I just read the article "Windmill Revolution" by Bill Volckening and was wondering what you all thought about the possibility of using the straight-arm recovery. What I found interesting was the discussion of the stroke's similarities to the undulation, recovery and pull of butterfly. I also found it interesting that some of the coaches and swimmers felt that the straight-arm recovery added hip snap at the end of the stroke, which I have been lead to believe is the least propulsive portion of the stroke.
Does anyone know where I could read more on the subject and the specifics of technique or any drills?
Hook'em
Blue
Parents
Former Member
Normally, I have a pretty close to the classictrditional textbook fgreestyle stroke (thanks to my awesome coach). 6 beat kick, bilateral breathing, high elbows, accelerate pull through the stroke, bent arm recovery...
Since I'm new to swimming my arms and shoulders are not vry strong (yet) so it's easy to overwork them and get sore... chronically sore.
In last few months my coach is having me mix the straight arm recovery probably 20-30% of the strokes to relieve the overworked muscles and to relax the shoulders.
I think that with certain body styles atraight arm recovery may be more beneficial then the classic stroke. In my case it helps me remember to rotate more, the additional hip snap adds energy to my kick. Mixing in straigh arm recovery also pushes and reminds me to use the bigger back and lateral muscles more. It seems to easy to fall into using just the smaller arm and shouler muscles on the classic bent arm recovery, and overwork them.
Wth straight arm recovery there may be a pitfall of wanting to continue the straight arm into a straight arm pull, which is not so good for the shoulders or the propulsion.
So, for a beginner like me carefully adding straight arm recovery has been beneficial. As for the body stylke, I don't have strong arms and shouders, and my shoulders are slightly rounded forward which I think causes me to have to work (stretch) little more to have a high elbows bent arm recovery, as opposed to someone who doesn't have rounded shoulders.
The end result of introdushing the straigh arm recovery in my case is to eventually be able to mimic that motion with the arm relaxed from the elbow down (to fingertips)... this would result in a bent arm recovery, but with a shoulder rotation that seems little more comfortable for the shoulder.
That's been my experience with the straight arm recovery so far.
Normally, I have a pretty close to the classictrditional textbook fgreestyle stroke (thanks to my awesome coach). 6 beat kick, bilateral breathing, high elbows, accelerate pull through the stroke, bent arm recovery...
Since I'm new to swimming my arms and shoulders are not vry strong (yet) so it's easy to overwork them and get sore... chronically sore.
In last few months my coach is having me mix the straight arm recovery probably 20-30% of the strokes to relieve the overworked muscles and to relax the shoulders.
I think that with certain body styles atraight arm recovery may be more beneficial then the classic stroke. In my case it helps me remember to rotate more, the additional hip snap adds energy to my kick. Mixing in straigh arm recovery also pushes and reminds me to use the bigger back and lateral muscles more. It seems to easy to fall into using just the smaller arm and shouler muscles on the classic bent arm recovery, and overwork them.
Wth straight arm recovery there may be a pitfall of wanting to continue the straight arm into a straight arm pull, which is not so good for the shoulders or the propulsion.
So, for a beginner like me carefully adding straight arm recovery has been beneficial. As for the body stylke, I don't have strong arms and shouders, and my shoulders are slightly rounded forward which I think causes me to have to work (stretch) little more to have a high elbows bent arm recovery, as opposed to someone who doesn't have rounded shoulders.
The end result of introdushing the straigh arm recovery in my case is to eventually be able to mimic that motion with the arm relaxed from the elbow down (to fingertips)... this would result in a bent arm recovery, but with a shoulder rotation that seems little more comfortable for the shoulder.
That's been my experience with the straight arm recovery so far.
