Does your analysis match the one here. Thorpe and Hackett www.svl.ch/.../
Former Member
analysis of....?
By reading this and some other pages on the site, I have discovered that I am a front quadrant swimmer. It was interesting to read, nonetheless.
End of my stroke analysis.
Craig I get onto these sites because most of my swim clients are from Europe and Mexico. I really wish I could read and speak their languages but I use a free translation program, but I do use the pay program. www.freetranslation.com/
Interesting material George (as usual).
Can't help but thinking that I don't like Hackett's technique all that much after all. I can't swim like that and really, many might develop elbow or shoulder injuries by only trying.
I prefer Torpe's technique which can better suit us (ordinary folks).
Altough I never saw myself swimming, I do think that my swimming must look like his. And he is far better than me.
That said. Here are my comments.
1, His elbow was not high enough during the recovery phase. And it looked like he forced his arms forward rather than moving them without tension before they entered water( I also have the same problem). Two reasons I can think of: First, he did not roll enough. Looking from the top angle, his shoulder or upper body was flat. But looking from underwater angle, it seemed all right. So I am not sure about this one. Second, his elbow was not high enough when his hands exited water. He did not try to brush his ear with his shoulder, which can lead to a low elbow recovery with a rigid arm .
2, It seemed that he closed his fingers very tight, which was against Geroge's relax idea.
3, His hands entered the water very close to the center line. I do not know it is a good thing or not.
4, Uderwater he did not bend his forearm much(the EVF thing?) during the catch phase. As a result, I theoretically assume he did not grabbed much water( I do not know how it feels like when a catch is done correctly). And I also think he dropped his arm too deep during pull.
5, His legs looked a little bit wide. And at some point they looked like swing sideways a little bit rather than keeping them in a straight line.
6, I cannot see much on his kicks. But the picture when he did the kick with a board showed his legs were a little bit rigid. I can see the muscle tension there. Also I think the amplitude of his kicks were too deep. But again I have no idea on what a good kick looks like or feels like. Maybe what he was doing was correct.
7, I think he can stretch his body a little bit more.
Things he did well:
1, Good rhythm.
2, Neutral head position.
3, He finished his stroke. Touch his thigh.
4, Symmetric stroke.
5, A well coordinated arm stroke and leg kick. Way better than me.
Hope I did not sound too critical here. Again I am just a novice swimmer and he swam far better me. I must say I make my comments mainly on the theory I know.
Her is a video of a swimmer what is he doing wrong what if anything is he doing right. www.youtube.com/watch
But George I am very curious on whether or not his kicks were correct. I believe I kick the same way. The difference is he kicked better than me and most important he can synchronize his kick and arm stroke quite well, which I cannot at the moment. Tree your critique was very good and just watchiing him swim is good for you.
