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
Easy to understand your thoughts as I understand you are really not intersted in swimming. It is not a sport to you. Expend little energy win none.
!955 was not the end I raced til 1998 and have coached and taught to this day and have kept up the tech side and learning still. But the kick does not control the whole stroke.....
Actually I've haven't loss a race since 1987 using the expend as little energy as possible swimming.....and I am still interested in swimming faster with less energy which Terry's comments seem to always help.
ps. its 1955 not !955:wave:
So my attempt to engage you in a serious discussion regarding one of your theories (and theories are meant to be challenged) prompts this dismissive response? Are we to assume that you are unable to explain how a swimmer can "weight shift" in a manner analogous to a land-based athlete (who has the benefit of a solid surface)? This is a concept which you have emphasized here on this forum and elsewhere (in your books); now it is an "angels-on-the-head-of-a-pin discussion" because it is being questioned. If we are discussing swimming technique, it is not a trivial point. Does our power derive from our shoulders, as many believe, or should we focus on "weight shift" as you are proposing?
I'm not following your argument. Is it a problem with his use of the phrase "weight shift" or is it that you don't think you can use your hips to generate power when you swim freestyle?
Kevin
The short answer is that I don't subscribe to Terry's unconventional theory that the hips (and trunk) are the source of power and propulsion in freestyle. I am oversimplifying and will be accused of misquoting. I do agree that core strength is important, as is rotation.
Did you miss this? >>2. If you can effectively anchor -- i.e. make your hand "stand still" rather than move back -- you have a "lever" of sorts to provide traction while you use some other means (than pushing water back) to move forward.>>
I know enough physics to know that this is not what is actually occurring. I assume you are saying that this is what it feels like.
Certainly you need to rotate in the long axis strokes, but I don't believe you can effectively "weight shift" in a fluid medium (like, say, a golfer or a baseball pitcher).
