There is not front quadrant swimming and should be dispelled as gobbledee-gook speak-ease. Every swimmer from toddler to World class swimmer uses some facsimile of all four quadrants.
Let’s sort out some definitions so swimmers understand terminology. Front-quadrant swimming; it is not a style but a term. Each competitive stroke can be separated into various parts. If we use four parts or quadrants we can dissect each stroke into a front quadrant where propulsion occurs, a second quadrant where the finish or completion of the stroke occurs, a third quadrant where the recovery is initiated, and the fourth quadrant where the recovery makes the transition to the entry.
The recovery (when the arms are out of the water) may be looked at as a style where coaches see swimmer with either a straight arm or bent arm recovery and even a variance of both. The position of a swimmers body (hip rotation) while they are swimming may also be looked at as a style when swimmers are either very horizontal / flat or rolling side to side. Pulling patterns are also looked at by coaches who will notice different sculling motions as swimmer will pull faster or more pronounced toward the midline of the body and away from it. The depth of the hand as it pulls back is also another cue coaches look for when dissecting a stroke. Coaches will also look at how a swimmer sets-up their stroke in either an Early Vertical Forearm catch (over-a-barrel position) or a Straight arm catch. And last but not least, a coach will look at a swimmer tempo or timing to see when the arms and legs move and if they’re working together effectively or not.
Janet Evan’s straight arm recovery did not stop her from setting world records because when her arms where in the water she displayed effective propulsive / world class form.
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I've used the science and terms brought to swimming by the great Doc Councilman and Ernie Maglischo, Eddie Reese, Mark Schubert, George Haines, Forbes Carlile, Bob Steele, Richard Quick, Jack Bauerle and many other proven coaches. I don't take the science of swimming lightly and when someone tries to steer a swimmer in the wrong direction, I'm going to say something. Swimming is changing all the time but basic principles of fluid dynamics must be followed. Lift forces, drag forces and how they're applied are crucial to efficient swimming. The variables that mold each swimmer into "how they swim" are many but certain variables should not be altered. When someone tells another swimmer that laying on their arm, waiting for the other arm to catch-up will make them swim FASTER (not just easier), I've got a problem with that and so should you. I'm not a know-it-all but some things simply erk me and when someone is trying to pawn-off junk-science and here as gospel, I've had enough.
Wow that felt good. Goodbye
I've used the science and terms brought to swimming by the great Doc Councilman and Ernie Maglischo, Eddie Reese, Mark Schubert, George Haines, Forbes Carlile, Bob Steele, Richard Quick, Jack Bauerle and many other proven coaches. I don't take the science of swimming lightly and when someone tries to steer a swimmer in the wrong direction, I'm going to say something. Swimming is changing all the time but basic principles of fluid dynamics must be followed. Lift forces, drag forces and how they're applied are crucial to efficient swimming. The variables that mold each swimmer into "how they swim" are many but certain variables should not be altered. When someone tells another swimmer that laying on their arm, waiting for the other arm to catch-up will make them swim FASTER (not just easier), I've got a problem with that and so should you. I'm not a know-it-all but some things simply erk me and when someone is trying to pawn-off junk-science and here as gospel, I've had enough.
Wow that felt good. Goodbye
