Loping Freestyle Technique

Watch the Phelps world champs video and tap your finger on your desk every time one of his hands enters the water in front. The loping rhythm will be more of a "lub-dub *pause*, lub-dub *pause*" than an even "tick-tick-tick-tick" like a metronome. I've heard some call this a "gallop" in their stroke if that helps you link the visual to the words. Oh. I see now. Thanks! I'm a pretty new swimmer. Is this loping business something I should consider later after I've got my normal freestyle down pat, or something I could work on now while I'm still "fresh"?

I think when I get into a distance swim mode, I swim similar to this, but with out the legs :-) been told I look like I am doing some form of the catch up drill. but after watching the video linked, I'm going to work my legs better and work on head position

Try putting on fins and doing it really exaggerated at first until you get a feel for the rhythm.

I'm not really getting it, either, Courobouros.

Loping, obviously is an asymmetrical stroke. You rely more on one side than the other for propulsion. Certainly it comes naturally to one sided breathers in freestyle, but the video of the backstroke shows it is not just about breathing. And it is not just about upper body either. One arm could be stronger, one leg could be stronger, or both in the right combination (left arm-right leg, or right arm-left leg). Those who throw and kick on opposite sides might be advantaged here. I took up breathing every third stroke as an adult to help deal with shoulder pain. But it has made me reluctant to swim longer events because I don't get enough wind. Lately I've tried alternately breathing every third with every second stroke, and that's given me better wind, a faster turnover, and a LOPE! It's more intermittent than Phelps, but it is fun. I have to be careful though, not for my shoulder, but my stroke tends to break down a little. Ahh, it's still new. I'll figure it out. By the way, I watched the same WR 200 from Phelps above as everyone else, and he never came close to being fully submerged. The woman commentator even remarked about how high he was riding in the water. Even if his head was submerged (maybe), one shoulder or the other was always out. Those who say otherwise, tell me where in the footage?

*looks at the linked videos* *looks harder* *squints, looks like Quasimodo* I still don't see what the heck loping is supposed to be. :confused: Watch the Phelps world champs video and tap your finger on your desk every time one of his hands enters the water in front. The loping rhythm will be more of a "lub-dub *pause*, lub-dub *pause*" than an even "tick-tick-tick-tick" like a metronome. I've heard some call this a "gallop" in their stroke if that helps you link the visual to the words.

Hope you don't mind Chris if I post your backstroke technique. It's not all that common to see a lope in backstroke. The bounce seems to generate so much momentum. YouTube - Colonies Zone - Awesome Backstroke

Hope you don't mind Chris if I post your backstroke technique. It's not all that common to see a lope in backstroke. The bounce seems to generate so much momentum. YouTube - Colonies Zone - Awesome Backstroke I think one would have to be careful to make sure the "bounce" doesn't become too high or too deep during the swim. That would end up being counter productive. Just how does one "lope" during backstroke? I saw the swim but that seems odd.

I think one would have to be careful to make sure the "bounce" doesn't become too high or too deep during the swim. That would end up being counter productive. Just how does one "lope" during backstroke? I saw the swim but that seems odd. Very true. Because the arms don't bend on the recovery, the momentum might have a little upward lift before the arms make it past 12 0'clock and start swinging downward towards the water. I can't say for sure what it should feel like. But in experimenting with the lope on freestyle and backstroke I found, as you said, that the momentum ideally has to be carried forward not up and down. Otherwise, deliberate bouncing could slow one down.

On the Bejing video, especially on the bit they played at the end, he looks pretty deep. But the angle is not a good angle. I can see your point of view. I will say this, though. During that race, and the world championship race as well, every time the camera got close and from the side, he wasn't coming close to being as deep as that top shot looked. Also, how does one judge what the water level is? If the water slides over the top of his cap, is he under water? The water level is up and down and all around. I've seen breaststrokers who look more under water on their glide than Phelps looks. Is breaststroke not allowed in a freestyle competition? I'm actually astonished there would be a rule about this in freestyle. I always thought freestyle means "get there however you can as fast as you can". Are there people who can swim faster than Cesar Cielo all under water?