A Learning Channel special on Lance Armstrong showed how he spent hours perfecting his aerodynamic position on the bike. Computers would analyze the drag caused by Lance's different positions on the bike and the bike itself(i.e.his body caused 2/3 of the total drag). All of this testing to save maybe 1 or 2 percent drag. Of course, in the Tour De France the few seconds time differential could be the difference between a win or loss.
So how could you test your own hydrodynamic position in the water and would it be worthwhile? I imagine one could push off the pool wall and try different positions of head,arms,torso,legs, and feet and find the ONE position that allows you to go the farthest. Persumably, that would be your most hydrodynamic or slippery.
Or, I suppose if you had an Endless Pool, you could tether a swimmer to some kind of force gauge that would measure the energy required to keep the swimmer stationary at a certain flow level. Then try different positions of head, arms, torso, legs, and feet to find which position requires the least amount of force to stay stationary.
Intuitively, one would think that a head down, straight torso, hips, legs, and pointed toes would be most hydrodynamic but not necessarily so.
How does that hydrodynamic position change when a swimmer breathes. Again, is one position more slippery than another and is it different for everyone? How would you test it?
I don't have answers--only questions. Any one aware of studies or empirical data?
At the Olympic Training Center they measure your resistance in the flume by having you tethered to a resistance gauge(just like the endless pool idea.)It's great because you can see how small changes in body alignment can make big differences in streamlining.
I have been paying a bit more attention to my streamlines off the wall and it has made a big difference in how far I have to actually swim. The beauty of something like this is that regardless of whether or not you improve your conditioning or actual swimming speed, this "skill" can shave time off of your swims. A good streamline will probably allow you to swim faster as your stamina will be less taxed due to a longer period of time spent underwater.
Reducing resistance is every bit as important as increasing propulsion.
Allen,
Yeh, I got to experience one of those flume's; all went well until I turned my head to breathe; that tether got a little slack in it.
And SCYfreestyler, I'd give anything if I had a thousand walls to push off of on my 18 miler, and since I can't swim underwater like a fish, I am, sadly, left with a very long stroke length AND propulsion. Doing both for 18 miles should prove for an interesting story at most.
Donna
Yeah, a flume or endless pool would be very useful in evaluating the aerodynamics of your streamline. And, you're right, they'd just need to attach you to something that would hold you still and could measure the amount of force. This is exactly what's done with airplane models in a wind tunnel.
Trying to evaluate how aerodynamic you're stroke is would be much more difficult.
One of my spiritual fathers (though he doesn't know he had me as his son though... anyway.... complicated.) invented a tool in '92 to measure swimmers efficiency (www.patentstorm.us/.../5391080.html)
I believe hydrodynamic efficiency was part of the "things" being measured.
I have never seen it. I only remember that everyone would laugh at him in his back. I think he invented that at least 20years too early.
Swimming community isn't there.... yet.
Glad to see your are back, sorry that I missed the debate on swimming theories. It did look interesting but thought the going was rough. I do like to read all of your posts.
Hey, "swimming theories" was an interesting thread while it lasted. Are you calling us lawyers and OW swimmers and Caped Dudes "rough?" Since you are now doing fly, I might be up for a little race down in Mexico. I like reading Terry's posts too. One doesn't always want to read the conventional stuff.
George, you're going to crack 2000 posts soon. I think your posts are generally shorter than Terry's though, so his post # should really be doubled to reflect the length and depth of analysis.
Glad to see your are back, sorry that I missed the debate on theories. It did look interesting but thought the going was rough. I do like to read all of your posts.
As a member of a group of coaches, invited to Colorado Springs, we saw how scientists used the swimming flume at the Olypmic training camp. There certainly should be a great deal of data on the hydrodynamics of a swimmer. You can contact the Olympic Training Camp and ask them who you might talk to on the subject of research finding from the testing they do with the flume. I think they'd be glad to help you. Go to this site at the end of this article for contact information.
Reaching SUCCESS THROUGH SCIENCE
at the International Center for Aquatic Research
United States Swimming is proud to announce the Success Through Science program, which is aimed at athletes of all abilities who are interested in improving their swimming performance.
As an adult athlete, you might feel that improving your swimming has been difficult and frustrating, or that your best days in the sport have passed you by.
But at United States Swimming, we see these years as some or your best. No matter your age, there will always be that untapped potential. And whether it's an adjustment to your stroke, your training program, or how you mentally prepare for competition - we are here to help you succeed.
That is why USS has created a program specifically designed to help swimmers continue to excel even after those youthful years are just a memory.
United States Swimming and the International Center for Aquatic Research aim to help swimmers reach peak performance by unlocking the mystery of the science aspect of the sport.
The ICAR is a unique facility which combines both "one of a kind" laboratories and swimming flume with professional staff devoted to swimming science. ICAR scientists asses swimming performance in order to assist athletes - at all levels of the spectrum - achieve greater success in the pool.
Participating swimmers are taken through a battery of tests to assess their strengths and weaknesses in the psychological, physiological and biomechanical categories.
Following this data collection, an ICAR scientist will interpret these results and make recommendations for each athlete for both training and competition.
For more information, please contact Tricia Downing, Marketing Coordinator at: tdowning@usswim.org or at 719-578-4578.
Let me continue, --
When a swimmer is taking a breath, the arm is in the most powerful phase of the stroke. A common error among beginning swimmers is taking the breath too early in the stroke or too late. The following articles on other aspects of streamling are interesting. Good luck to you and Merry Christmas, Coach T.
Here are a couple articles on the subject that are interesting.
www.usms.org/.../articledisplay.phpwww.evanscoaching.com/.../Swimming Momentum and Arc Continuum - Evans.pdfwww.fluent.com/.../a1.htm
I thought USA Swimming dismantled the flume at ICAR/Colorado Springs recently.
I got videos swimming in it back in about 1995 at a Masters swim camp when I was in good shape and going to meets.
