I saw this for the first time at SC Nationals last month. My daughter (an age group swimmer) scoffs at this.
I haven't researched the rules yet, but am assuming this is legal. Wondering what the advantage of it is?
The swimmers were not slow, by any means, but (when I tried it) it seems to add more stress to the shoulders - akin to butterfly on the back. Comments?
One reason for double arm backstroke with a breaststroke kick is that for some the breaststroke kick is much faster than a flutter kick. One of our swimmers (in her 40’s) dropped 10 seconds on the 100 back when switching to double arm with a breaststroke kick.
Also, one of the age group kids at our program, a 55 second 100 breaststroker, started doing inverted breaststroke pullouts on the backstroke leg of his 200 IM and dropped his time by 3 seconds, down to a 1:51. So it’s not just for the old and the slow.
yeah, you will never see it in an Olympic final but it is reasonable that some might find it more natural. I am a bit skeptical that someone who was already a 1:54 IMer could drop 3 seconds by making this modification, but hey, I wasn't there so...
I also saw at Nationals a fellow doing double arm with a dolphin kick. It looked very much like butterfly on his back and he was very, very efficient and fast.
Perhaps the age grouper just plain could not backstroke so adding a bit of breaststroke allowed him to drop to that time. 1:51 is awfully good, top ranked.
Candace,
According to current rules you are not limited to a number of inverted breaststroke pullouts on your backstroke. Billy Jamerson (the age-group swimmer) did 3 complete pullouts (hands past the hips, kick, recover), to the 15 meter mark in his 200 IM.
So that I clearly understand this, are you saying that as I swim my backstroke, I can flip at the wall and then from a streamlined position, pull down both arms at the same time, then as my arms recover back to the stream-lined position, I can take one whip kick to the surface and then resume my normal backstroke?........that's the way I interpret "inverted breaststroke pullouts", Rob.....if so, then I also think I could shave some time from my backstroke as that part is the weakest part of my stroke.
This board is so great for information, particularly when one does not have a coach.
Thanks!
As long as you are on your back and come up before 15 meters on the start and turn, you are free to do whatever you want. Two arms, no arms, flutter kick, dolphin kick, *** kick, or any combination. Just be on your back as it's defined in the rules.
