This post could belong in a couple of other active threads, but I am arrogant enough . . .
I was at a backstroke clinic run by Jeff Rouse, former world record holder and Olympic champion, and latest swimmer in his 30's making a comeback, yesterday.
It was generally an interesting time, but one thing that was especially interesting was this tape that Jeff had brought back from the training camp in Colorodo Springs. On it was a voice-over by Jonty Skinner, along with hand-drawn lines, backups, speedups, and other interactive things that Skinner did on the final copy while he was speaking.
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Anyway, Jeff is not primarily a freestylist, but he is not so bad, either. He *does* have a discernable pause in his arm motion when his arm is stretched out in front of him. Skinner did *not* like it, and called it 'rubber rafting.' Jeff commented that the Australians have the success they are having now because they do not pause, instead they develop their catch right away. Jeff called his freesyle 'old school.' Skinner made the same criticism of Jeff's backstroke, though the pause was not as long.
I know Ion will make this an argument for fast turnover relative to stroke length, but I don't think that is the message. It makes sense, however, that maintaining propulsion while streamlined is better than stopping propulsion in order to get streamlined.
Please don't overlook the stroking arm.
This coach zeroed in on the leading arm as it makes the catch saying that this swimmer pauses.
You therefore make the jump that there is no propulsion being generated for this time. But you have forgotten that while one arm is pausing or resting or catching or what have you, the other arm is finishing its stroke.
It depends on how much front quadrant swimming is bein exhibited. If there is a lot of catch up going on then it is very likely that the swimmer has a period where there is no propulsion what so ever. But it really depends on how fast the arm is recovered, you could easily demonstrate "constant" propulsion with significant catch up. You would simply have a relatively slow pull and a relatively fast recovery; that is to say relative to each other.
I'm not prepared to say that a fast or slow catch is the proper way to swim right now just wanted to point out somethign you may have overlooked.
