The backstroke wedges have been malfunctioning.
I didn't want to hijack Allen's thread about the "FINA Worlds Controversy" but his comment about the backstroke starts is something I've thought about a lot.
The swim events that I participate in are pretty much non-meet type events. So, I don't really have much experience with the starts in pool events. Consequently, there will probably be some disagreement with my comment, or just plane refusal to consider it. But I've talked with numerous swimmers who've had issues with backstroke starting "wedges" and/or handles, and other backstroke start related equipment. And, I've seen lots of complaints about that same equipment here in the swim forums. But...why in the world won't FINA take steps to have backstroke start up on the blocks like the other strokes and eliminate all that backstroke start equipment as a problem? Make it so that backstrokers dive into the water just like all the other strokes, and have to surface by the 15m line and first stroke must be on their back. Wouldn't that make things so much easier?
Dan
Yeah, IUPUI has the CTS ones, which retail at $650+ apiece. I think they have even more issues than the Omega ones that sparked the controversy at Worlds. I've used them at IUPUI, San Antonio, and Mesa and they've been problematic each time. Not just problematic for me--watching other swimmers practice with them during warmup and in races, I can't even count the number of times I've seen people have issues operating them or dealing with malfunctions.
Yeah, that's part of the problem for me, and I assume for lots of swimmers out there--if you can only use backstroke wedges at major meets, it can be a large adjustment. For me, it's even more of an adjustment, since I never learned how to do a backstroke start from the bars (I was initially taught the standup start as a little kid right before that got phased out), so from the early 90s till just in the last two years or so, I only ever did gutter starts.
As a result, I'm used to having a starting position that's much lower in the water, so at Nats with the wedges, I can't pull it low enough to work with my habitual foot placement, so switching to a bar start makes the whole thing wonky, regardless of how well or finicky the wedge itself is.
Ok, enough complaining from me about my inadequacies as a swimmer! :D
I'm so old that I remember back in the 60's only having to have your heels in the water...
Yeah, that's part of the problem for me, and I assume for lots of swimmers out there--if you can only use backstroke wedges at major meets, it can be a large adjustment.
I've never used them, and that has been a concern watching my kids' team. You know some age group boys are going to do what they want, even if the coach says don't. At any rate, I suggested to one of my girls (14 y/o twins) who has had a hard time getting up over the water on the starts to talk to the coach about them, and see if she could try to learn to use them in warm ups. No problem at all. But again, as I'd mentioned earlier, these were the simple "drop in" fixed position ones, not the auto retract, position setting ones. Made a HUGE difference for her. Her twin learned quickly, too, but her starts are generally pretty good and they weren't that beneficial (actually, they help a LOT in that she doesn't slip on them, but occasionally does without them). But, she does prefer them, now.
I made my own - close to what i would use - to practice with a swim practice to make me more comfortable with it.
It does give you a better feel for it in meets.
Yeah, that's part of the problem for me, and I assume for lots of swimmers out there--if you can only use backstroke wedges at major meets, it can be a large adjustment. For me, it's even more of an adjustment, since I never learned how to do a backstroke start from the bars (I was initially taught the standup start as a little kid right before that got phased out), so from the early 90s till just in the last two years or so, I only ever did gutter starts.
As a result, I'm used to having a starting position that's much lower in the water, so at Nats with the wedges, I can't pull it low enough to work with my habitual foot placement, so switching to a bar start makes the whole thing wonky, regardless of how well or finicky the wedge itself is.
Ok, enough complaining from me about my inadequacies as a swimmer! :D
