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?
Quicksilver, many thanks for the article tip. Most helpful. Now, can I translate it into a physical action with a modest amount of practice? We shall see. I'm 6'3", 235 so it could be an entertaining affair, if not...
You're welcome.
Clay is right in his suggestion of not pulling up too much at the start especially if you're big.
Once the hands are off the grips...gravity takes over.
It was easier when the toes were allowed to latch over the gutter.
I find that if you throw your hands over your head... and lock them together just before the entry, you're back dive will be much cleaner.
Good luck.
Notice how low the elite swimmers remain at take your marks...www.youtube.com/watch
The rules do not require the toes to be under the water, just not in or curled around the gutter. In a pool where the gutter is at water level they would need to be under water I guess but in a pool where the wall extends above the water the toes and feet can be above the water.
I went a little deep, and had a moment of looking up and thinking, "I gotta get back up there, and soon."
I had a moment like that too. Motivated me to work on my underwater dolphin kick.
By way of an update: I successfully completed my backstroke start, insofar as I propelled myself backward into the water. I went a little deep, and had a moment of looking up and thinking, "I gotta get back up there, and soon." I was half a body back of the guy next to me when I came up. But no muscle pull, no humiliating slippage, and no DQ. So the forumites came through again!
I threaten no one in the backstroke department. But in my heat a 75 year-old guy set the world record in the 50 meter back with a 35+. Needless to say I did not seem him finish.
But generally the meet went well--took 1.4 seconds off my 100 meter IM, and stayed static in other events. Need lots of work on breakouts, that's for sure. My SDK needs work, too.
Thanks to all for the help.
I love pentathlons for forcing me to step outside -- way outside -- of my comfort zone. If it's any consolation at all, I am more than 10 seconds slower per 50 in back than free, and my *** is substantially faster than my back. I regularly negative split my 100 IMs.
My backstroke "start" (sic) looks something like the film you see of a ship sliding out of dry dock -- moving oh so painfully slowly, almost imperceptibly, even, at first; then gaining momentum as the inevitability of the combined force of its weight and gravity gradually overcome the inertia holding it in place; and finally crashing inelegantly and inefficiently into the water, sending forth a mighty wave to signal its ungainly arrival at its destination.
And somehow I often manage to go too deep, despite doing the backstroke version of the venerable belly flop.
But for pentathlons, I wouldn't be caught dead trying one in public.
By way of an update: I successfully completed my backstroke start, insofar as I propelled myself backward into the water. I went a little deep, and had a moment of looking up and thinking, "I gotta get back up there, and soon." I was half a body back of the guy next to me when I came up. But no muscle pull, no humiliating slippage, and no DQ. So the forumites came through again!
I threaten no one in the backstroke department. But in my heat a 75 year-old guy set the world record in the 50 meter back with a 35+. Needless to say I did not seem him finish.
But generally the meet went well--took 1.4 seconds off my 100 meter IM, and stayed static in other events. Need lots of work on breakouts, that's for sure. My SDK needs work, too.
Thanks to all for the help.
