OK this sounds like a stupid question but someone at the pool told me that my hand needs to be open with my fingers apart when I swim. i normally cup it which is what I thought was the best way. Today I tried my fingers together and my thumb out a little bit from the hand.
The cupped hand seemed best but what do the experts say?
Originally posted by LindsayNB
I was just curious if there was anyone here with a more solid knowledge of fluid dynamics than my own that might enlighten me on what the dominant forces are.
I've got a pretty solid knowledge, though I admit I'm a little rusty from being out of school for a decade without really using much fluid mechanics in the interim.
I've been following along, but don't have much to add. I can't think of a more complex problem to look at then the motion of the hand and arm in swimming. You have a highly complex, dynamic interaction between the body and the water, and then you throw in the interface between air and water!
I agree that many of the "coaching" books by Colwin and others can be frustrating, but I have to hand it to the guys for at least giving it a try. One thing that I definitely agree with is that some people have a natural "feel for the water" and can intuitively alter the pitch of their hand throughout the stroke to give the maximum propulsion. I think this continuously changing pitch of the hand is the key to the stroke.
Originally posted by LindsayNB
I was just curious if there was anyone here with a more solid knowledge of fluid dynamics than my own that might enlighten me on what the dominant forces are.
I've got a pretty solid knowledge, though I admit I'm a little rusty from being out of school for a decade without really using much fluid mechanics in the interim.
I've been following along, but don't have much to add. I can't think of a more complex problem to look at then the motion of the hand and arm in swimming. You have a highly complex, dynamic interaction between the body and the water, and then you throw in the interface between air and water!
I agree that many of the "coaching" books by Colwin and others can be frustrating, but I have to hand it to the guys for at least giving it a try. One thing that I definitely agree with is that some people have a natural "feel for the water" and can intuitively alter the pitch of their hand throughout the stroke to give the maximum propulsion. I think this continuously changing pitch of the hand is the key to the stroke.
