Straight Arm Fly

Can someone explain/elaborate on the alternative to a straight arm recover for fly? Perhaps even point to video or pictures of the alternative? Thanks! cgi.cnnsi.com/.../2.jpg

I'm mostly a straight arm flyer too I suppose....As I have mentioned before in other threads, I like to think of my arms as being like the oars on a row boat....They only clear the water by about an inch or two and they sweep around quickly during the recovery phase much like oars do (and I try and keep my recovery as smooth and energy efficient as possible too)....oars are straight last time I checked. One reason for utilizing this kind of recovery is so that you do not have to lift your front end up very high out of the water to take a breath....I believe in grabbing quick breaths and keeping my head down and body postion as level as possible with the water....then I let my kick drive the stroke and if you time the kick(s) correctly, the propulsion from your second kick should keep your forward momentum going while your arms quickly sweep around during the recovery phase....thats the idea in theory anyway. Bork

cgi.cnnsi.com/.../2.jpg Thanks Kirk. Is it really possible that that style is easier on the shoulders than a straight arm recovery? My shoulders, which have no problem with a straight arm recovery wouldn't tolerate that style at all. And while we're on the topic, what is the advantage supposed to be of rotating your arms and hands so that your palms face the ceiling instead of just leading with the top of the wrist? My shoulders don't like that rotation either, and I don't understand the motivation behind it, yet it is mentioned a lot.

I do a straight arm recovery, and near as I can tell I turn my hands palm down the instant they clear the water (if not sooner). My arthritic damaged shoulders won’t allow anything else. I can do 25’s for as much as I have wind for, I can do 50’s as much as I care to. 100’s are a challenge, but doable. I’m gonna (probably) try a 200 again someday (soon?). I can’t imagine doing a 1Kyd/m fly, not in this lifetime. But if I do it in moderation I can keep it looking and feeling good and not feel like I’m overstressing my shoulders. Most vids and photos I see are flyers arms exiting straight armed, leading the recovery with the wrist, which makes a lot of sense (and looks good too ;-). I see some flyers exiting with an elbow 1st recovery. These swimmers always look super smooth and relaxed in their fly, like they could do it all day long. Haven’t quite figured out how this is done other than that they must have super flexible shoulders. IMHO the only points of real concern are what you do to exit and enter the water with your arms, what you do in-between doesn't matter near as much (unless you are looking for some sort of record I reckon). Arm position in the recovery can have an effect on body position, which is oh so critical in fly, but while we are all similar, we are not all the same. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. ... I was told that you needed to be super flexible to do the straight arm without straining the shoulder. Here's the test. Put your arms in the crucifix position straight out at 90 degrees with thumbs forward and then turn the hand back so your palms are facing up. This is pretty easy for me, so I think I'm flexible enough. Got those funky hyperextended elbows. No, don't want to change something that ain't broke. Just want to ease shoulder strain whenever possible. But a bent arm fly seems unnatural to me. Maybe the bent arm flyers aren't the sprinters? I think I'm exiting as you describe. I'll have to pay more attention when I swim today!

I've noticed in the few still photos I have of my fly that my elbows are bent, yet when watching the video it is not as apparent. Leslie, the crucufix test you mention I can do but the first time I do it, there is some discomfort in the shoulder I injured 2 years ago. Each consecutive time is easier, but the elbows don't really like it either.

I don't think the straight arm recovery is an issue, but I did wonder about the leading wrist issue. When you enter the water, are your hands bent back, in a limp wrist fashion? I remember a guy in age group whose hands entered that way . It didn't seem to be a problem for him, but I always wondered if it was a very efficient way to start the pull.

I was watching Phelps the other day and said to Chuckie that I could see my fly in his stroke. Never as good as his fly but resembles leading with the wrists and quite a straight arm recovery. Today will be the 2nd time back in the water since March the 1st. I will get the video of my fly in a few weeks and try to show you what I do in the fly.

I'm a straight-arm flyer with TWO damaged shoulders from rotator cuff injuries from long ago. I lead with my wrists. I have no problem with shoulders during fly & I did a 1000 fly at a meet last year. However, rotator cuff strengthening exercises are a routine part of my training. I have much more trouble with freestyle but only on the recovery part of the stroke, where one arm wants to drop out of the shoulder socket on occasion.

Can someone explain/elaborate on the alternative to a straight arm recover for fly? Perhaps even point to video or pictures of the alternative? Thanks!

Here's a few article that may help you. swimming.about.com/.../endswimshoulder_5.htm findarticles.com/.../ai_n8886189 findarticles.com/.../ai_n9423906 Our team flew in a clinician who cured our freestyle swimmers with cronic shoulder problems by telling them to look at the palm when the started their recovery. It worked but it's not an easy habit to break. The entry didn't change just their immediate recovery. In fly, we've only had shoulder problems in swimmers who bent their arm on the earliest stage of their recovery while their wrist pointed forwad. We found bending the elbow even a little bit caused problems in most swimmers who've been swimming fly more than two or three years. Good luck, Coach T