I have recently become aware that i was slipping water during the underwater pull. This was happening because I have unusual flexibility in my hand.
I can lay my hand flat on a surface and raise my fingers up to 45 degrees while keeping my palm flat. They will bend back to 90 degrees from the palm with some pressure.
I had read "Colwin's" info on hand position in "breakthrough swimming". This discusses whether the hand should be cupped or flat for good propulsion during swimming. I was also watching a sequence in "New ideas in free & back" by "Marty Hull" where he has the swimmers deliberately " SLIP " water during the pull. They did this by allowing the hand to bend back from the arm.
When i was next in the water I checked my hand position and during the pull my fingers bent back quite far, even though my palm was still at 90 degrees to the water. This allowed the pressure against the water to " flow away".
New fluid dynamics research has shown that the water pressure flows from the fingers up the hand and to the forearm. If the fingers are not slightly cupped then this flow cannot happen as effectively and pressure against the water is lost.
I realised that I was swimming with only my palm (and forearm) providing propulsion. I corrected by making a real effort to slightly cup my fingers and instantly I held more strongly onto the water. My stroke count dropped by 1 - 2 strokes per 25m and my time was 5% less.
I have a meet coming up and I will see then whether my race times will drop after making these changes. Has anyone else noticed this effect while they are swimming ?
Parents
Former Member
Doc Counsilman's writings examined the hand position for effectiveness in the water with the following conclusions: the worst position is with the super extension of the wrist (a dorsi-flection of the hand?), Less bad, but not good, is the cupping of the hand, while the best position is to have the fingers extended completerly, thus making the hand as big a "paddle" as possible. Doc also said his studies also showed that it wasn't necessarily better when the fingers were tightly closed.
What follows is from my own interpretation of Doc's teaching and is begun with the dry land observation of what you want to accomplish as the hand goes from one extreme to the other. I suggest that you stand with one arm extended at shoulder height and study it to affirm that it is absolutely as straight as it can be from shoulder to finger tips. Correct any deviations.
Now stand and hold the arm extended with the hand directly over your head with the thumb pointed kinda forward, checking to see that there is no bend in the elbow. This is the glide position which you keep until it is time to stroke that arm which you do by simply bending your elbow. No shoulder, no wrist, nothing else at this point. In this dry land exercise remember that the hand is quicker than the eye, so bend the elbow abruptly stopping with the thumb in front of the opposite eye.
Do this a few times to see the simplicity of the movement. But take the time to notice that when your thumb is in front of that eye the angle of bend in the elbow is + or - 90 degrees.
In swimming you do the same thing and at this point the shoulder enters the process by continuing the stroke to the point where the hand is fully extended. In practice I try to touch the outside of my knee on each stroke, at which point think of pulling your hand from deep in your pocket. The pocket thought gives you the elbow bend which is necessary for the high elbow recovery which is ballistic with the thumb down entry into the water in front of the head.
The timing of the arms takes into account that the recovering hand goes faster through the air than the stroking hand goes through the water, so they don't act as though they were like bicycle spoke and pedal arms, thus the gliding position is held until it is time to stroke.
I've tried to keep it as simply stated as possible, but there are a few important principles to mention. Such as, the stroking arm is always under the body, the thumb first entry assures that one escapes the sin of the dropped elbow; the entry in front of the head assures you that you will not hit the lane line with your hand; no thought need be given to making anything like an "s" curve, seeking "still water", or any of the other elusive stuff such as" feel of the water", "catch", etc.
This not to say that this is every thing one needs to do to swim well. I've not mentioned breathing, kicking, body position. etc.
nor any of the specialty strokes that make up the individual medly.
But I 'll conclude with Doc Counsilman's "Always Accent Acceleration!!!"
Doc Counsilman's writings examined the hand position for effectiveness in the water with the following conclusions: the worst position is with the super extension of the wrist (a dorsi-flection of the hand?), Less bad, but not good, is the cupping of the hand, while the best position is to have the fingers extended completerly, thus making the hand as big a "paddle" as possible. Doc also said his studies also showed that it wasn't necessarily better when the fingers were tightly closed.
What follows is from my own interpretation of Doc's teaching and is begun with the dry land observation of what you want to accomplish as the hand goes from one extreme to the other. I suggest that you stand with one arm extended at shoulder height and study it to affirm that it is absolutely as straight as it can be from shoulder to finger tips. Correct any deviations.
Now stand and hold the arm extended with the hand directly over your head with the thumb pointed kinda forward, checking to see that there is no bend in the elbow. This is the glide position which you keep until it is time to stroke that arm which you do by simply bending your elbow. No shoulder, no wrist, nothing else at this point. In this dry land exercise remember that the hand is quicker than the eye, so bend the elbow abruptly stopping with the thumb in front of the opposite eye.
Do this a few times to see the simplicity of the movement. But take the time to notice that when your thumb is in front of that eye the angle of bend in the elbow is + or - 90 degrees.
In swimming you do the same thing and at this point the shoulder enters the process by continuing the stroke to the point where the hand is fully extended. In practice I try to touch the outside of my knee on each stroke, at which point think of pulling your hand from deep in your pocket. The pocket thought gives you the elbow bend which is necessary for the high elbow recovery which is ballistic with the thumb down entry into the water in front of the head.
The timing of the arms takes into account that the recovering hand goes faster through the air than the stroking hand goes through the water, so they don't act as though they were like bicycle spoke and pedal arms, thus the gliding position is held until it is time to stroke.
I've tried to keep it as simply stated as possible, but there are a few important principles to mention. Such as, the stroking arm is always under the body, the thumb first entry assures that one escapes the sin of the dropped elbow; the entry in front of the head assures you that you will not hit the lane line with your hand; no thought need be given to making anything like an "s" curve, seeking "still water", or any of the other elusive stuff such as" feel of the water", "catch", etc.
This not to say that this is every thing one needs to do to swim well. I've not mentioned breathing, kicking, body position. etc.
nor any of the specialty strokes that make up the individual medly.
But I 'll conclude with Doc Counsilman's "Always Accent Acceleration!!!"
