The latest threads clearly reveal that the vast majority of masters swimmers wish breaststroke did not exist (except Peter, Allen, Aquafeisty, and a possiblely experimenting SCY freestyler). So why does everyone hate breaststroke? :mad:
I'll go first. I hated it when I was young because it was too slow, I never learned how to do it right, and I never learned the wave action because it didn't exist when I was young. I can't seem do get the timing right now. And I have no excuse. Unlike my shoulder, my knees are fully intact. Not sure I have the gumption or time to put in 100,000 yards for a complete overhaul on a stroke I don't swim in meets. But I'd like to be able to fake it in IMs ...
I think that hard work can help anyone get better. I think that good technique can be taught. I have frequently spent just a few minutes helping some one (not a "natural"breaststroker)with their breaststroke and then they drop there times several seconds. That said genetics certainly has some role in swimming. Some people have predominantly fast twitch muscle fibers and some have slow.You don't see Olympic Freestyle sprinters who are not tall. The ankle flexibility that is helpful for breaststroke is opposite to the flexibility that is most helpful for the other strokes. There are just not many people that excel at breaststroke and excel at the other strokes,but a few do.
I think that hard work can help anyone get better. I think that good technique can be taught. I have frequently spent just a few minutes helping some one (not a "natural"breaststroker)with their breaststroke and then they drop there times several seconds. That said genetics certainly has some role in swimming. Some people have predominantly fast twitch muscle fibers and some have slow.You don't see Olympic Freestyle sprinters who are not tall. The ankle flexibility that is helpful for breaststroke is opposite to the flexibility that is most helpful for the other strokes. There are just not many people that excel at breaststroke and excel at the other strokes,but a few do.
