I learned to swim as an adult a couple of years ago. When I started the front crawl, I would focus on being "long" in the water - i.e., really reaching with the forward hand on each stroke, and not pulling until the trailing hand entered the water (the TI front quadrant swimming concept).
But over time, my shoulders would bother me. And I recently learned that swimming with high elbows (envisioning your arm going over a barrel) is better for your shoulders. I was definitely dropping my elbows before.
The problem I'm having is that when I swim with high elbows, I feel like I'm not as "long" in the water, that I get less glide, and that generally, I have to work a lot harder (though my shoulders feel better). One obvious thing I've noticed is that with a high elbow stroke, I can't seem to keep my leading arm out in front until my trailing arm catches up.
Any thoughts? Thanks.
Edit: I should add that I'm a recreational swimmer, so technique that is easier on the shoulder is preferred to a technique that may be better for competitive swimmers but is more stressful to the shoulder joint.
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Former Member
I have tried to swim with the high elbow pull as well, and found it very difficult to sprint with it. While I get good distance per stroke, the stroke rate suffers too much.
Ahhhhh finally. what a relief.
This equation is so simple but one has to actually count stroke while racing to realize this. Better, DPS/SR can be part of a racing strategy.
One of the weirdest monkey I've met in my short life so far was this little 15yo sprinter. 51.6 over 100 SCM. Listen to this. He'd tell me things like that by cutting his fingernails would somehow change feeling of the water. Anyway, this is the funny side.
Impressing side is that he could race a 100 SCM with no goggles, no need to see the wall!!! Distance per stroke count along with a fairly good knowledge of his own stroke rate along with a game plan (like I'll start at 15strokes high rate, short glides for 50min then since I'll increase to 14strokes while fireing the kick). All turns were perfect and so was the touch.
To me though, racing on a wrong gear ratio is even worst for longer distances. I can train at 13/14 stokes, even 11-12 if I cheat. Do you think for just one minute I'd start a 1500 at 13? Impact on rotator's cuff muscles get tired prematurely, then I loose water and even if I increase rate, since technique is blown out, nothing works. It's like starting a cycling long time trial on a gear you can only stand for few minutes.
I am not talking about swimming 5 strokes over your best. For me, I start a 1500 at 16strokes and I'm fine.
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Former Member
I have tried to swim with the high elbow pull as well, and found it very difficult to sprint with it. While I get good distance per stroke, the stroke rate suffers too much.
Ahhhhh finally. what a relief.
This equation is so simple but one has to actually count stroke while racing to realize this. Better, DPS/SR can be part of a racing strategy.
One of the weirdest monkey I've met in my short life so far was this little 15yo sprinter. 51.6 over 100 SCM. Listen to this. He'd tell me things like that by cutting his fingernails would somehow change feeling of the water. Anyway, this is the funny side.
Impressing side is that he could race a 100 SCM with no goggles, no need to see the wall!!! Distance per stroke count along with a fairly good knowledge of his own stroke rate along with a game plan (like I'll start at 15strokes high rate, short glides for 50min then since I'll increase to 14strokes while fireing the kick). All turns were perfect and so was the touch.
To me though, racing on a wrong gear ratio is even worst for longer distances. I can train at 13/14 stokes, even 11-12 if I cheat. Do you think for just one minute I'd start a 1500 at 13? Impact on rotator's cuff muscles get tired prematurely, then I loose water and even if I increase rate, since technique is blown out, nothing works. It's like starting a cycling long time trial on a gear you can only stand for few minutes.
I am not talking about swimming 5 strokes over your best. For me, I start a 1500 at 16strokes and I'm fine.
