I have been studying videos of swimmers and find what was once called the "S" stroke has almost disappeard.
I have noticed that flyers use it. But crawl swimmers have modified it so much that it is almost gone.
Has it been replaced completely or was it an optical illusion? Did underwater film show us it did not exist.
Parents
Former Member
Iwanafly said it very well - “The bottom line is that the swimmer must minimize drag along his/her body, but maximize drag on the pulling surfaces (forearms and hands).” A definition of eddie current is ; “a current, as of water or air, moving in a direction that is different from that of the main current. Eddies generally involve circular motion; unstable patterns of eddies are often called turbulence.” The turbulence created as a swimmer moves forward and surrounds the body is an eddy current, the turbulence behind the hand is called a vortex which creates a drag force not conducive to propulsion. It’s also important for swimmers to clean/clear their hand of air because it also decreases drag or the ability of a swimmer to hold or leverage water effectively.
In order to maximize drag, like Iwanafly says, your hand must stay away from turbulent water. It’s not a freakish or weird theory. Ernest W. Maglischo, spends three pages on the Vortex theory. In the first chapter “Increasing Propulsion” from his book “Swimming Fastest – The Essential reference on technique, training, and program design” Ernie devotes over 40 pages on this fascinating topic (propulsion). Dr. James Councilman’s and his timeless book “The Science of Swimming” also spends a lot of time helping swimmers and coaches understand the importance of fluid dynamics and how it relates to competitive swimmers. If swimmers and coaches would read these two books the complex world of fluid dynamics becomes more clear. It is indeed complicated but not incomprehensible, even to guys like me.
As swimmers we would all like to become more efficient and faster. All coaches should have a solid understanding of stroke mechanics and how physics plays a role in swimming faster. Teaching swimmers how to reduce resistive forces by streamlining the best they can, and getting them increase propulsion by pulling and kicking with the best possible technique should be the mission of every swim coach.
So, how you pull your hand and position it as it travels through the water is important for fast swimming. Don’t over-exaggerate the “S” pattern, avoid stopping the propulsive mechanisms by gliding, clear the hand of air as you enter it into the water, set-up your forearm and get it vertical early, find a pulling pattern that is the most effective for you (improve your DPS), improve ankle flexibility and core strength, and train smarter not just harder. Good luck, Coach T.
Iwanafly said it very well - “The bottom line is that the swimmer must minimize drag along his/her body, but maximize drag on the pulling surfaces (forearms and hands).” A definition of eddie current is ; “a current, as of water or air, moving in a direction that is different from that of the main current. Eddies generally involve circular motion; unstable patterns of eddies are often called turbulence.” The turbulence created as a swimmer moves forward and surrounds the body is an eddy current, the turbulence behind the hand is called a vortex which creates a drag force not conducive to propulsion. It’s also important for swimmers to clean/clear their hand of air because it also decreases drag or the ability of a swimmer to hold or leverage water effectively.
In order to maximize drag, like Iwanafly says, your hand must stay away from turbulent water. It’s not a freakish or weird theory. Ernest W. Maglischo, spends three pages on the Vortex theory. In the first chapter “Increasing Propulsion” from his book “Swimming Fastest – The Essential reference on technique, training, and program design” Ernie devotes over 40 pages on this fascinating topic (propulsion). Dr. James Councilman’s and his timeless book “The Science of Swimming” also spends a lot of time helping swimmers and coaches understand the importance of fluid dynamics and how it relates to competitive swimmers. If swimmers and coaches would read these two books the complex world of fluid dynamics becomes more clear. It is indeed complicated but not incomprehensible, even to guys like me.
As swimmers we would all like to become more efficient and faster. All coaches should have a solid understanding of stroke mechanics and how physics plays a role in swimming faster. Teaching swimmers how to reduce resistive forces by streamlining the best they can, and getting them increase propulsion by pulling and kicking with the best possible technique should be the mission of every swim coach.
So, how you pull your hand and position it as it travels through the water is important for fast swimming. Don’t over-exaggerate the “S” pattern, avoid stopping the propulsive mechanisms by gliding, clear the hand of air as you enter it into the water, set-up your forearm and get it vertical early, find a pulling pattern that is the most effective for you (improve your DPS), improve ankle flexibility and core strength, and train smarter not just harder. Good luck, Coach T.
