I am so disgusted--I've done the TI drills, had lessons, had swim team college kids give me tips, yet I still just can't seem to get the freestyle arm action right. Do you exactly move your arm in the recovery phase the same as you move it in the fingertip drag drills? Or do you do a wind up motion of your shoulder to bring the arm out of the water? No matter what I try, I am so pathetically slow--more often than not, I am feeling like it is all wrong. I am a good breakstroker and decent flyer, and great backstroker, but geez, I need to be able to do the free - I swim about 12 miles a week. Any tips are sooooo appreciated.:bow:
Parents
Former Member
That's what I say, but I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me on that. I find that most people have difficulty focusing on multiple aspects of a stroke at the same time, and I think that working on the pull is more important that working on the recovery. A good recovery will conserve some energy and potentially increase your turnover; however, if you have a mediocre pull, that won't matter much because you'll be wasting energy in the pull and not going very far per stroke.
It might be because of the way I warm up my arms before I work out, but my arms are more relaxed when I recover them almost straight with a floppy hand than when I try to keep my hands below the elbow. I think it's all about just doing whatever is comfortable for you.
That's what I say, but I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me on that. I find that most people have difficulty focusing on multiple aspects of a stroke at the same time, and I think that working on the pull is more important that working on the recovery. A good recovery will conserve some energy and potentially increase your turnover; however, if you have a mediocre pull, that won't matter much because you'll be wasting energy in the pull and not going very far per stroke.
It might be because of the way I warm up my arms before I work out, but my arms are more relaxed when I recover them almost straight with a floppy hand than when I try to keep my hands below the elbow. I think it's all about just doing whatever is comfortable for you.
