Will You Please Critique My Freestyle and Backstroke?

Will you please critique my freestyle and backstroke?  The first video is easy warm-up pace freestyle on the first 50, breathing left, and then breathing right.  On the second 50, I pick up the pace a little bit.  One thing I noticed is that my feet are coming out of the water too much on the kick.  That's an easy correction for me; I'm more concerned about everything else!

Thank you for your constructive criticism!

  • On your freestyle, you have a nice extension out front but it doesn't look like you are beginning your pull early enough and really holding onto the water all the way through . Focus on catching early and then pushing hard all the way past your hip.

  • Thanks for the feedback, Kyle.  I appreciate the advice!  I will start focusing on that.

  • Was noticing on her right arm that she seems to lose the early vertical forearm a bit.  Hard to tell, and I'm no expert, but it looks like instead of rotating downward with the shoulder, she shoots her upper arm out, and bends the elbow too much.  I know a high elbow pull is seen in sprinting, but not in more distance, slower pace stuff.

    Elaine, does what I mention make sense?

  • Really hard to see on the backstroke due to the glare.  But a couple of things, maybe.  One, I try to keep my head a little further back so that some water goes over the top of my head.  May be really hard without a noseclip?  Very minor, but I'm looking for things to suggest, here!  Slight smile

    The other thing is something I'm working on, and having a really hard time with, but I'm getting there.  As you finish the pull, rather than bring your palm to your hip, turn it away, almsot like you are throwing a tennis ball into the ground.  I guess this is a somewhat newer philosophy, as when I swam with a coach, she changed it up from the way I'd been doing it where I have to rotate my hand 180 degrees on the recovery.  The first bit of this video shows the swimmer doing that pretty clearly.  www.youtube.com/watch

  • Thanks for the feedback, '67. It does make sense, and I think I know why that may be happening. 

    During this past craft show season (my husband makes fused glass jewelry), I hurt my shoulder lifting tables when we took down our booth.  I have been diligently doing my Theraband exercises as part of my rehab, so it has been getting better; however, it usually doesn't start feeling good until I am at least 1,500 yards into my workout.  This video was shot at the beginning, and I was probably compensating to avoid discomfort without even thinking about it--- sort of like limping when your knee hurts.

    I will keep this in mind going forward.

  • Thanks for the feedback, '67. It does make sense, and I think I know why that may be happening. 

    During this past craft show season (my husband makes fused glass jewelry), I hurt my shoulder lifting tables when we took down our booth.  I have been diligently doing my Theraband exercises as part of my rehab, so it has been getting better; however, it usually doesn't start feeling good until I am at least 1,500 yards into my workout.  This video was shot at the beginning, and I was probably compensating to avoid discomfort without even thinking about it--- sort of like limping when your knee hurts.

    I will keep this in mind going forward.

    Regarding my backstroke, sorry about the video.  My underwater camera is not working, so Bruce had to shoot topside, and the glare is bad.  

    Thanks for that excellent video clip.  I love watching video, and this is a keeper!  I will keep these swimmers pictured in my mind when I swim backstroke.

    Happy New Year, '67!  Please give my best to your mom!

  • I dropped a few seconds on each of my 100's in a freestyle set today by just concentrating your your suggestions.  Thanks again, Kyle!