As quoted in the AP article:
"You'll all have to see. I'm not saying anything until we unveil it," Phelps said with a grin when asked how he's tweaked the stroke. "It's a significant change. You'll be able to tell exactly what I did as soon as I take my first stroke."
He's on tap to swim the 100- and 200-meter free and the 100 butterfly at the Charlotte UltraSwim in NC. Should be interesting to see.
Parents
Former Member
Swimming always does this...following trends I mean. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. But, teaching a straight arm recovery to everyone will be a mistake the same as trying to teach everyone to do the high elbow recovery was a mistake.
It will be slow unless you have already have serious speed to make it work.
My guess is many people will focus on what their arms look like above water and unless it is somehow connected to what's going on underneath it won't make any real difference.
Is it the speed that creates the technique or the technique that creates the speed? For instance, put fins on and sprint a 100 free. See what happens to your recovery with the additional speed. I know my arms naturally go a little straighter. Its just the natural result of the increase in speed for me.
What I think is great is it has stopped some coaches from forcing a high elbow recovery on everyone. Now hopefully in time we'll learn that you can't force a straight arm recovery on everyone either.
How the hand enters the water becomes part of the setting-up of the stroke that is crucial to efficient swimming. If the swimmer creates a lot of air behind their hand the entry must be fixed. So, unless the recovery is creating an environment that is counterproductive to speed or creates shoulder problems, let the swimmer recover any way they want.
Swimming always does this...following trends I mean. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. But, teaching a straight arm recovery to everyone will be a mistake the same as trying to teach everyone to do the high elbow recovery was a mistake.
It will be slow unless you have already have serious speed to make it work.
My guess is many people will focus on what their arms look like above water and unless it is somehow connected to what's going on underneath it won't make any real difference.
Is it the speed that creates the technique or the technique that creates the speed? For instance, put fins on and sprint a 100 free. See what happens to your recovery with the additional speed. I know my arms naturally go a little straighter. Its just the natural result of the increase in speed for me.
What I think is great is it has stopped some coaches from forcing a high elbow recovery on everyone. Now hopefully in time we'll learn that you can't force a straight arm recovery on everyone either.
How the hand enters the water becomes part of the setting-up of the stroke that is crucial to efficient swimming. If the swimmer creates a lot of air behind their hand the entry must be fixed. So, unless the recovery is creating an environment that is counterproductive to speed or creates shoulder problems, let the swimmer recover any way they want.
