This is my first new thread so be gentle:-)!!
I'm curious as the how the new FINA rules will be introduced into USMS. I heard that there was legislation passed that USMS would adopt all FINA/USA Swimming rule changes? I received the following email information from a coaching friend of mine and thought I'd see if anyone was talking about it on the USMS Forums but didn't find anything?
SWIMMING
During the breaststroke start and turns, while the swimmer is wholly
submerged, a single downward dolphin kick followed by a breaststroke kick
is permitted. The new rule ends decades of controversies (the first one
occurred in Berlin, in 1978, at the World Championships, the latest last
year in Athens, at the Olympics).
The backstroke finish rule has officially been clarified. Now it is legal
for a swimmer to be completely submerged not only during the turn but also
during the last stroke.
Also in backstroke, swimmers are now allowed to start with their feet out
of the water. It is no more mandatory that "The feet, including the toes,
shall be under the surface of the water"
Thoughts???
PS Have tried to find the information concerning these rule changes on both USA Swimming's and FINA's sites but to no avail...
Unless I’m mistaken, FINA is only striking “The feet, including the toes, shall be under the surface of the water.” NOT “Standing in or on the gutter or bending the toes over the lip of the gutter is prohibited.”
Swimmers will still not be allowed to grip their toes over the edge of the pool. What we will be able to do is place our feet a little higher up in gutterless pools. We shouldn’t see an increase in launching or head bumping.
USMS adoption of this rule is automatic and takes effect coincident with FINA, unless special actions are taken by the USMS Rules Committee.
The wording in the breaststroke rule change is absolutely bizarre as far as I'm concerned. What the heck is a "downward kick?" It seems to me, if you're in a streamlined position, a downward kick is impossible unless you can hyperextend your knees. Isn't a dolphin kick is initiated by bringing your feet up toward the surface of the water? How can this be a "downward kick?" Anyone have any thoughts on this?
to kick downward
you first have to move your legs upward
so they can go down
Originally posted by knelson
The wording in the breaststroke rule change is absolutely bizarre as far as I'm concerned. What the heck is a "downward kick?" It seems to me, if you're in a streamlined position, a downward kick is impossible unless you can hyperextend your knees. Isn't a dolphin kick is initiated by bringing your feet up toward the surface of the water? How can this be a "downward kick?" Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Originally posted by ande
to kick downward
you first have to move your legs upward
so they can go down
So what exactly would an upward kick be?
They must have this wording in the rule for some reason, but I can't understand what it is!
Originally posted by ande
....the backstroke rules are good
swimmers will now be able to grip their toes on the edge of the pool which will allow better starts, people will get more height and distance.
Do you think these revisions will go into effect right after the next USMS meeting?...or after the first of the year?
I want to practice the *crouching tiger flying launch* right away.
Originally posted by darekh
It looks to me like the motion of his body from the pull puts his legs in a position to only do a downward motion (with the break in the knee) on the upward motion there's no break in the knee and his legs seem to just flow into that upward postion following the upper body movement.
Yeah, I still don't get it, but watching this video sure makes me understand why my breaststroke sucks. It's amazing the amount of flexibility and undulation he gets in these drills. I would look like a total plank in comparison to Dave.
Thanks for clarifying that Rob...I'll be sure to stay on the lookout for the exact wording.
Here's the current verbage...
www.fina.org/swimrules_6.html
Originally posted by knelson
The wording in the breaststroke rule change is absolutely bizarre as far as I'm concerned. What the heck is a "downward kick?" It seems to me, if you're in a streamlined position, a downward kick is impossible unless you can hyperextend your knees. Isn't a dolphin kick is initiated by bringing your feet up toward the surface of the water? How can this be a "downward kick?" Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I agree. How can you do a downard kick if you don't then do an upward kick to get your feet into the right position to begin the first underwater *** kick. I've tried and can't come close.
First off thanks to all of you for your input, I thought there was a link between FINA rule changes and USMS.
As for the breaststroke question that has come up. Here's the way I see it (and will probably coach it). My belief is that the fly kick comes from the shoulders anyhow, so as the pull passes the shoulders they will make a downward force of the shoulders which puts the legs in the position for a downward kick. As for the upward motion, I believe the reason that wasn't seen in the case of the Japanese swimmer is that his knees break to begin his first breaststroke kick, which makes it look like one motion when it's actually incompassing the upward motion also.
On another note, I understand about the toes on backstroke but how is someone going to judge that in a pool with gutters. It makes sense in an elite competition with the timing pads up on the deck but in a regular pool, if my toes are out of the water, they are going to be on the gutter and I'm going to get one heck of a better start. So, technically if we're not using the gutter then our toes still have to be under water, ugh!!!
Thoughts??
