Please critique my wretched front crawl

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:04:38 GMT

Thanks again. Unfortunately, this video is a year old, and I have really improved head position. I keep it glued to the bottom of the pool (looking at the line). I may waver a bit, but just slightly. Steve, it's amazing you can tell that my left arm recovers, why is my right arm (stronger arm, breathing side) so lazy? It doesn't make sense, but that's what happens. I try alternate breathing, but really feel off, although I know it will even my stroke out. Fishy, thanks. I thought that my rotation to the right was better than rotation to the left, so I will focus on that today. You are all correct - I have a very lazy pull, and shouldn't have, since I am fairly strong in the upper body from weight lifting and playing tennis. smontanero, I do the six kick drill with fins, but somehow once I put the whole stroke together, I'm thinking "keep head still," "enter arms properly" "kick" "flex wrist" "pull through the whole stroke" "rotate". arrgghhh, something always gets neglected. It isn't a natural stroke for me. I envy those swimmers who swim miles of free so effortlessly. If I had 3 wishes, swimming crawl effortessly (and fast) would be one of them!

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:01:31 GMT

3) Try to really pull yourself through the water, not just cycling your arms through the motion. Well said. You don't put much (enough) force into your pull. You just cycling your hand. Afterall the majority of the speed comes from the hand pushing back the water. Your head is too high out of the water. - try to be as straight as possible in the water, with the least drag you can create. Also you don't rotate well enough. Especially to your right side (left hand recovery) , making your recovery arm too flat.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:53:14 GMT

One pic at the wall is not enough info you guys do know that if you click on the pic the video starts to play. :agree:

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

ourswimmer — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 03:25:26 GMT

somehow once I put the whole stroke together, I'm thinking . . . "flex wrist" Stop thinking that. Your forearm from elbow to fingertips should be one long flat paddle.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

knelson — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:23:52 GMT

A six-kick-switch drill might help, as it will give you plenty of time after each stroke to take stock of your body position and make corrections before taking the next stroke. I was thinking of the same thing. My team does a variant of this drill quite a bit. In ours we take ten kicks per side, then switch to the other side without having both arms out front.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:56:20 GMT

Fresnoid, sorry to ask this but, can you explain this in more detail: Rotate your torso more. Do I rotate the entire side or just my torso, so that my arms and legs are straight, and only the core rotates? Way more power if your body is much closer to perpendicular during the front half of a stroke, with the stroking arm down. I'm not sure what this means. Do you mean that when my stroking arm has entered the water? And what position should my body be in? : )

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

smontanaro — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:15:47 GMT

I wonder if it might be because you've learned to look forward, instead of down, after the breath to the right. This is one of the things I constantly have to work on. While my breathing to the left generally sucks, at least my face automatically goes back to the neutral position. When breathing on my dominant side (where I breath 90% of the time), I often catch myself returning my head to a slight forward-looking position. I doubt it takes a lot for your hips to sink a bit. Looking at your video clip, I would suggest that your head seems to always be elevated. Focus on the lane line right underneath you. A six-kick-switch drill might help, as it will give you plenty of time after each stroke to take stock of your body position and make corrections before taking the next stroke.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

__steve__ — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 01:36:43 GMT

Renie, 7451 Your rotation with left catch (below) seems good. The right catch rotation (above) is more difficult to do because your hips have sunk. I wonder if it might be because you've learned to look forward, instead of down, after the breath to the right.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:18:18 GMT

Thanks everyone! Sorry, but work prevented me from getting back here until today. I will check out video and follow your suggestions.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

swimark — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:05:26 GMT

To me it appears that you are not catching the water, your hands\arms look like they are just slipping. Just as Fresnoid said, "pull yourself through the water, not just cycling your arms". Perhaps some sculling drills would help you get a better feel for the water. Found this video that might help. www.goswim.tv/.../all-strokes---the-ins-and-outs-of-sculling.html Then after this drill try to get that same propulsive feel for the water when doing freestyle (or any other stroke). You want to grab the water and push it back the entire time your hands are in the water - this includes the time your hand is about the exit the water at your thighs. Keep your hands perpendicular to the direction of flow the entire time.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

__steve__ — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 05:59:20 GMT

It was the orange beta. They have a short life span I believe. Definitely go by what was suggested by Fresnoid and Kirk, probably in that order too (dropping head down can allow the other suggestions to take place more effectively). They are some of the best swimmers in the world for their age group and know their stuff.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

knelson — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:08:48 GMT

Also no Superman on the streamlines. Overlap your hands and get your arms to your ears!

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:16:02 GMT

Steve, sorry about your little fighting fish. They are my favorite, but they don't seem to live very long - had them in filtered, unfiltered, heated, unheated tanks, from 2 to 20 gallons with no success - the longest they've ever lived for me was 1 1/2 years. Which fish did you view? My orange boy, or my white one? Is that all you were able to view? That shouldn't have been in the link. Oh my..............

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:12:46 GMT

One pic at the wall is not enough info I don't know why the entire clip didn't take--of course, a shot at the wall isn't enough. Arghhhh, it shouldn't be this hard to post a video!!!

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:22:11 GMT

1) Keep your head down and still when not turning it for a breath 2) Rotate your torso more. Way more power if your body is much closer to perpendicular during the front half of a stroke, with the stroking arm down. 3) Try to really pull yourself through the water, not just cycling your arms through the motion.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

swimark — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:24:47 GMT

Since you provided a link to your Photobucket account I was able to find and post a link to your video. s105.photobucket.com/.../2011-09-16_12-08-38_514.mp4.html

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:07:00 GMT

Thanks, swimark, hoping someone will give me some input on the stroke.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

__steve__ — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:57:29 GMT

Was unable to view your video but loved the images of your fighting fish. I had one when I was a youngster, he kept trying to jump out of his tank until one day he was sucessful:cry: You might have better luck with videos by establishing a you tube account

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 06:50:58 GMT

Since you provided a link to your Photobucket account I was able to find and post a link to your video. s105.photobucket.com/.../2011-09-16_12-08-38_514.mp4.html Thanks! Although I didn't want to provide a link to my account. :blush:

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

swimark — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:02:03 GMT

Thanks! Although I didn't want to provide a link to my account. :blush: With Photobucket you can make select albums, videos or photos private. This way the general public can't see your stuff, and you can share only what you wish. I don't use it, so can't give you specifics.

RE: Please critique my wretched front crawl

Former Member — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:01:27 GMT

One pic at the wall is not enough info