These are my observations on the techique of Michael Phelps, the 1st " Modern swimmer" for all 4 strokes. He is swimming using the most " cutting edge " of techniques on all 4 strokes.
Free: Looks like 'Popov', same stroke rythym, " Gallop" in stroke, Bent arm recovery, Shoulder shifting forward ( not dropping shoulder) and underwater phases of pull show principles of " Australian Crawl". He also has a very smooth Hand entry, hand almost flat.
Back: Head lies lower in the water, eyes looking up, very still head. Just like 'Krazyleburg'. Shoulder shifted back, horizontal to the water on entry - catch, no dropped shoulder here.
***: Head held in ' neutral ' position, eyes looking at a fixed point ahead, Head does not shift position. His head does not 'bob' up and down, which is 'old style'.
Fly: Head position "same as above" does not 'raise head up and jut chin forward' ( Old style). Hand entry wider than shoulder, immediate catch and into the pull, timing characteristics of "front end fly".
To sum up, Phelps swims all 4 strokes using the best technique shown by World beaters. Free as Popov, Back as Krazyleburg etc. He will dominate his events until someone comes along who is also using " best technique" in each stroke.
Who is coaching Phelps? This is a coach who is ensuring that he is "up to date " with latest technique and is learning from the best so that " His swimmer can be the best". That I Admire !
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I agree that Phelps will be a lot faster at Athens in the 100s. Based on the recent quotes, it sounds like the loss in the 100 fly has him fired up and he's swimming a bunch of events at Nationals rather than rest (100/200/400 free and perhaps some backstroke).
Would Ian Crocker have made the difference? Maybe. Crocker, like Phelps is a middle distance swimmer (except that Phelps is also quite remarkable at distance swimming and might be the best 400 swimmer in the US). At 16 he was very skinny but still set 15-16 NAG record for the 200 free (I believe 1:38 or 1:39) and also set NAG records for the 200 LCM. Some of us in NE thought he might be the one to revive middle distance free in the US. Instead he focused on the 100 fly. However, just like Phelps he'll need to adjust to swim a good 100 free--obviously based on his 50 fly he has the speed (in this case cadence). I did notice that Crocker's body has changed a lot since he was 18-he's much bigger and has lots more speed. Things could get pretty interesting if Phelps matures physically AND maintains his desire to compete.
I agree that Phelps will be a lot faster at Athens in the 100s. Based on the recent quotes, it sounds like the loss in the 100 fly has him fired up and he's swimming a bunch of events at Nationals rather than rest (100/200/400 free and perhaps some backstroke).
Would Ian Crocker have made the difference? Maybe. Crocker, like Phelps is a middle distance swimmer (except that Phelps is also quite remarkable at distance swimming and might be the best 400 swimmer in the US). At 16 he was very skinny but still set 15-16 NAG record for the 200 free (I believe 1:38 or 1:39) and also set NAG records for the 200 LCM. Some of us in NE thought he might be the one to revive middle distance free in the US. Instead he focused on the 100 fly. However, just like Phelps he'll need to adjust to swim a good 100 free--obviously based on his 50 fly he has the speed (in this case cadence). I did notice that Crocker's body has changed a lot since he was 18-he's much bigger and has lots more speed. Things could get pretty interesting if Phelps matures physically AND maintains his desire to compete.
