Hey folk,
I've heard different viewpoints about my freestyle, and I wonder if I could hear from you on these various opinions:
1. Previous masters' coach: focus on high elbows, fingertips in first. (I hope I'm interpreting him right.)
2. Same coach: kick from hips, not knees (hard one... my kickboard sets are not pretty!)...
3. Swim instructor who happened to observe me one day: too much splash on kick (maybe related to #2)
4. Guy who swims pretty fast and efficiently in nearby lane: "You have a strong kick, but you don't reach far enough. Your hand goes into the water too soon." Tried more of a reach, and it did seem to help my time a little... read: VERY slow to merely "very slow" (sans caps). ;)
5. Current masters' coach: "If you've been swimming a certain way for a while, it actually could slow you down to mess with your stroke too much."
And... can a person who is still in pursuit of a sub two minute 100 have any hope of becoming not "very slow" but merely "slow" or even "halfway approaching fast"? I'm 55 and a regular runner as well as swimmer, so reasonably fit (resting heart rate of 31 measured a couple of days ago).
Thanks for your comments!
Former Member
Look at the big picture and then break it down into small steps.Put the steps with the greatest return in place first.We get a fast return and are then motivated to work on the smaller issues for the extra incremental gains.Video yourself ongoing.Be your own coach as well.
Swimming is about moving water backwards so you go forward.Pull with the arms and push with the feet.Think about it.
Most average swimmers do a few simple things badly.
Make sure the following is right first.
Elbows out first and high.Push the shoulder forward not around.
Stretch out. (always more than you think)(rotation will happen)
Pull deeper than you think and actually start pulling water back.Most people just go through the motions.
Just move legs in time with arms (2 beat).Kick just below the surface.The kick is a push backwards concept.
Guys who played football etc have poor shoulder flexibility from overdevelopment of irrelevant muscles for swimming.This makes them a bulldozer rather than an arrow.Work on stretching.
Focus primarily on the pull/return/glide.
