straight arm free

__steve__ — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:27:23 GMT

Straight arm above and below the water works best for me, and the right arm does it more than the left. The straight arm recovery does seem to force my torso to the opposite direction some, and it happens as the other arm is catching

RE: Straight arm free

__steve__ — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:45:52 GMT

Not perfectly straight.

RE: Straight arm free

knelson — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:21:47 GMT

Straight arm UNDER WATER ? Will this be a really heavy load on the shoulders? Yes. Huge.

RE: Straight arm free

orca1946 — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:35:16 GMT

Straight arm UNDER WATER ? Will this be a really heavy load on the shoulders?

RE: Straight arm free

Former Member — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:36:38 GMT

What the arm does over the water as it recovers (as long as it doesn't sway or move away from the midline) isn't important compared to what happens underwater. Splashing, slapping, throwing arms over the water to speed up the recovery is now a norm in the 50 and 100 (they going to be breaking 40 seconds in the 100 and 17 seconds in the 50???). It takes a lot of energy to throw your arms like that and I suspect we'll see 200 freestylers doing it soon, as times drop.

RE: Straight arm free

Former Member — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 11:38:02 GMT

Is your straight arm recovery vertical wind-milling (like Manaudou), or more straight arm over the water surface? Rob, mine is more straight over the water surface, with a high elbow catch under the water.

RE: Straight arm free

orca1946 — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 01:57:26 GMT

I seem to remember Phelps toying with it & it did him no good/bad effects. I think he was just trying something new.

RE: Straight arm free

Former Member — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:40:37 GMT

Ok thanks for the information. I"m looking for a way to get a little bit faster turnover. I'm almost faster using a dang pull buoy then kicking. annoying.

RE: Straight arm free

Former Member — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:28:09 GMT

Yes, many do. You can get a faster turnover rate with a straight arm recovery. The downside of the straight arm is that for most people it generally less efficient and it puts a much greater strain on the shoulders. I find it to be less stressful on my shoulders. When I warm-up/down, I have tried to work on the high elbow recovery, but my shoulders start screaming. When I switch to a more straight arm recovery, I have no shoulder stress.

RE: Straight arm free

Rob Copeland — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:59:25 GMT

When I switch to a more straight arm recovery, I have no shoulder stress.Is your straight arm recovery vertical wind-milling (like Manaudou), or more straight arm over the water surface?

RE: Straight arm free

Rob Copeland — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 02:45:09 GMT