Missed the memo about the changes in Backstroke ...
Former Member
Just did my second Swimetrics test last week and got the results. It's great stuff for my Freestyle and I got a lot of good feedback
-- this time, I also did my Backstroke and I think I must have missed out on the changes in backstroke technique. I am not totally clean on the pinky entry, so that's what I would have expected but then:
- I try to get to a 90 degree angle on my arm pull, which means my hands / fingers are pointing slightly up with the shoulder rotation -- apparently all wrong ... keep arm at about 120 degrees ?? Fingers pointing horizontal ... I tried that today and I reach soooo far into the other lane and oncoming traffic ...:bump:
- Then, I was taught kind of a downward swoop finishing the stroke off a little underneath my hip and then exiting the water. Well - that appears to be totally wrong (somehwat obvious when you see it .. I guess). :badday:
I had watched some underwater videos of Peirsol and I noticed this stuff - but I must have missed the boat somewhere in the last few decades...
Parents
Former Member
Somewhere in the late 1980's they introduced a third peak to the stroke cycle.
At the finish of your down sweep, near the hip, the palm rotates slightly and faces upward. The thought behind this is, as your hand exits, it gets one last thrust on the water for added propulsion. (This might be why they did away the the 90 degree arm wrestle as one finishes the down sweep).
I'm experimenting with it now, and find that my arm is less tense on the recovery with the palm facing slightly up.
(But as you said, it is a much wider pull pattern underwater.)
Somewhere in the late 1980's they introduced a third peak to the stroke cycle.
At the finish of your down sweep, near the hip, the palm rotates slightly and faces upward. The thought behind this is, as your hand exits, it gets one last thrust on the water for added propulsion. (This might be why they did away the the 90 degree arm wrestle as one finishes the down sweep).
I'm experimenting with it now, and find that my arm is less tense on the recovery with the palm facing slightly up.
(But as you said, it is a much wider pull pattern underwater.)
