Having just gotten back into competetive swimming after a long reprieve (18 years since college), I've been curious about some of the latest techniques and stroke mechanics. And I feel like I've just emerged from the dark ages.
Apparently "swimming tall", and more importantly "front quadrant" swimming have revolutionized the sport according to some of the publications that I've delved into. Suprisingly after some experimentation the new techniques have really reduced the drag effect that I've been battling over the past few months.
But I always thought that sprinters tend to move through the water like hydroplanes, not like sailboats with a roll from side to side. Any thoughts on the art of "fishlike swimming"?
Parents
Former Member
Check out this video (quality questionable but good enough) and tell me how much hip roll you see...
www.per4m.ca/.../Inge sprint training.mpeg
And she is the fastest women's sprinter in history.
www.per4m.ca/.../Jenny Thompson.mpeg
..another one, fastest American sprinter in history.
But then there's www.per4m.ca/.../popov2.mpeg
far more roll, and the fastest men's sprinter in history.
So what I'm trying to say is find the correct head position, sufficient hip rotation, and YOUR most effective stroke length and stroke rate. Swimming never has been and never will be "one size fits all." Take into account everything you read and hear and use it as an information base upon which to draw as you set out to improve in your return to competetive swimming.
Good luck.
-RM
Check out this video (quality questionable but good enough) and tell me how much hip roll you see...
www.per4m.ca/.../Inge sprint training.mpeg
And she is the fastest women's sprinter in history.
www.per4m.ca/.../Jenny Thompson.mpeg
..another one, fastest American sprinter in history.
But then there's www.per4m.ca/.../popov2.mpeg
far more roll, and the fastest men's sprinter in history.
So what I'm trying to say is find the correct head position, sufficient hip rotation, and YOUR most effective stroke length and stroke rate. Swimming never has been and never will be "one size fits all." Take into account everything you read and hear and use it as an information base upon which to draw as you set out to improve in your return to competetive swimming.
Good luck.
-RM
