I find it much harder to reduce the stroke per length in backstroke than in free. In free, you can glide a long distance in each stroke, but not so in backstroke. What should I work on, the pull, or the kick, or the coordination of the hand and leg? Appreciate any comments.
Parents
Former Member
Fantastic discussion. One that I really need to follow. When I was at my best form back in 1982 I actually had a fairly decent backstroke. 59:30 for the hundred meters, which was not too shabby for the times. No Olympic berth, but I could smile about it, at least that day. Now, over 25 years later I find that my backstroke is really my weak sister stroke. Maybe this is because it was my best stroke and now it has fallen into sub-par mediocrity like the rest of my swimming.
On the other hand, I have come to the conclusion that my complete loss of skill in backstroke has everything to do with my lack of kick. Put a pull-buoy and paddles on me and I can still rip-off a backstroke set I can smile about (though my shoulders will curse me for days after). Add my legs into the fray and I might as well just tie a lead weight to my feet.
Strokes per 25 meters free pulling: 11 to 12. swimming 14 to 15
Strokes per 25 meters back pulling: 13 or so. swimming 18 or so, and half as fast. The turns? doing it pull it's 1.5 strokes from the flags to the turn. Swimming its sometimes 4 strokes to the turn, with absolutely no inertia to carry me through the turn. I think kicking is an important element for increasing your distance per stroke.
Hey, here is a question (occured to me today while doing underwater kick off the wall): How many swimmers think that nose plugs are a good idea? It seems to me, especially doing backstroke, that a set of nose plugs might just improve the streamline off the wall by decreasing the amount of air wasted coming off the wall. Maybe I am weak, but I have to blow air as I come off the wall to stop water from flooding up my nose (hence making my eyes go wonky with pain:drown:). I find that lack of air is the major reason I have to come up (that and complete lack of movement since my pathetic kick is pushing me nowhere)
Fantastic discussion. One that I really need to follow. When I was at my best form back in 1982 I actually had a fairly decent backstroke. 59:30 for the hundred meters, which was not too shabby for the times. No Olympic berth, but I could smile about it, at least that day. Now, over 25 years later I find that my backstroke is really my weak sister stroke. Maybe this is because it was my best stroke and now it has fallen into sub-par mediocrity like the rest of my swimming.
On the other hand, I have come to the conclusion that my complete loss of skill in backstroke has everything to do with my lack of kick. Put a pull-buoy and paddles on me and I can still rip-off a backstroke set I can smile about (though my shoulders will curse me for days after). Add my legs into the fray and I might as well just tie a lead weight to my feet.
Strokes per 25 meters free pulling: 11 to 12. swimming 14 to 15
Strokes per 25 meters back pulling: 13 or so. swimming 18 or so, and half as fast. The turns? doing it pull it's 1.5 strokes from the flags to the turn. Swimming its sometimes 4 strokes to the turn, with absolutely no inertia to carry me through the turn. I think kicking is an important element for increasing your distance per stroke.
Hey, here is a question (occured to me today while doing underwater kick off the wall): How many swimmers think that nose plugs are a good idea? It seems to me, especially doing backstroke, that a set of nose plugs might just improve the streamline off the wall by decreasing the amount of air wasted coming off the wall. Maybe I am weak, but I have to blow air as I come off the wall to stop water from flooding up my nose (hence making my eyes go wonky with pain:drown:). I find that lack of air is the major reason I have to come up (that and complete lack of movement since my pathetic kick is pushing me nowhere)
