So I finally got some video of myself and my son up. This is the first time I'm seeing myself swim, and I'm horrified, lol.
My self-critique: Elbows not high enough, not extending arms very well, arms crossing midline a little on extension, and extending hand almost pushing water a little. Please feel free to add anything, and I'd appreciate advice on drills to address my specific weaknesses (and my son's).
www.youtube.com/watchwww.youtube.com/watch
My son's critique: Elbows drop some, he tends to pull a little too much to the outside rather than down the middle, and his left arm tends to go left on extension. Believe it or not he's much faster than the last time I posted video, he's gotten his 25m time down to 26 sec from 45 when the season started. Please add anything.
www.youtube.com/watchwww.youtube.com/watch
Thanks guys.
Your hands enter to close to your head and you end up pushing against the water to get them out in front of you to start the catch.
You also seem to have enough torso rotation but it does not seem to have a positive effect on your stroke. It looks you are pulling your arms out of the water by pulling your elbows over your back and then moving them forward. Try practicing a finger-tip drag, where you have high elbows and you fingertips drag underneath your elbow. Very high elbows, never going inside you torso.
Do you mean my recovery is not wide enough, i.e. my elbows should be out away from my body more?
My advice for you for your son’s swimming. Leave the coaching to his coach and don’t try to give him advice from others. It will only serve to confuse.
Unfortunately the neighborhood swimming season is over and he doesn't have a coach now. I'm hoping to find someone good to give him personal lessons. During the past swim season they really didn't do much (if at all) stroke instruction, it was mostly "swim hard, stroke faster". My son made the biggest time improvements when I worked with him on keeping his hips up and feeling the water resisting his forearm on the pull. When he tries to maximize his stroke rate his time gets worse.
We have a good time swimming laps together, and right now we are both trying to improve. But I agree that he needs better instruction.
Your hands enter to close to your head and you end up pushing against the water to get them out in front of you to start the catch.
You also seem to have enough torso rotation but it does not seem to have a positive effect on your stroke. It looks you are pulling your arms out of the water by pulling your elbows over your back and then moving them forward. Try practicing a finger-tip drag, where you have high elbows and you fingertips drag underneath your elbow. Very high elbows, never going inside you torso.
Do you mean my recovery is not wide enough, i.e. my elbows should be out away from my body more?
My advice for you for your son’s swimming. Leave the coaching to his coach and don’t try to give him advice from others. It will only serve to confuse.
Unfortunately the neighborhood swimming season is over and he doesn't have a coach now. I'm hoping to find someone good to give him personal lessons. During the past swim season they really didn't do much (if at all) stroke instruction, it was mostly "swim hard, stroke faster". My son made the biggest time improvements when I worked with him on keeping his hips up and feeling the water resisting his forearm on the pull. When he tries to maximize his stroke rate his time gets worse.
We have a good time swimming laps together, and right now we are both trying to improve. But I agree that he needs better instruction.
