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
If these terms are all intended as "metaphors," I have no problem. Let me elaborate:
1. "Effortless." Of course that is the feeling we strive for. But I believe that training for competition is anything but.
2. "Weight shift." Of course there will be weight shifts if you are rotating properly. But this is not the primary source of propulsion in freestyle. And as I have posted before, I do not believe you can use the analogy of a baseball pitcher, who has the benefit of a solid surface to push against.
3. "Hand anchoring." Of course your hand isn't really stationary; this is just a feeling, right? Unless of course you truly beliieve that you are moving forward because of weight shifts. Who here believes that?
If these terms are all intended as "metaphors," I have no problem. Let me elaborate:
1. "Effortless." Of course that is the feeling we strive for. But I believe that training for competition is anything but.
2. "Weight shift." Of course there will be weight shifts if you are rotating properly. But this is not the primary source of propulsion in freestyle. And as I have posted before, I do not believe you can use the analogy of a baseball pitcher, who has the benefit of a solid surface to push against.
3. "Hand anchoring." Of course your hand isn't really stationary; this is just a feeling, right? Unless of course you truly beliieve that you are moving forward because of weight shifts. Who here believes that?
