Just wondering. How many of y'all are using the front quadrant swimming technique? I have been using the book and DVD-Total Immersion and trying to adjust my stroke. When I do the stroke correctly it is so much easier-effortless. I feel like I am able to reduce the drag I create when swimming the way I was taught to swim years ago. I'm interested in anyone's experience with FQS. Thanks:)
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Originally posted by gull80
The problem with this method is that you decelerate while neither arm is pulling (unless you get a lot of propulsion from your kick). Front quadrant doesn't mean catch-up, it just means that both arms are in the front quadrant (above or below the water) at the same time. So you don't have to (and shouldn't) wait to begin pulling until the recovering arm is past your head.
totalimmersion.net/.../pictureperfect.html
Look at Phelps in the lower portion of the picture. He is probably not going to wait until both hands are parallel to each other to begin his next stroke but he is also at full race speed. His recovering arm is just above his head and his lead arm has yet to begin it's catch. I swim catch-up for the majority of my workouts and don't have a problem with speed variation and it allows me to keep my stroke count down in the 12-15 range. I get very little propulsion from my kick if I kick at all. Sometimes I will only kick a two beat for a half a lap or so and then decide to cruise for a few laps. Cruising without a kick makes me very aware of my balance in the water. If I can maintain balance without kicking I know I am doing something right.
Originally posted by gull80
The problem with this method is that you decelerate while neither arm is pulling (unless you get a lot of propulsion from your kick). Front quadrant doesn't mean catch-up, it just means that both arms are in the front quadrant (above or below the water) at the same time. So you don't have to (and shouldn't) wait to begin pulling until the recovering arm is past your head.
totalimmersion.net/.../pictureperfect.html
Look at Phelps in the lower portion of the picture. He is probably not going to wait until both hands are parallel to each other to begin his next stroke but he is also at full race speed. His recovering arm is just above his head and his lead arm has yet to begin it's catch. I swim catch-up for the majority of my workouts and don't have a problem with speed variation and it allows me to keep my stroke count down in the 12-15 range. I get very little propulsion from my kick if I kick at all. Sometimes I will only kick a two beat for a half a lap or so and then decide to cruise for a few laps. Cruising without a kick makes me very aware of my balance in the water. If I can maintain balance without kicking I know I am doing something right.
