underwater video clinic

I think you're talking about a high elbow recovery, not the high elbow catch. The catch is under the water. Here's a couple articles you might look it. www.limmatsharks.com/.../ www.h2oustonswims.org/.../dreaded_dropped_elbow.html

Underwater you are still droping the elbow and that causes you to slip through the water. The imaginary wall is not really a wall. You are pressing on a wall of water. Shaman that is underwater stuff he needed to see. May I add this the dropped elbow starts from the recovery, continues to the entry and still continues all the way thru the catch.

I am just going to comment on the hand entry on your free. I dont like the elbows and hands making a splash on entry. It must even be more when you are going hard. There are other things also.

I watched Thorpe swimming no TI stuff there. Maybe try a more neutral head position. Look straight down at the bottom of the pool instead of always peeking for the wall. That might help straight out your back a bit and also raise your hips and feet a bit. I think the TI folks refer to the sensation as "swimming downhill". Skip Montanaro

George: one thing the clinic coaches suggested was more of an elbow-high entry. I tried it a bit today and it does seem to help. Before, my whole arm was pretty close to straight when it entered. Another thing I tried which seems to help my efforts to get a 6-beat kick down is to use hand paddles. They slow my stroke down enough that I can get the rhythm of a 6-beat kick going. Hopefully I can get it drilled in and then maintain it without paddles. I sure feel a lot more tired with the faster kick.

Your catch and pull is too shallow...(your catch is too early and too shallow) To pull deeper you will need to rotate your shoulders more and get a more effective catch at the start of each stroke.. If you implement this properly your stroke rate should slow down for a while and you'll tire more quickly...the rate will build again as your strength grows to adapt to the more effective catch and pull. I'd use the paddles but don't place eccess strain during the catch...make the catch firm and effective but place your strength at the middle and back end of the stroke....

Yes elbow higher, more body roll. I am in Whistler BC for a few days site for the 2010 Winter Games. What a beautiful place this is when I get home I will put your swims into Dart Swim and send you an analysis.of your swimming. The low elbow sometimes makes for a dropped elbow from the catch on, that can be a problem. George: one thing the clinic coaches suggested was more of an elbow-high entry. I tried it a bit today and it does seem to help. Before, my whole arm was pretty close to straight when it entered. Another thing I tried which seems to help my efforts to get a 6-beat kick down is to use hand paddles. They slow my stroke down enough that I can get the rhythm of a 6-beat kick going. Hopefully I can get it drilled in and then maintain it without paddles. I sure feel a lot more tired with the faster kick.

Head down a little more can help with this as well. Your head position and kick in freestyle don't match. Your head is high and lots of it sticks out of the water. If you want to stay that way in terms of your head, you'll need to kick more to stay horizontal instead of dragging yourlegs. If you don't want to kick any more strongly, then you'll need to keep your head low in the water both when you swim and when you breathe.

The only tips I would give would be to make a bigger effort in keeping your elbows higher when you catch and don't lose your shoulder lever when you press back. Your really get into your elbow and bicep when you start push through instead of keeping all your strength in your shoulder, chest, and back.

Thanks everyone. This is a lot of information to absorb at one time, and I plan to prioritize it in this order 1) head/body position 2) kick (related to 1.) 3) arms (entry, catch, stroke). Thanks, Dave