So i came across this video from mike bottom 's three styles of freestyle swimming as well as Gary Hall Sr 's video of picking the right swimming technique - freestyle. I learned about this stroke called the shoulder-driven freestyle which is mainly for sprinters. Since i am training to be one, i am trying to focus on this shoulder-driven freestyle.
My question is since its a shoulder-driven , the main emphasis is on the shoulder rotation , so does that mean our hips do not rotate, like we are almost kicking flat instead of sideways like hip-driven.
And do we still maintain that high elbow pulling, and we do not reach out front and glide, but rather do a fast catch when our hand enters the water?
I thought the shoulder hips and everything rotates together as a solid unit. If shoulders lead the flow of kinetic movement , then they are the driving force. If hips lead ...
My question is since its a shoulder-driven , the main emphasis is on the shoulder rotation , so does that mean our hips do not rotate, like we are almost kicking flat instead of sideways like hip-driven.
There is more information on the three styles in Bottom's chapter of the "Swim Coaching Bible volume 2".
In general I'll say that while I like the way they describe the styles, they are pretty much what you naturally switch to in the various situations. A swimmer going easy is naturally going to have more hip rotation than the same person trying to swim a fast 50 or 100 in a meet. The body driven freestyle is the style that everyone adapts in the last 8 yards when you put your head down and hammer to the end.
As for your question, you've got the gist. In the fast 50 for example when your turnover ramps up your shoulders will still rotate almost as much but due to the fast turnover your hips rotate less than they did before.
And do we still maintain that high elbow pulling, and we do not reach out front and glide, but rather do a fast catch when our hand enters the water?
That's the way it is described. But once again, that's natural; when hammering out a 50 you're naturally going to have less of a catch up style out front.
And the underwater portion of the pull is the same from hip to shoulder driven free.
I have linked an explanation from Mike Bottom on the examples of the three styles of freestyle swimming. For the last 2 years, Athlete Approved has done a clinic in the Michigan LMSC on these styles and what drills to do to perfect them. Its been an excellent clinic and the swimmers have found value in them.
athleteapproved.com/.../
