So I've been working on the mechanics of all my strokes for the past few months, and I've decided to swim a "sprint pentathlon" at the Louisville TYR meet on Sunday: 50s of all strokes plus a 100 IM. The idea is to establish baseline times to work from. Today I realized that despite years of youth and high school swimming, I probably have never performed a backstroke start in my life. I tried a few today at the end of my workout, and I felt like a chest of drawers falling off a cliff.
What are the parameters of a legal (and ideally not horrific) backstroke start?
I find that I get a much better push if I put my feet about hip-width apart, rather than right next to one another. I also get a better push if I stagger the feet, one up near the top of the water and one about 6 inches below.
I find that I get a much better push if I put my feet about hip-width apart, rather than right next to one another. I also get a better push if I stagger the feet, one up near the top of the water and one about 6 inches below.
