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?
One thing Colwin brings up, is that what swimmers *think* they are doing can be very different from what they *are* doing. The example that comes to mind is arm bend during the pull. The elbow has a lot of bend (some forming 90 degrees), but when the swimmers were asked, they thought their arms were relatively straight. :)
I haven't read Coach Maglischo's book, but I wonder if it is the same thing: if you are trying to scull, then you'll be doing it too much. Some article (sorry, don't remember which one) mentions you should *try* to pull straight back, and that your body rotation will naturally create the "hourglass" curve motion.
(I'm taking a lot of this on faith. I have no idea what I look like when I'm try to swim faster/smoother/stronger. In fact, my fastest swims are usually when my mind zones out. :D )
One thing Colwin brings up, is that what swimmers *think* they are doing can be very different from what they *are* doing. The example that comes to mind is arm bend during the pull. The elbow has a lot of bend (some forming 90 degrees), but when the swimmers were asked, they thought their arms were relatively straight. :)
I haven't read Coach Maglischo's book, but I wonder if it is the same thing: if you are trying to scull, then you'll be doing it too much. Some article (sorry, don't remember which one) mentions you should *try* to pull straight back, and that your body rotation will naturally create the "hourglass" curve motion.
(I'm taking a lot of this on faith. I have no idea what I look like when I'm try to swim faster/smoother/stronger. In fact, my fastest swims are usually when my mind zones out. :D )
