Phelps ready to try out new freestyle technique

lope Verb to move or run with a long easy stride Noun a long steady gait or stride I guess to lope when swimming it is a long easy stroke

When my frayed tendons were acting up I used to swim with my thumb almost touching my body during the catch phase. This enabled the healing process by not putting pressure on the tendons. I raced roughly 350 miles over 2 months with frayed tendons plus training. Now this is news you can use. When you're injured and you can alter your stroke, where the pain goes away so you can train, it's an awesome thing. When I injured my rotator-cuff, I stopped doing bench press and pushups. I replaced those exercises with flys and modified wall pushups and was pleased with the training results. I had to stop swimming for almost a year but I came back to one best time in the 50 fly and a tenth off my PR's in all 50's. The 100's I lost two seconds but not training for a year ~ what the hey! Great information.

Coach T: I'd just like to mention that the body is controlled asymetrically by the brain. For example, the right arm/hand excels at close-to-body movements; that's where its spatial understanding lies. The left arm/hand excels at out-there movements more distant from the body. The difference between in-here and out-there neural control (and subsequent practical execution) is one reason why baseball hitters can't switch hit easily: they are trying to reverse the fields normally dominated by one or the other arm/hand. I agree it's best not to teach loping as a technique to be implemented by young swimmers.

A style or quirk of an individual's recovery is just that a style or quirk. A good coach like Bowman knows that frill or style in and of itself doesn't make a swimmer faster. The style or quirk that becomes a habit of a world record holder is important for that person but to teach a style or quirk to a novice or beginner can be more than a stumbling block for the future success of that swimmer. Most coaches know there are techniques that every swimmer must achieve to become successful. Symetry is indeed critical to most athletic movements and swimming is no exception. As swimmers set records, you will see less loping / gliding. It is indeed all about the production of positive inertia. A straight arm recover takes the hand longer from exit to entry versus a hand from a bent arm recovery. Another disadvantage with a straight are recovery is the potential for more air to be created upon the hands entry. Air on the hand or around the hand creates less drag (e.g. a breaststroker who uses an over-the-water recovery may have a faster recovery but if the hands do not clear the air upon the entry ~ It becomes a stroke fault). There have been and will continue to be successful swimmers using a straight arm recovery but good coaches will continue to teach novice or beginners the best way first and adjust to that critical components for the individual. Good coaches teach sound fundamentals first then allow quirks or styles when they're not counter-productive to speed. These are some of the critical propulsive characteristics that swimmers can change are: The depth they pull The speed they pull How effectively the can achieve an EVF, The path their hand takes (moving from turbulent to still water) Hand position (more or less surface area) Position of their body (efficient reduction of frontal resistance). I'd like coaches to note that every swimmer should try to improve these critical propulsive characteristics. The future success of age group, beginner or novice swimmers depend upon the effective teaching, learning and application of these skills. Good luck!

The style or quirk that becomes a habit of a world record holder is important for that person but to teach a style or quirk to a novice or beginner can be more than a stumbling block for the future success of that swimmer. Most coaches know there are techniques that every swimmer must achieve to become successful. Symetry is indeed critical to most athletic movements and swimming is no exception. I agree with you on this 100%. Emulating the worlds best isn't always a good idea for a novice. The most obvious error I see along these lines is someone kicking 10M off each wall when they are much faster above the water.

I enjoy the give and take, thanks! An important note was made that a SDK is only as effective as the swimmers. I use the Hillmen Chart to objectively evaluate breakouts and it's an awesome tool to show a swimmer when they should get up and get going. Dara Torres gets up quicker and catches up to those ahead of her. Baseline training is vital. Coach T.

When my frayed tendons were acting up I used to swim with my thumb almost touching my body during the catch phase. This enabled the healing process by not putting pressure on the tendons. I raced roughly 350 miles over 2 months with frayed tendons plus training.

Now this is new you can use. When you're injured and you can alter your stroke where the pain goes away so you can train, it's an awesome thing. When I injured my rotator-cuff, I stopped doing bench press and pushups. I replaced those exercises with flys and modified wall pushups and was pleased with the training results. I can't do any kind of presses either - my left shoulder lets me know pretty quickly that I need to stop. So instead I do chest flys and lat pulldowns. Those are the only two weight exercises that I do!

We sometimes get information to stop training from the doctor. Many believe the healing process works with rest. I did go against what to specialists said and kept swimming but as "Tom said" and I am a believer in stroke modification. I was a believer in the past of no pain no gain. Now I beleive no pain complete recovery.

When my frayed tendons were acting up I used to swim with my thumb almost touching my body during the catch phase. This enabled the healing process by not putting pressure on the tendons. I raced roughly 350 miles over 2 months with frayed tendons plus training. I do this as well. I have had surgery for DeQuervain's tendinitis www.eatonhand.com/.../hw008.htm which occasionally acts up. When it does, I don't stop, I just tuck my thumbs under and keep going. I swam like this for 12 months prior to surgery and now when it acts up post-surgery (it's been almost 2 years). I think it has helped my catch a bit, too.