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?
I think at times people tend to overanalyze the technical aspects of stroke work and lose site of a very important element....fluidness. I see this most often in people who breather bilateral (every 3 or 5)....often they are to flat in the water and mechanical.
I'm not saying forget about technique....quite the opposite....but there if a person feels smoother and stronger breathing every 2 strokes.....which will produce a natural lope....and everything "underwater" is being executed properly than it's fine.
Point is....don't be afraid to try things (except breastroke....don't bother with it :) ).....what works for one person is not going to be the same for all.
I think at times people tend to overanalyze the technical aspects of stroke work and lose site of a very important element....fluidness. I see this most often in people who breather bilateral (every 3 or 5)....often they are to flat in the water and mechanical.
I'm not saying forget about technique....quite the opposite....but there if a person feels smoother and stronger breathing every 2 strokes.....which will produce a natural lope....and everything "underwater" is being executed properly than it's fine.
Point is....don't be afraid to try things (except breastroke....don't bother with it :) ).....what works for one person is not going to be the same for all.
