All this back and forth between the breaststrokers and the freestylers (in particular) is all just in fun, right? I realize everyone has their favorite stroke (well, except for the IMers). I can't really swim anything other than freestyle, but I do enjoy the occasional bit of breaststroke (as long as I'm not in a big hurry and my knees are feeling okay). I think it allows me to concentrate on the catch fairly well which should help my freestyle, especially because I can actually watch what my hands and forearms are doing, not just guess based on "feel". So I guess in part I treat breastroke as a stroke drill for freestyle.
Yes? No? Maybe?
Thx,
Skip Montanaro
I like breaststroke all right but I also like the possibility of finishing my swim the same day I start it, and given my lack of speed, my best chance for this is in freestyle. Used to do all breaststroke, though, before I started masters' swimming. Then I realized I could last just as long doing free, and go a bit faster (all relative, of course).
Fly... I only wish I had better coordination. A coach told me a lot is in the hips. Seems as if it would be a great core muscle workout if I could only master it.
Back... can do it but can't seem to do it in a straight line, plus water goes up my nose. I do like during kick sets to switch to back kick for half the yards as a way of balancing things off. And I don't seem to veer off if I'm just doing a kick on my back, not using arms. But I'll avoid even that during open lap swims if the pool is crowded.
Peter prefers a combination fly and breaststroke.
Not to get too much off topic but I was at a relay festival this past weekend which I spent a good 4-1/2 hours driving to. I had to spend the weekend. Anyways, the fly leg of our 400 Medley Relay was missing and it was the first heat of the first event. We couldn't find anyone to sub and I was committed to swimming because pretty much all I entered were relays (hence relay festival). So rather than scratching, I swam the *** and then went straight into the fly. Highly NOT recommended.
Not the same kind of fly/*** combination. But I think that one was potentially worse.
Tracy: See how jealous you breaststrokers are!! :rofl:
Fort - I've always been an IM type - I love swimming them all!!!
But Breaststroke is a sight for sore eyes during an IM, it usually makes or breaks an IM!!!!:notworthy:
So, back to the more serious part of my original post. ;-) Are there others who view breaststroke as a sort of "catch" drill for freestyle? I do a fist drill from time to time. That seems to help with the EVF (less resistance, lets your arm rotate quicker). I've never tried it doing breaststroke. Is there any validity to that idea?
Thx,
Skip
I don't think that many people use breaststroke for a freestyle drill. Backstroke is more suited to freestyle drills/recovery because it is a long axis stroke like freestyle so you are working on the hip rotation. And it's good as a recovery stroke to stretch out the arms and shoulders (esp. double-arm backstroke). *** and fly drills go along together in the same way, since both are short-axis. Fist gloves (swimming freestyle) are definitely good for helping you to pull with your entire arm in free, not just your palm.
I don't know that *** would help with your freestyle catch. I use breaststroke drills and stroke only for helping with my breaststroke... and never as a recovery (why waste my knees on a recovery lap?) But there are a lot of posters on the forum with more experience than me who might have some ideas.
And as for the frivolous posts, really, backstroke is the only evil stroke.
I thought Fort had made peace with her inner breaststroker,but now she calls us crazy(we are,but thats not an excuse.) I think those fast freestyles may have moved her to the darkside(long axis is the axis of evil.) Stay Good Fort,Stay Good.
I will Stay Good! No worries. (But I have NOT made peace with my inner breaststroker since I'm missing your informal clinic. But my twin has made her peace. :eek: ) My first love is still fly. And I agree with Lindsay, freestyle is principally a way to train for fly since I don't do much of that in practice right now.
I guess I'm the flip-flopper on this one. I started my swim career as a flyer. I then morphed in into a freestyler. Now, I can't do fly for more than 50 yards because I can't build my endurance due to yucky shoulders. So, I've been working on *** and back. I actually like *** now! I.M. is the best race of all!:D
Huh!?!:confused: :confused: :confused:
Bill, you don't have to train that much fly to swim it in meets! Generally, if you do a lot of fly in practice, your technique will degrade quickly from the muscle fatigue. I believe and practice the theory that you shouldn't do fly unless you're swimming it perfectly (or, you know, as well as you can). Otherwise, if you're flailing around and straining to try and finish a long set, you are susceptible to injury or imprinting incorrect technique. So, to avoid this and get the training in, you can do freestyle instead. Even for strokers like me, a pretty large percentage of an average workout (or any engine building) is done freestyle. Although too much freestyle is too boring. I prefer to mix up the strokes.
