When swimming freestyle, is it more efficient to pull deep in the water ? It seems that the more of a roll I achieve the deeper the hand /forearm are for pulling. In other words is a deeper pull faster or not?
Former Member
The way the body works, you can usually get more power by pulling closer to your body. Try this: hold a 10-lb weight straight out at arm's length with one arm. Now pull the weight in and hold it 3 inches from your chest. Which is easier?
Gulf coast's example is relevent but it not doesn't really illustrate how this works underwater.
The problem with a deep pull is that the first portion of your pull (as you reach deep) is not pushing water backwards - it is pushing it down instead, which is not propulsive. Pushing water down tends to try to lift your body, which is also not propulsive.
This is the basic point of the high elbow underwater - it keeps your hands not too far from your body and more of your pull is dedicated to pushing water backwards, causing your body to move forward.
I saw a video of Grant Hackett's underwater and it is astounding how much of his pull translates directly to propulsion. It looks as if he is pulling on cables suspended under his body.
One of the problems with stroke instruction is often it says to do something (like maintain a high elbow) but doesn't really explain why. It always works better for me to understand the purpose behind stroke advice.
I actually had a coach two years ago tell me to swim with a straight arm underwater. I knew right away he was an idiot.
I believe you can find the Hackett video (and others) here: swim.ee/.../free.html
Performance of the swim.ee website is generally poor so I recommend you download (right click, then save) the videos and play them from your computer instead of trying to play them on the site.
One of my favorite parts of swimming is modifying my stroke in miniscule little ways relating to my pull and kick. I have found that a high elbow pull is indeed THE way to swim for me. Not only is it more propulsive but it is also easier on the shoulders. In essence, I am able to swim faster with less wear and tear on my body.
The actual depth of your pull is of little value to the propulsion it provides.
Better videos found at the link below.
don't let the hands get to deep and don't let the hands get too far out to your side. Have your hands finishing under you with your elbow close to your side. I have found that this keeps the strain off the shoulder.
I think this is very important. I am very new at swimming and I am starting to see the need for good coaching and under water analysis. I don't have either, so I found this video link to be a real important tool.
www.warmweathercamps.com/SwimVids.asp
Originally posted by rtodd
Better videos found at the link below.
www.warmweathercamps.com/SwimVids.asp
Good find...thanks. I will download some of those tonight when I get home.
Flipper,
Here are some pointers that have helped me:
- Think about anchoring your hands in the water and pulling your body forward, rather than pushing the water back. The previous description of Grant Hackett pulling himself forward on cables is a great mental picture. What's the difference? I believe if you think about pushing water backwards, you'll pull too hard and too fast with your arms and you will shove the water back without necessarily harnessing it to forward momentum.
- Try swimming some of your sets with your hands balled in fists, aka "fist drills." This will really teach you to use your whole forearm as a paddle. (Bonus: when you open up your hands, you'll feel like you have ping-pong paddles attached to them.) Combine this and the previous point, you want to slow you arm stroke down just a little to ensure you have a good grip.
- Think about initiating your body roll from your hips, not your arms. Ideally, if you have a firm grip on the water, you can use your arms like propeller blades to translate your body roll into forward momentum. This hooks your stroke up to the more powerful core body trunk muscles, and takes some of the work load off of your arms and shoulders. This all sounds more complex than it really is. Think about how a golfer or a baseball batter translates body rotation into more power in his/her swing. One way to feel this is to do a pull set with a kickboard instead of a pull buoy between your thighs. If you can feel the board pushing on the water, your rotation is good.
- You know you really have the hip driven body roll gooding good when you find yourself getting stronger and your teammates getting weaker in long pulling sets. Why? They are using just their arms and shoulders while you use you whole abdomen and chest as well, really everything except your legs.
Matt
