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
Wasn't Janet Evans a big loper? Far too much is made of this "ideal" stroke and form.
I would say that if something works well for you then do it. Don't worry about what the so called experts say.
I just looked up videos of Janet Evans on youtube after my coach mentioned her this morning. I had never seen her swim before. I'm shocked she went as fast as she did with that stroke!!
Wasn't Janet Evans a big loper? Far too much is made of this "ideal" stroke and form.
I would say that if something works well for you then do it. Don't worry about what the so called experts say.
I just looked up videos of Janet Evans on youtube after my coach mentioned her this morning. I had never seen her swim before. I'm shocked she went as fast as she did with that stroke!!
