Hip driven or shoulder driven? The reason I ask is that I'm a shoulder driven sprinter but have a more hip driven stroke in the 200.
I've been trying to find some speed from a hip driven stroke but so far have just not been able to come close (24.3 scy hip driven vs 23.1 shoulder driven). Is one inherently better than the other? If so, why?
Can one utilize both techniques depending on the race? Is it possible to have an effective shoulder driven sprint stroke and an effective hip driven distance stroke?
Parents
Former Member
I think of it this way - when I swim hip driven (which is my natural stroke), I max out my kick and allow my arms to follow the "beat" of the kick. When I do try any type of straight arm or shoulder driven sprints, I focus on the arms and turnover, and just allow the legs to follow the arms.
Now it does help to have a strong kick to swim that way.
The arms are responsible for 80% of the propulsion (at least that is what I read) - but I would not want to go into a race without that 20%. In terms of pure time, in a max 50 based on best swim time, I am probably 5-6% slower just pulling and 20-25% slower just kicking.
I think of it this way - when I swim hip driven (which is my natural stroke), I max out my kick and allow my arms to follow the "beat" of the kick. When I do try any type of straight arm or shoulder driven sprints, I focus on the arms and turnover, and just allow the legs to follow the arms.
Now it does help to have a strong kick to swim that way.
The arms are responsible for 80% of the propulsion (at least that is what I read) - but I would not want to go into a race without that 20%. In terms of pure time, in a max 50 based on best swim time, I am probably 5-6% slower just pulling and 20-25% slower just kicking.
