Will you critique my stroke technique?

Will you please critique my stroke technique on this 200 IM video?  Please keep in mind that I am NOT looking to increase my speed; my goal is solely to improve my stroke.  Why?  I have dysautonomia (aka autonomic neuropathy), a disorder of my autonomic nervous system.  I need to keep my heart rate less than around 130 bpm to avoid the tailspin my autonomic nervous system goes into at higher intensity.   As a result, I can no longer race my races; I swim my races.  NQT's are no longer on my annual goal list!

Looking over my video, I do see that I need to get my arms in for a tighter streamline.  The slow speed of my underwater dolphin kick is intentional.  I'm in Lane 2, wearing the blue suit and blue USMS cap:

https://youtu.be/LUmR69OH17k

Thanks, Forumites, for your constructive criticism!

 

Parents
  • This isn’t really about your stroke, and maybe you’ve already considered it, or are doing it. But with regard to your max heart rate…what about using smart goggles that use a heart rate monitor, and displaying your BPM so that you constantly know what it is, and how much harder you can or can’t go?

    But WRT your strokes. I think they all look good myself. Specifically the butterfly. Personally I find it difficult to swim butterfly slow. But I’m not good at it either. It’s an on or off stroke for me. All or nothing.

    Dan

Reply
  • This isn’t really about your stroke, and maybe you’ve already considered it, or are doing it. But with regard to your max heart rate…what about using smart goggles that use a heart rate monitor, and displaying your BPM so that you constantly know what it is, and how much harder you can or can’t go?

    But WRT your strokes. I think they all look good myself. Specifically the butterfly. Personally I find it difficult to swim butterfly slow. But I’m not good at it either. It’s an on or off stroke for me. All or nothing.

    Dan

Children
  • Thanks, Dan!  I've been working on my fly, because I love the challenge!

    Thanks for the suggestion regarding smart goggles.  I hadn't really considered it, because I have such a difficult time getting goggles to fit me properly due to my narrow face.  These are the only ones I have found to fit properly, so I purchase them in multiples!

    I have also found my old fashioned method of two fingers on my carotid artery and timing it with an inexpensive waterproof watch works well.  I have been doing it that way for so long that I pretty much know what my heart rate will be without even needing a watch to time it.

    When I feel adrenaline or lactic acid kicking in, I also know it's time to put the breaks on!