Loping Freestyle Technique

If they don't cancel it, I'll be at the NC meet. Two freestyle events: 200 and 1000. Fortress, I don't remember; I know it happens whether I breathe or not. It is pretty obvious in the photos, though. No shoulder problems so far! Chris...the meet is ON for N.C. I mailed my entries in today for it and zones.

seems to me like the lope is really an adjustment made for breathing. 1) does anyone lope and alternate breathe? 2) would phelps do the lope if he were swimming with a snorkel? My theory is that the lope allows the swimmer to incorporate some dolphining into the long-axis strokes, ie, use the torso to produce propulsion. In my own freestyle, I both lope and add a dolphin kick. But I think David is mostly right (or maybe they both are). Loping in backstroke seems less common than in freestyle.

Chris, do you have video of your freestyle? The only thing I have was the DVD from the 400 free at the Oregon nationals. I don't know how (or if) I can transfer it to create a computer file (it is illegal to do so, I'm sure). The quality isn't great IMO. But there will be a article (I think "Unorthodox Techniques" is the working title) in USMS Swimmer with some stills of the freestyle, both above and underwater. I don't know when it will appear; a backstroke article will come first. Pretty it ain't; Mark Gill usually describes it as a train wreck. I certainly don't think anyone should emulate it, but all the elements of it (straight arm recovery, loping, dolphin kick) are things I see much more routinely in other people's freestyle nowadays than 20 years ago.

The only thing I have was the DVD from the 400 free at the Oregon nationals. I don't know how (or if) I can transfer it to create a computer file (it is illegal to do so, I'm sure). The quality isn't great IMO. Probably nothing illegal about it, Chris. I haven't looked at my discs to see if they are copyrighted. I doubt they could be. But even if they are, your posting of a portion of a video featuring you, for the legitimate and non-commercial purpose of allowing us to analyze your train wre . . . err, stroke, would likely constitute "fair use." There is a 4 part test for what constitutes fair use, but the effect on the market is the most important factor. Posting one heat, or a portion of one heat, of the 400 would seem to have a negligible impact on the market. Of course, if you get your butt sued off, just remember what free advice is worth.

Last time I checked, no one gets points for being pretty...just fast. Couple of questions. You do a straight arm recovery? Totally straight or slight bend? How does this effect your distance swimming/training? Second, on the recovery, does your shoulder rotate out first from the water, then the rest of the arm follow, like in backstroke? I think I have been trying to my arm out of the water, without getting the shoulder to roll first, to provide an easier path for the rest of the arm. Left arm is straight, right arm is sometimes straight. It depends how fast I'm going: the faster the turnover, the straighter the arms. Shoulder comes out first, I think. You have to realize that this is the most I've thought of my stroke, probably ever. I'm a "do what feels right," instinctual type of swimmer, very much a dinosaur now in this high-tech, technique-oriented age. Spending hours on correct hand placement and the like would make me crazy. (I'm not saying this is a good attitude to have, just that it is mine.)

In my own freestyle, I both lope and add a dolphin kick. When do you sneak in the dolphin kick? You breath to the right, right? Do you think the lope + unilateral breathing could strain the left shoulder at all?

Alternate breathing and loping don't appear to work very well together...for me anyway. It's an early obervation. I noticed that the lope feels more rhythmic and natural when it's done to only one side. Usually the side that you breathe on is the one in which the arm initiates the downward lope (as in the Go-Swim video). I'm also experimenting with doing it in backstroke. It seems as if the arms can be used as weights to throw momentum forward.

In my own freestyle, I both lope and add a dolphin kick. But I think David is mostly right (or maybe they both are). Loping in backstroke seems less common than in freestyle. Chris, do you have video of your freestyle?

FWIW, and not really related to loping: That 2007 World Champs WR 200 Free is still my favorite individual Phelps race -- more than any of his Oly swims. What Phelps does to PVDH on that third wall and last lap just shouldn't be possible. What do you think was going through PVDH's head coming out of the last turn as he watched Phelps rocket forward? He must have been dumfounded. And listen to the crowd react as Phelps surfaces--awesome. I remember reading that PVDH announced the removal of the 2-free from his lineup at the press conference that day, fully and graciously conceding that he got irrevocably dominated in the race. Phelps SDK'd him into retirement. So bad-a$$.

Pretty it ain't; Mark Gill usually describes it as a train wreck. I certainly don't think anyone should emulate it, but all the elements of it (straight arm recovery, loping, dolphin kick) are things I see much more routinely in other people's freestyle nowadays than 20 years ago. Last time I checked, no one gets points for being pretty...just fast. Couple of questions. You do a straight arm recovery? Totally straight or slight bend? How does this effect your distance swimming/training? Second, on the recovery, does your shoulder rotate out first from the water, then the rest of the arm follow, like in backstroke? I think I have been trying to my arm out of the water, without getting the shoulder to roll first, to provide an easier path for the rest of the arm.