We had a videotaping session in practice on Wed and I got some video of my butterfly. I've been trying to work on my butterfly lately but I could really use some pointers and suggestions for specific things to work on and how to work on them.
Clearly the turnover is too slow. Lack of range of motion in my shoulders doesn't allow me to keep my hands at the surface while my chest is down the way that people like Phelps do. In the underwater side view it looks like my hips sink way too much and then don't quite make it back up to the surface, but I don't know what to do about that other than a quicker recovery.
youtube.com/watch
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
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We had a videotaping session in practice on Wed and I got some video of my butterfly. I've been trying to work on my butterfly lately but I could really use some pointers and suggestions for specific things to work on and how to work on them.
Clearly the turnover is too slow. Lack of range of motion in my shoulders doesn't allow me to keep my hands at the surface while my chest is down the way that people like Phelps do. In the underwater side view it looks like my hips sink way too much and then don't quite make it back up to the surface, but I don't know what to do about that other than a quicker recovery.
youtube.com/watch
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Hey Lindsay,
This is quite an interesting concept, using the video for stroke analysis through the forum. We're multiplying many different technologies to bring people of similar interests together, in a way that wasn't possible before. Ahhh.... the future...
So, as far as the video, many have made comments that are useful, so I won't repeat those points. However, after watching your stroke for probably 30 minutes or more I did notice some things that might also be of benefit.
First, I'd like to say this. Stroke analysis is a personal thing, depending on your range of motion, strengths and weaknesses. The question is this, What's the best stroke for you? I can see how you'd like to mimic the best and hope to have similar results, but right now we need look at some other areas that would probably give you quicker results, that is, until you train out the range of motion issues. (This can be accomplished in the gym using specific exercises and stretches, but could take many months/years)
The reason I'm suggesting this first, is because if your body works together in the water you'll swim more efficiently. There are certainly some dryland exercises that could help, hip/neck/shoulder/ankle flexibility, timing drills, over-all body co-ordination, etc. If your weaknesses are mostly range of motion, and timing, I'd suggest targeting those area's.
At the end of the day, the water offers a constant (and limited) amount of resistance, so to create specific adaptation you need to increase the focus on the appropriate area's of weakness.
In the short term, I'm looking at the way you're finishing your stroke. Yes, you pause at the top as others have noticed, and your head stalls, but that could be stretched out. For now though, it seems that you could really benefit by finishing the stroke, and really focusing on the body dolphin at the end... Your upper body, and leg action seem to moving as seperate parts, and need to be flowing in a uniform motion. You're fighting the water with your legs, instead of mimicing a natural wave pattern.
So how do we train this for appropriate adaptation? At First, I suggest trying to not kick (in the traditional sense) for awhile, just let your legs flow, while you're pushing further at the end of the stroke... while you're doing this, get your head deeper... GO SLOW AT FIRST... Really try and think of your body as ONE wave. This is the first area I'd work on. Don't look for instant results, we have to reprogram your nervous system, so drop the muscle memory, and focus on the natural tendencies of the water.
I'd love to see you improve, and I'd write more about ways to do that. The joy from experiencing a breakthough in swimming "feels" as good as winning the race, sometimes better. However, I'm going to be late for work... so, perhaps next time...
We had a videotaping session in practice on Wed and I got some video of my butterfly. I've been trying to work on my butterfly lately but I could really use some pointers and suggestions for specific things to work on and how to work on them.
Clearly the turnover is too slow. Lack of range of motion in my shoulders doesn't allow me to keep my hands at the surface while my chest is down the way that people like Phelps do. In the underwater side view it looks like my hips sink way too much and then don't quite make it back up to the surface, but I don't know what to do about that other than a quicker recovery.
youtube.com/watch
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Hey Lindsay,
This is quite an interesting concept, using the video for stroke analysis through the forum. We're multiplying many different technologies to bring people of similar interests together, in a way that wasn't possible before. Ahhh.... the future...
So, as far as the video, many have made comments that are useful, so I won't repeat those points. However, after watching your stroke for probably 30 minutes or more I did notice some things that might also be of benefit.
First, I'd like to say this. Stroke analysis is a personal thing, depending on your range of motion, strengths and weaknesses. The question is this, What's the best stroke for you? I can see how you'd like to mimic the best and hope to have similar results, but right now we need look at some other areas that would probably give you quicker results, that is, until you train out the range of motion issues. (This can be accomplished in the gym using specific exercises and stretches, but could take many months/years)
The reason I'm suggesting this first, is because if your body works together in the water you'll swim more efficiently. There are certainly some dryland exercises that could help, hip/neck/shoulder/ankle flexibility, timing drills, over-all body co-ordination, etc. If your weaknesses are mostly range of motion, and timing, I'd suggest targeting those area's.
At the end of the day, the water offers a constant (and limited) amount of resistance, so to create specific adaptation you need to increase the focus on the appropriate area's of weakness.
In the short term, I'm looking at the way you're finishing your stroke. Yes, you pause at the top as others have noticed, and your head stalls, but that could be stretched out. For now though, it seems that you could really benefit by finishing the stroke, and really focusing on the body dolphin at the end... Your upper body, and leg action seem to moving as seperate parts, and need to be flowing in a uniform motion. You're fighting the water with your legs, instead of mimicing a natural wave pattern.
So how do we train this for appropriate adaptation? At First, I suggest trying to not kick (in the traditional sense) for awhile, just let your legs flow, while you're pushing further at the end of the stroke... while you're doing this, get your head deeper... GO SLOW AT FIRST... Really try and think of your body as ONE wave. This is the first area I'd work on. Don't look for instant results, we have to reprogram your nervous system, so drop the muscle memory, and focus on the natural tendencies of the water.
I'd love to see you improve, and I'd write more about ways to do that. The joy from experiencing a breakthough in swimming "feels" as good as winning the race, sometimes better. However, I'm going to be late for work... so, perhaps next time...
