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
I am not suggesting that Spitz was swimming in this fashion but illustrating that the analysis is flawed by failing to take into account the contribution of the opposite arm and the kick.
Thanks for pointing this out because this always bugged me, too.
There's one thing I'm absolutely positive about in swimming: the only way to accelerate forward is to apply a force against the water. The only way to swim faster is to either increase this force, decrease the resistance to this force or both.
I am not suggesting that Spitz was swimming in this fashion but illustrating that the analysis is flawed by failing to take into account the contribution of the opposite arm and the kick.
Thanks for pointing this out because this always bugged me, too.
There's one thing I'm absolutely positive about in swimming: the only way to accelerate forward is to apply a force against the water. The only way to swim faster is to either increase this force, decrease the resistance to this force or both.
