With the proliferation of video cameras and the ease of uploading stuff to YouTube and from there to the U.S.M.S. forums, it occurred to me that it might make for a nice section of these forums to have a one-stop place were swimmers could post videos of everthing from starts and turns to the various strokes, and that others (like Ande, Chris, Leslie, Patrick, etc.) could lend their considerable expertise and advice.
I know that people have been posting their stroke videos hither and yon throughout these forums, but it might be nice if there were a single dedicated spot where you could do this and get feedback.
As an example of this, I am going to post a video taken at Colony Zones Sprint Classic this past fall. The two swimmers in here are Dave Varner, who leads the entire race, and me, who comes in second. The video was shot by a friend of Dave's, and there are times when I am so far behind him that I no longer appear in the view finder. Somehow, I managed to close at the end. I think he beat me by only a half second.
Anyhow, I personally would love any suggestions on my stroke. I suspect Dave would appreciate this too, but I am not positive. I am the one in the lighter blue FS I with the very langorous (almost lazy) looking stroke. Despite appearances, this was my fastest 200 in several years at 1:57.44. It felt at the time like I was trying hard, but it does not look like it.
My turns look particularly inept. Any suggestions?
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The "Swimming-Related Discussions" forum is already a place to post videos: of technique, of meets, of others' skills. Videos are a HUGE part of this forum.
Why do you think it's broke and needs fixing?
And what would be left?
:)
Vive, I am not sure the current situation is broke or not, that's why I posted the poll. The main advantage I can see having a dedicated forum just for stroke analysis of USMS members is that you could find the stuff easily rather than having it scattered throughout all the various threads. I also think we can learn not just from having our own strokes critiqued but also from seeing how other people could improve. Anyhow, consolidating it all into one area would be mainly for convenience.
Moreover, Jim M.'s suggestion that only USMS registered swimmers could post videos for critiquing also raises a possible secondary benefit, too--i.e., getting more people to actually register for USMS and contribute to the organization through membership fees. At the one convention I attended, one of the subthemes was how to offer more value to the members. Perhaps this could be, in at least a minor way, a new added value?
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Dave, in terms of your stroke in the video compared to mine, I still, for the life of me, can't see how I almost caught up. It does appear I have a bit more energy left, but that might be because I even split the 200.
Your splits were:
1 Varner, David 48 FXCM-PV 2:01.00 1:56.94
26.42 29.03 30.49 31.00
My splits were:
1 Thornton, James 56 TPIT-AM 2:02.40 1:57.44
27.75 29.72 30.12 29.85
You went out the first 100 in 55.45 and came back in a 1:01.49 for about a 6 second differential between 100s.
I went out in 57.47 and came back in a 59.97 for a 2.5 second differential.
You had me by 2 seconds on the first half of the race, and I made up a second and a half on the second half of the race.
It would be interesting to see if you took it out a wee bit slower, and I took it out a wee bit faster, if we both could have improved our times. Pacing is really the key to the 200, in my opinion.
You also seemed to kill me on the turns. I need to figure out how to do better turns. If I could just shave a tenth of a second of each turn, I would have gotten you by .2!
The "Swimming-Related Discussions" forum is already a place to post videos: of technique, of meets, of others' skills. Videos are a HUGE part of this forum.
Why do you think it's broke and needs fixing?
And what would be left?
:)
The main advantage I can see having a dedicated forum just for stroke analysis of USMS members is that you could find the stuff easily rather than having it scattered throughout all the various threads.
That's my feeling as well. In fact, I'd like to see it a requirement (or at least very strongly encouraged) that the initial post in any thread in such a forum have a video link.
Skip
Jim,
I don't see much wrong there!! Your streamline looked a bit longer than Dave's. I think your pacing was very good with a good split and you were able to bring in some legs in the last 50.
Well done.
I have no comment on your stroke...
this was hard to see because like you said you get cut off a bit, but to me it looked like in the last 125 or so that you would slowly catch up between the flags, but then lose 3ft in the turn. not sure if it was the speed of your turn, if you are getting stuck on the wall, or if the other swimmers had better underwater work than you. but you are only 1-2 strokes behind as Dave is turning, but then you are back at his feet after the turn. again the angle of the video and the fact that the camera is following Dave made it hard to see, so maybe I am wrong.
If we did create a dedicated forum for this, we could also make it such that only registered U.S. Masters Swimming members could start threads. Everyone could read and participate, but only current members could request analysis.
Hmmm... I didn't realize there was any connection between my forum username and my USMS registration. Hopefully you wouldn't have to make that connection one-by-one?
Skip
Jim,
My pacing was not hot, that's for sure. I felt good going out, but by the time my dull brain realizes that sometimes, the damage is done. I bet that if I had gone out 1 second slower, I would have had at least a 0.5 second faster time. 6 seconds differential is lame. If we'd been neck and neck - well, different things sometimes come into play and anything can happen. On the 50 yd free at the same meet, I was gaining on the pack like you were gaining on me - if it had been a 60 yd swim, champagne all around.
Personally, I don't train at that pukey threshold nearly enough for nearly long enough. The pool I swim in during the winter has really bad air, I sometimes get trapped mid-swim and have to stop for a second. Other pools, and summer outdoors, no problemo. So....regrets on bad splitting? Nah. Determination to try again? You betcha. Will see with a 500 on Saturday.
DV
Dave Varner would appreciate any and all input, especially on swimming.
Caveats (don't we all have a few....):
1. My left shoulder has never been the same after jamming a sprint finish in 2006. No xray damage seen, 1 cortisone shot, but it's funky anyway. I try to roll and keep my alignment straight even if my arms don't match.
2. I've never been a dual side breather; perhaps growing up in wavy age-group training convinced me that breathing twoards the lane line was more reliable, I dunno. I could always learn a new trick, though.
3. Mr. Vlog had an incredible finish on that race. My piano was larger than his at that moment. Do not let that guy sneak up on you!
4. Would be interested in knowing how everyone's stroke count varies through a race - I believe I was around 14 at the beginning and then madly clawing at 17 at the end. As Mr. Wolff puts it, "dinosaur arms" flailing away.
DV
