I am trying to improve my freestyle. I have been working on balance,timing,counting strokes.
When watching videos of world classs swimmers, I noticed that on swimmers like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, that their arm in the water is fully extended(straight) and angled below the corresponding shoulder. It looks as though the arm that is about to catch the water is angled to where it points towards where the pool wall and pool bottom meet. Not pointed directly down but not pointed directly straight out from the shoulder to the wall.
It seems like most of the best freestylers have their extended arms pointed below their bottom shoulder at an angle before the pull. This also appears to only happen once they have finished the rotation to that side.
Has anyone else noticed this or am I way off?
Thanks,
David
Parents
Former Member
Actually George's video of Thorpe is interesting, I think you could support two different theories of swim timing by watching the timing of his left and right pulls. In one case his catch starts as he finishes the opposite pull, in the other he is well into his recovery before starting his catch. I've never really known how to deal with conflicting advice on whether to swim with continuous propulsion like kayaking or with some glide/a bit of catchup. Maybe Ian decided to go for a little of both? ;)
Actually George's video of Thorpe is interesting, I think you could support two different theories of swim timing by watching the timing of his left and right pulls. In one case his catch starts as he finishes the opposite pull, in the other he is well into his recovery before starting his catch. I've never really known how to deal with conflicting advice on whether to swim with continuous propulsion like kayaking or with some glide/a bit of catchup. Maybe Ian decided to go for a little of both? ;)
