Everyone who watched coverage of the World Championships this year no doubt noticed Michael Phelps new distinct lope in his freestyle. I know a lot of other swimmers do this too, and their freaking fast, so this morning I asked my coach about it. She looked at me quizzically and said it's a very bad habit to have and if you don't do it naturally just forget about it.
But, Phelps didn't have this very obvious lope up to now, and he just broke 5 world records with it. So it doesn't seem like it can be that bad. I'm not to prove my coach wrong, I'm just curious.
So if anybody knows anything, please share. Why does it make some fast and for others it could be considered a bad habit? What's the trick to learning it? If it is a bad habit, why did Phelps bother to pronounce it?
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Former Member
I find myself swimming with a lope at times when I drive one arm forward stronger than the other. It seems to conserve energy and take me further with less energy expended.
That's why I was curious. I tried it the other when I was just messing around and it felt like I was going farther with less effort, which is why I was surprised to find out it was bad. I'm sure Phelps didn't go up and say Bob Lope my Stroke, but if it is so bad, then why did Bowman allow it to become so pronounced rather than trying to balance out his stroke.
Keep the ideas coming...love to hear 'em.
I find myself swimming with a lope at times when I drive one arm forward stronger than the other. It seems to conserve energy and take me further with less energy expended.
That's why I was curious. I tried it the other when I was just messing around and it felt like I was going farther with less effort, which is why I was surprised to find out it was bad. I'm sure Phelps didn't go up and say Bob Lope my Stroke, but if it is so bad, then why did Bowman allow it to become so pronounced rather than trying to balance out his stroke.
Keep the ideas coming...love to hear 'em.
