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?
I now understand that masters swimmers actually believe they are supposed to be looking at the bottom of the pool. I guess I will just have to get used to the collisions and start swimming with a helmet and shoulder pads :).
Alternatively, you could try (1) keeping to the right, including pushing off the wall after a turn on your new right, which was your left before you turned; (2) making sure you are in the correct lane for your speed and in the correct place in your lane, behind faster people and in front of slower people; (3) leaving five seconds between you and the person in front of you; (4) not stopping mid-length; (5) keeping to the far left corner of the lane if you stop at the wall mid-swim (the side you came in on) so that people who are going to turn rather than stop can come in and turn and push off to their right; and (6) paying attention to your peripheral vision.
If you are not doing all six of these things, then you are to blame for most if not all of the collisions you are in. You are also impairing your teammates' efforts to practice proper head position because they are constantly having to look around anxiously to see where you are.
BUT: Sorry, Lindsay, for contributing to a hijack of your thread. Seems to me that the "overextension" that Dave is talking about is what happens when people try to feel as if they are reaching out really far, but actually they are not rolling enough: They cross over the midline and wind up fishtailing. I don't think it is a function of hand/arm entry position as much as of torso rotation.
I now understand that masters swimmers actually believe they are supposed to be looking at the bottom of the pool. I guess I will just have to get used to the collisions and start swimming with a helmet and shoulder pads :).
Alternatively, you could try (1) keeping to the right, including pushing off the wall after a turn on your new right, which was your left before you turned; (2) making sure you are in the correct lane for your speed and in the correct place in your lane, behind faster people and in front of slower people; (3) leaving five seconds between you and the person in front of you; (4) not stopping mid-length; (5) keeping to the far left corner of the lane if you stop at the wall mid-swim (the side you came in on) so that people who are going to turn rather than stop can come in and turn and push off to their right; and (6) paying attention to your peripheral vision.
If you are not doing all six of these things, then you are to blame for most if not all of the collisions you are in. You are also impairing your teammates' efforts to practice proper head position because they are constantly having to look around anxiously to see where you are.
BUT: Sorry, Lindsay, for contributing to a hijack of your thread. Seems to me that the "overextension" that Dave is talking about is what happens when people try to feel as if they are reaching out really far, but actually they are not rolling enough: They cross over the midline and wind up fishtailing. I don't think it is a function of hand/arm entry position as much as of torso rotation.
