Preparing for the 100 IM at Masters Nationals in May has lead me to think about the exchange between Backstroke and Breastroke. How can USA Swimming (and Masters) further bend over to pressure in the sport for additional speed and record breaking.
I propose that one be allowed to flip from back to *** on an IM by rolling over on to your stomach (like a normal backstroke turn or freestyle turn) and push off on your stomach for your pullout without touching the wall (with your hand).
This could cut as much as a half second off the race. I mean whats the point in touching the wall anymore? We don't do it on backstroke.
Besides, aren't rules made to be broken if its in favor of making the sport faster and breaking records..... :-)
John Smith
I don't take any myself but
I do believe with the advance of longevity / anti aging medicine
there are masters swimmers who do
www.google.com/search
Ande,
Now, you don't actually think there are really masters swimmers out there that would take these substances do you?
John Smith
Actually the rules are set so that you must finish each stroke leg with a legal finish for that stroke. You can't roll over onto your front in the backstroke finish so you can't do so at the end of the backstroke leg of the IM.Actually the rule does not say what must touch the wall on the back to *** turn. So possibly it could be your feet that touch the wall, while on your back. “(2) Backstroke to breaststroke—The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back.”
Now the only obstacle is how to “continue swimming on the back throughout the race” and get your feet around to the wall without rolling onto your stomach. Maybe throw a Nabor turn in?
Actually the rule does not say what must touch the wall on the back to *** turn. So possibly it could be your feet that touch the wall, while on your back. “(2) Backstroke to breaststroke—The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back.”
Now the only obstacle is how to “continue swimming on the back throughout the race” and get your feet around to the wall without rolling onto your stomach. Maybe throw a Nabor turn in?
It seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to execute a flat spin on your back as you are approaching the wall and before your hand touches. I'm guessing it wouldn't be faster or else someone would have already tried it.
We talking backstroke here? If not I disagree and have video of myself showing otherwise!
Heck, you could get past 2 meters just by falling in flat! I would imagine for someone six feet tall your hands typically enter the water pretty close to the flags. I remember back in college people jumping off the blocks and touching the flags with their hands all the time.
I propose that one be allowed to flip from back to *** on an IM by rolling over on to your stomach (like a normal backstroke turn or freestyle turn) and push off on your stomach for your pullout without touching the wall (with your hand).
This could cut as much as a half second off the race. I mean whats the point in touching the wall anymore? We don't do it on backstroke.
There is no point. If you can flip, it makes no sense to require touching the wall. Besides, I'm sure, as Hulk says, it's hard to detect whether someone executing the turn very quickly is touching or not.
Personally, I'd like to ditch the two handed touch rule for fly and ***. That would reduce loss of momentum on turns.
Really? I have way above average hops and I don't thank I could do that. Hmm maybe I could and never tried. One thing we would do is start from the side of the pool and jump over the first laneline from the deck hand first. It always seemed like it was going to be hard but it never was.
I doubt most people can do it, but I have seen it done. And, yeah, jumping over the lane line from the deck is an old standby! I supposed it's easier in some pools than others.
One of the most impressive things I ever saw was a college teammate threw a kickboard over an entire 50 meter pool to get out of workout on our winter training trip. I'm sure the coach thought he had no chance of actually doing it. He actually cleared the pool easily. It was a nice toss.
Personally, I'd like to ditch the two handed touch rule for fly and ***. That would reduce loss of momentum on turns.
I treat the *** turn as a chance to catch a quick breath before a strong streamline/push off the wall, without a breath for a while. I've done free--> *** lengths with a free flip turn and always struggle through the initial *** routine without that breath.
I predict the guy who did that was incredibly athletic, probably a sprinter, who was very good but never quite made the most of his talent. I think most teams have "that guy" on their squad. On my team "that guy" did a 50 yards underwater, with fins, from the block in 20.8.
I approve this message.
Rob,
Technically, I would be on my back when my feet hit the wall on a freestyle like turn. I could rotate from my back to my stomach for the *** stroke pull out on the push off.
There must be other ways to change the rules to make swimming faster. USS/USA Swimming has changed rules to ....
1. allow your head to dip under on *** stroke.
2. allow a dolphin kick on underwater pull outs.
3. allow underwater dolphin for as much as half the race on fly or back.
4. allow backstrokers to do a freestyle flip turn without touching the wall.
5. allow competitors to wear equipment that increases body compression while reducing drag.
I predict the guy who did that was incredibly athletic, probably a sprinter, who was very good but never quite made the most of his talent.
Partially correct. Not a sprinter, but definitely someone who could have 'applied himself more.'
