Nice article about Chris in Swimmer Magazine Sept to October issue.
His stroke is Unique and it proves there is no stroke that fits all. I especially like his extension and I really like his finish. His shpoulders show me that they come out nicely and do not set up resistence as we see in many other swimmers. Chris if there are any better stills of your arm during the catch to finish mode I for one would like to see the underwater shots.
Very good stuff.
I'm flattered, George; thank you. It isn't as pretty as Phelps' stroke, that's for sure.
Many coaches tried to fix that stroke when I was a wee lad. It isn't a very good stroke for sprinting (though I could do okay on relays when I was younger).
I don't have more still photos. Well, I do have some extras from that photo shoot but they technically don't belong to me so I can't really display them.
Floswimming was at nationals last spring and captured my 500 free, to see something other than stills (though no underwater shots):
www.floswimming.org/.../178358
Just stop viewing it around the 400 mark.:)
I haven't gotten my Swimmer Mag yet but I have had the pleasure of seeing Chris in person. His swimming, whether on front or back, is amazing. Here is his 200 back, World Record SCM swim from 2007! I was watching this swim while sitting in front of his parents and cheering him on.
YouTube - Chris Stevenson 200 Back SCM Masters WR
I just like looking at the pictures of his ankles... which can achieve the same divergence from 180 degrees in extension that mine can achieve in flexion...
:)
I went back last nigth and reviewed the backstroke issue that had Chris. I realized from looking at the photos, I definitly need to rotate more. Those underwater shots are great for realizing the things one needs to improve upon.
Not everyone rotates so much, including some extremely fast backstrokers. There is a trade-off between rotation (ie DPS) and turnover. My coach likes to say I have a 200-back kind of stroke, even when I sprint.
The common backstroke error of some backstrokers is they clench their teeth together tightly.
Interesting observation. I'm going to help out at a swim clinic in a few weeks (coaching backstroke); I'll watch out for this.
After seeing the videos it really put's things in perspective of how slow I really am and how much there is to learn. It is an honor to even be able to post on this thread.
I went back last nigth and reviewed the backstroke issue that had Chris. I realized from looking at the photos, I definitly need to rotate more. Those underwater shots are great for realizing the things one needs to improve upon.
I watched the backstroke video and saw that he was not clenching his teeth together. The common backstroke error of some backstrokers is they clench their teeth together tightly.
Chris looked great, the underwater work was good and superb turns.
Not everyone rotates so much, including some extremely fast backstrokers. There is a trade-off between rotation (ie DPS) and turnover. My coach likes to say I have a 200-back kind of stroke, even when I sprint.
Putting Chris and I in lanes next to each other in a 100 back would show you the extreme range of stroke rate in backstroke.
Putting Chris and I in lanes next to each other in a 100 back would show you the extreme range of stroke rate in backstroke.
Are you saying that your breaststroke turnover is faster than you backstroke turnover, or you just spin your wheels and go no where?
I finally read the article last night, instead of just looking at the pictures. Chris, you don't actually swim freestyle, you swim an alternating split arm butterfly. Very interesting stuff.
I would love to have your natural ankle flexibility.
