In this video:
www.youtube.com/watch
Dave Scott talks about four common faults:
head position
overreaching
overextension
dropped elbow
In this video:
www.youtube.com/watch
the videographer analyzes Ian Thorpe's stroke, and while I disagree with much of his analysis it is great slow motion video of Thorpe.
BUT, Thorpe enters his right arm fully extended with the elbow and forearm actually entering the water just before the hand does, see attached video frames. This is exactly what Dave Scott describes as overextension.
I am wondering whether it actually makes any difference how you enter the arm if you are fully extending the arm before starting the catch?
That said, one has to remember that even for a single swimmer the stroke will vary with the distance being swum, his 100m or 200m stroke isn't identical to how he swims in the 800m.
I think this might be a key point. I think fully extending the arm is much more of a distance stroke where you are trying to maximize the glide. Sprinters probably want to get their arm in the water in a matter where they can begin the catch as soon as possible and I think that translates to not fully extending the arm.
That said, one has to remember that even for a single swimmer the stroke will vary with the distance being swum, his 100m or 200m stroke isn't identical to how he swims in the 800m.
I think this might be a key point. I think fully extending the arm is much more of a distance stroke where you are trying to maximize the glide. Sprinters probably want to get their arm in the water in a matter where they can begin the catch as soon as possible and I think that translates to not fully extending the arm.
