I'm trying to get my arm reach more correct in freestyle ... so, I'm not sure where my arm should be (or where i should direct it?) as in enters the water through the reach and ending at the catching of the water with my hand.
...did that make sense?
Anyway, i've found that sometimes I direct my reach a little away from my head, and other times I'll focus it to be directly in front of my head ... they both feel okay, but I should pick one or the other ...
Also, i breath on my right side ... and i feel like I don't reach far enough/wait before the pull ... how long should a proper glide be?
I'm trying to get my arm reach more correct in freestyle ... and i feel like I don't reach far enough/wait before the pull ... how long should a proper glide be?
Glide? Glide? Are we talking freestyle here? I am always after my kids that "riding" on the top of the pull is not going to get them anywhere...
I can't imagine where the glide would be or what purpose it would serve. (with the exception of the kids that are breathing both out and in above the surface, of course, which I also preach against at every age.)
I agree with ehoch that there is no one answer about how much glide you need. However, I do think when your arm enters the water you should be thinking about driving it down to the proper catch position.
is this a good example of where the arm should be at full extension? (photo 1) The arm doesn't look quite straight ahead.
Yes, that's what I mean. The arm is fully extended, but maybe a foot or so underwater and poised to begin the catch without a lot of wasted effort. Pushing down on the water doesn't move you forward, after all. You might as well use your arm's mometum from the recovery to drive it down to the catch position.
Glide? Glide? Are we talking freestyle here? I am always after my kids that "riding" on the top of the pull is not going to get them anywhere...
ha ha, maybe glide is the wrong word. I always thought it was being efficient ... but really, it's bad?
... okay, okay I think what i'm trying to say with glide is how long should I keep my arm straight before I begin a to pull it feels like i'm gliding ... but i'm still pulling/pushing with the other arm.
Eric - there is not one correct answer. There are many great swimmers that catch as soon as they enter the water -- there is basically zero glide. There are just as many great swimmers that swim a semi catch-up stroke, they will glide for a while (you better have a good kick for this) -- then there are also a lot of swimmers that in a way do both, one arm is close to catch-up and the other starts the stroke very quickly (the loopy stroke - like Phelps).
So - without seeing your stroke - there is no right answer :)
hm, I need to find some underwater vids ... I want to see examples of body position at full extension. ... youtube. ... actually ...
www.onetri.com/total-immersion-freestyle-made-easy-drill-cards-p-3175.html
is this a good example of where the arm should be at full extension? (photo 1) The arm doesn't look quite straight ahead.
I would think that you want to be a direct line or slightly wider than your shoulder, but not in front of the head.
If you go to www.goswim.tv, there is a new video of Olympian Scott Tucker swimming. You will see that if you draw a straight line from his shoulder to where his hand enters the water, that it is right in line there.
