Today, swimming swiming was a wash. Too many people at the pool. By the time it cleared out I didn't have enough time to do a full set.
So, I decided to spend my shortened time to try to swim like Phelps. I had just watched a Butterfly video.
I did a few laps normally (at speed), a few like Phelps (my version - at speed), and a few normally again.
The Phelps versions of my 50 yard butterfly were 2 seconds faster: 28 seconds vs. 30 seconds.
I was laughing pretty hard when I saw the times.
All I really changed was the depth of my body wave. In the video Phelps has this gigantic body wave. His head is about 3 feet underwater at the lowest point of his arc. I also found that in attempting to have the same size arc (I bet I was doing a 2 foot arc) that I had to breath every stoke like he does to keep the momentum up. I also found that I was able to have a larger kick going underwater that deep.
It was pretty cool. Thought I'd share. I'm hoping that if I can hone it or get to a place where I'm comfortable with this new style that I'll be able to drop even more time. We'll see.
Normally I'm a huge skeptic, but I'm always up for trying new things. Sometimes they work, and this is one of those times. Pretty amazing.
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Former Member
Thanks for the tip.....I think I'll also give it a try and report back.....If it works for Phelps....then it's hard to argue against it.....(although I don't have the same kind of body as Phelps does...so maybe it won't work??)
newmastersswimmer
p.s. I was talking with a lifeguard friend of mine at the pool the other day who swims for a USS team in Memphis and has seen this guy named Gil Stovall swim on multiple occaissions growing up (Gil swam for the Memphis Tiger Swim Club and a local high school team in Memphis up until last year)......I think he even knows him somewhat from age group swimming with him over the years??....Anyway, apparently this guy is lightening fast in the butterfly (He holds the 100 fly HS record in Tennessee at 47.93...a record he set just last year in fact)....He is a freshman this year at Georgia and he won the SEC conference title in the 200 fly at 1:43 something or other.....Anyway, according to my friend he is only about 5' 4 (or 5' 5 )....and he is not at all big (as in muscular).. ...He says the reason he is so fast is mainly do to an almost perfect stroke......Stroke mechanics over size and strength!! ....I found that very inspirational to know!
Thanks for the tip.....I think I'll also give it a try and report back.....If it works for Phelps....then it's hard to argue against it.....(although I don't have the same kind of body as Phelps does...so maybe it won't work??)
newmastersswimmer
p.s. I was talking with a lifeguard friend of mine at the pool the other day who swims for a USS team in Memphis and has seen this guy named Gil Stovall swim on multiple occaissions growing up (Gil swam for the Memphis Tiger Swim Club and a local high school team in Memphis up until last year)......I think he even knows him somewhat from age group swimming with him over the years??....Anyway, apparently this guy is lightening fast in the butterfly (He holds the 100 fly HS record in Tennessee at 47.93...a record he set just last year in fact)....He is a freshman this year at Georgia and he won the SEC conference title in the 200 fly at 1:43 something or other.....Anyway, according to my friend he is only about 5' 4 (or 5' 5 )....and he is not at all big (as in muscular).. ...He says the reason he is so fast is mainly do to an almost perfect stroke......Stroke mechanics over size and strength!! ....I found that very inspirational to know!
