Loping Freestyle Technique

I guess the rule is so you don't resubmerge and do underwater SDK? As long as you are doing the front crawl, I don't think you would ever see a DQ. Your feet are almost always breaking the surface. Phelps did not invent one sided breathing or the lope that comes with it, he did not invent SDK, but he shure is exploiting these things. Check out Athens. Watch Phelps carefully. The lope is not nearly as defined as now. Thorpe demonstrates the symmetrical no lope form. I think we will see more of the lope. YouTube - Michael Phelps vs Ian Thorpe - 200m Freestyle

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? I think his lope is a bit more pronounced in Beijing. Also watching the Olympics, both his arms, head and upper back are under at the same time. There may be some area around the small of his lower back in the trough that is uncovered and his feet may break the surface here and there. There should be access to the Beijing 200 on their website. Check it out.

Here it is. It looks like he gets way under. This looks alot different from the World Champs video. YouTube - Michael Phelps 200M Freestyle Final Beijing 08

Forgive my ignorance, but SDK means what? Submerged dolphin kick? On the Athens video, you can see he hasn't developed that to the same extent as in Bejing either. I think we'll see a lot more of this, too. There's some kind of twisting torque thing that's going on in the stroke that gives it great power. Kind of, windup-UNWIND. The stroke has to be asymmetrical to work. It's clever how the breathing plays a role. And one can breathe more during the race. It's going to be rough on shoulders, though, perhaps no matter what, but for sure if it isn't done right and carefully practiced. I say this knowing that the key to it all is in the core. It isn't an accident that Phelps can swim this way AND comes out of turns the way he does.

"The Lope" was on display today at the PNA Championships meet in Federal Way. Someone did a ridiculously fast 200 Free using it.. in the 1:45 range if I am not mistaken. Actually he went 1:40 in the 200 free. And 45 in the 100! His loping stroke seemed effortless and was amazing to watch. Guessing here, but I think his secret weapon is his kick.

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?

"The Lope" was on display today at the PNA Championships meet in Federal Way. Someone did a ridiculously fast 200 Free using it.. in the 1:45 range if I am not mistaken.

Oxygen is key in a 60 second effort. Past 20 seconds there is a very measureable aerobic component.

I was at a meet yesterday and took note of how many 20 year olds were using the loping style during the 100 free. Breathing every stroke with rhythmic gallop. The two seem to go hand in hand. It was impressive. It was surprising how breathing every stroke (during a sprint) had little interference with the times. They were fast. Maybe staying well oxygenated is a benefit to using this technique?

I tried the lope drill in practice the other day. I did put fins on. It was interesting. I think I have a little of that in my stroke already, but not as pronouced.