I have been working on Emmetts advice for a couple of months now and I can feel a big difference in water resistance. I had a big surprise today. The pool is now long course and has switched from yards to meters. If your intersted 100 meters equals 109.4 yards. I had not done a timed 100 free set in a long time but did one today. I was able to do a set of 10X100 meters long course free today with one minute rest in the same time as I did a 100 yard free in the short course pool two months ago. I was very happy. No I am not going to embrass myself by posting the time but I was excited.
Emmett is correct that if you anchor your pull and use the long axis of your body to rotate around it will make a big difference. I have not figured out how to compare stroke counts yet because of the pool differences but I am sure it was less. Now if I could do it ALL the time. Some days I can not hit the right rythmn but I keep trying. I might even have to buy that book by a certain swim coach.
Thanks a lot Emmett for your advice. You are helping me figure out what is missing in my stroke since I got old.
Have a great day
Paul
Former Member
A question for Emmet, do you get to workout on swimming since you are busy coaching a masters team? And have you competed at master meets.?
I also think awimming ina 50 meter pool is better. If you are doing 25 yards you flip off the wall once, 50 yards twice. 100 4 times. as Iwatched at nat,ls . I saw some could do flip turns , further, than others. Also in between flips. the good swimmer does 8 to 10 strokes. I also think the scy turns hamper you. Bacause every time you flip ,you haveto gain momentum. more so for the person who does not flip. But in a 50 meter pool you have to do a little more swimming than in a 25 yard pool. Some it may help some it may not. A:) :) :cool:
I too have been working on anchoring my hands--I can feel my body move past my hands/arms, rather than hands/arms moving past my body when I do backstroke and fly. There has been a decrease in the number of strokes per length. However, I don't necessarily get that sensation during free unless I'm just pulling--whats up with that?
The pool was set today in the 25 yard format. I counted my strokes several times and they ranged from 11 to 12 strokes per lap. That is down from 13 to 15 strokes a couple of months ago.
The most important thing here is the consistancy of 11 to 12 each time I counted. Before the range was two strokes now it is one stroke. Less effort more speed. I forgot to check the clock but advancing age I can not remember to do everything.
Thanks Emmett!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great day
Paul
I think that one of the better drills for "anchoring your hands and elbowa" is to do one arm freestyle, both with your arm at the side and arm in ftont. When you are is at your side breath on the opposite side of the arm that is in motion. When arm is in front, breath on the same side. What drills are others doing?
I have found that having tried the advice of anchoring your front arm as suggested by Emmett Hine, I have drastically reduced my stroke count when I leave my front arm out in front and then wait for the stroking arm to come to the front as well before I begin my stroke with the arm that was out in the front in the beginning.It has meant that my stroke count for a 25m lap has come down to 16/17,which is very good for me.However,although I feel more comfortable swimming like that, it has meant that my lap time has gone the other way by about 7/8 seconds.If I continue to work on this style of "Front Quadrant Swimming" will my time come down again without sacrificing any of the benefit of my improved stroke length??:D
UK,
Take a look at the USMS Home page and have a look under "Training" and "Articles". You'll find some helpful information about how to better 'anchor' your hand and forearm during the catch phase of the stroke cycle (most are written by Coach Hines).
Anchoring essentially means that the hand should enter the water and stay put, while the swimmer then pulls their entire body past this initial entry point. There are many mental images to describe the phrase....for example, imagine a ladder under the surface of the water. The palm of the hand bears down on a rung and you then pull and push your way past it.
Front quadrant swimming refers a very specific timing in the stroke cycle. As one hand enters the water, it will stay extended and not begin to pull backwards until the recovering arm is about to enter the water itself. It's a "catch-up" style of swimming. Both hands are in the front quadrant as opposed to a someone who swims with hands in opposition...meaning that as on hand enters the water, the other hand is exiting.
The whole benefit to the front quadrant style is that the body line is elongated, which promotes minimal resisatnce. The swimmer tends to remain on their side with their arm extended for the entire recovery phase of the stroke cycle. Sounds a bit complicated, but it's very simple in theory. And thanks to coaches like Emmett there are countless swimmers across the country who are dropping times,.. but most importantly swimming more efficiently and enjoyably. Swimming fast for competition definitely requires hard work. But the basics have to be nailed down first.
:cool:
The disadvantage of the catch up style is the amount of deceleration that occurs even with a very propulsive six beat kick. Catch up and front quadrant are not necessarily one and the same, however--both arms can still be in the front quadrant, one above and one below the surface, without a prolonged glide and loss of speed.
