How important is arm recovery??

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Former Member — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:34:51 GMT

I saw some people can have very high elbow easily during recovery, without breaking the balance of their body. It would cause me over rotate. Do you think it is inborn or can be acquired through training/drills? It is shoulder flexibility isn't it? as a rule of thumb, whenever you worry about over rotation caused by high elbow recovery, just make sure your fingers stay near the surface during the recovery and you're fine.

RE: How important is arm recovery??

mattson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:38:20 GMT

For wimps like me (and not power swimmers like George), the recovery is all about expending as little energy as possible, trying to relax while moving the arm, so I won't be worn out during the stroke pull.

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Former Member — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:28:06 GMT

I am a high elbow recoverer. To get the feel for what happens you can stand in front of the bathroom sink, bend over slightly and press your hand against the side of the sink as if it were in the catch position and press against the sink. Take your opposite arm and go through the high elbow recovery motion, you can feel the transfer of power to the hand tha is in the sink. If you use a strait arm recovery you will not feel all of the muscles and tendons coming into action, interacting as they do in the high elbow recovery.

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Former Member — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:28:50 GMT

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Former Member — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:38:50 GMT

Glad you post this thread, as I have just recently found that shifting my focus on the recovery arm (providing the lever, as you say) from the earlier focus on pulling has done me much good. Pulling and kicking hard made me exhausted easily, but focusing on recovery makes the swims much more efficient and much less tiring. I also understand better why high elbow is desirable. Energy conversion?

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Former Member — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:29:46 GMT

Strait arm or high elbow are both fine with me. Above water action to me ads to lever action for what goes on underwater. Would the underwater action work better with out the the proper above water action. The synery of tendons and muscles go from the finger tips of one hand to the finger tips of the other hand. Every thing is interconnected.

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Former Member — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:21:56 GMT

My view about this topic is very different from yours George. For me, arm recovery isn't that important - at least compared to the other phases of the pulling action. What I mean by not that important is that I don't think that arm recovery has the greatest importance in term of impact on forward propulsion. Again, as far as I am concern, shoulder/elbow safety is my #1 priority when I analyze arm recovery. Finally, over the years I have noticed that a lot of swim coaches tend to pay too much attention to what occurs outside the water (recovery, splashes when kicking, breathing action) and not enough attention to what occurs under the water. Reason for this is that it's much easier to spot things that occur outside the water (that's very unfortunate I find). But George, since it's your thread, I'd like to read your thoughts about what you consider to be a good vs a bad arm recovery. What do you think about straight arm recovery?

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Former Member — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:10:28 GMT

Sorry guys posted this thread twice.

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Former Member — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:21:11 GMT

As the recovery arm moves forward whether it is fast or slow it automatically transfers to the undrwater arm. Not necessary to throw the arm forward. I have thrown the recovery arm over but found it was not to be an advantage to me I like it long and smooth.

RE: How important is arm recovery??

Stevepowell — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:47:58 GMT

Should the arms be thrown forward?