I've noticed at lot of dicsussion in recent threads about TI principles,
As you can see from my location, I'm on the other side of the atlantic and TI has started to make an impact over here.
I've come across a lot of people in my local University pool who seem to have been mesmerised by the TI message and it is now common for me to see people swimming on their sides with one outstreached arm and a submerged head.
When the time comes to breath these guys have their heads so deep from pressing their bouy that they end up lifting it so high that they loose whatever alignment they had in the first place.
From talking to them, none of them seem to want to develop a proper kick and build up endurance so they can develop
good form.
I have decided to post a list of TI priciples and my own critism of these, feel free to add to the list or post a TI defence!
TI PRINCIPLE 1
Side to Side Rotation
to get into Low Drag Fish-like Position
Criticism
Rotation is good to get extentsion and
a good catch + power into the stroke,
Excessive rotation slows down the stroke.
TI PRINCIPLE 2
Swim DownHill
Press your Bouy
Criticism:
Holding head too deep creates drag
Makes breathing Difficult
TI PRINCIPLE 3
No Kicking
Criticism
Kicking essential to fast swimming
+ to maintain good form particularly
for male swimmers.
TI PRINCIPLE 4
Front Quadrant Swimming/
Distance per stroke,
Criticism
A reasonably high Stroke rate is necessay for
fast swimming,
Unless you have a very strong kick a glide
phase in your stroke will cause decelleration
TI PRINCIPLE 5
Drills will make you a better swimmer
Criticism
Drills are important, but there is no
substitute for good quality fast training.
Parents
Former Member
Originally posted by knelson
And of course all these swimmers are sprinters . It seems to me stroke rate is much more important for sprinters. However, once you start swimming longer races reducing drag becomes more and more important. Sprinters can take the tradeoff of greatly increased propulsive force by slightly increasing their drag. Distance swimmer cannot.
Why do you think stroke length is about drag and stroke rate is about propulsion? Think about men versus women. Stroke rates are about the same, but men take longer strokes. Women are smaller and obviously create less drag, but men are stronger. Strength must be an important element in stroke length.
Originally posted by knelson
And of course all these swimmers are sprinters . It seems to me stroke rate is much more important for sprinters. However, once you start swimming longer races reducing drag becomes more and more important. Sprinters can take the tradeoff of greatly increased propulsive force by slightly increasing their drag. Distance swimmer cannot.
Why do you think stroke length is about drag and stroke rate is about propulsion? Think about men versus women. Stroke rates are about the same, but men take longer strokes. Women are smaller and obviously create less drag, but men are stronger. Strength must be an important element in stroke length.
