I have a question about gliding in freestyle. My way of swimming is that after each stroke I stretch my leading arm, glide and then I go over to the next stroke if you know what I mean.
Now someone is telling me that it''s more efficient to immediately go over to the next stroke without the gliding phase while your arm is stretched.
What do you think is more efficient.
Yes in shorter distances a "less glide" will be more in play as to distance events. I think that glide might also be the "catch up "phase of the stroke for a lot of us.
I think this glide is sometimes referred to as swimming catch-up or front quadrant (perhaps a TI term here).
Recently I watched a not particularly tall swimmer go under 9:00 in the 1000 Free using this type of stroke, and it looked relatively easy...though I'm certain it was not. Obviously a tremendous level of skill and fitness at work here.
Brundage is much faster than me, but I don't think it's a good idea to actually glide. Accelerating and decelerating is more energy intensive than maintaining a steady speed (which is an ideal no swimmer reaches). The effects of this are much more in water. So do what sun yang does by all means, but it's not a true glide. On the other hand, catching gently is a them very good idea. I suspect even the .15 seconds Yang is 'gliding', he's actually extending his arm, dumping turbulent air, and getting a good catch.I support the first sentence.
There is no room to glide for us mortals. Yang and Brundage are both quite tall, have highly developed skill, and likely a potent kick to assist the brief fraction of time they appear to be gliding (when one arm finishes pushing back, and the other arm is reaching forward, keeping water non-turbulent, and downsweeping).
Even when I swim 200M or more I have to make sure each arm is relaying some kind of propulsion (exit - catch), my kick won't sustain the momentum. Any pause, and I stop and sink, but when going all out I'm fine
I look at it slightly differently.
A slight 'pause' with the hand before starting the catch can be very useful to allow the other hand to complete its pull stroke and ensure a good 'push' is effected before exiting the water.
In this sense your 'glide' could be very productive IMO :)
I am aware that I am a classic overglider as described by Swimsmooth. I glide too much - it feels nice - and it looks good to (amateur) watchers on poolside. Having felt I have plateaued for ages, I decided on a change of scene and have started swimming with another club occasionally. The coach there looked at me swimming, and first - took away my paddles from the poolside, telling me they were making my "problem" worse and not to use them for the foreseeable future, and secondly to up my stroke rate substantially. I have now knocked a second a length off freestyle in just two swim sessions ....... and he is my hero
for some, paddle overuse could be one cause of too much glide and loss of stroke timing .......
