Video technique review

Work on it Steve, and like I said previously, if you get this done right, your performances should improve, or else there's something wrong. As a homework, whenever you look at some high level swimmers footage - especially from underwater view - pay attention to what they do with their hands upon entry. It look *still* (very often) but by taking a closer look at the fingers you often see that there's not dead spot.

Honestly, the only real things changed are less catch-up movements, and keeping my recovery arm tighter. It feels more natural, does not bother my shoulders, and they're less fatigued. The recent footage to me shows there's still work to do though. Good because although the rate of execution on the last footage is lower than that of the first few clips, you managed to integrate this crucial element I was referring to as being immediate progressive unloaded catch. This is wonderful. Now when you accelerate the rate, try to keep your catch progressive and unloaded and increase the acceleration of the hand to pull the water backward in an explosive way and you should normally see some short term improvement in your swim speed. If not report back. Congratulations

Is this any better than yesterday's? If so then there must be something else I'm doing wrong, lack of EVF maybe? Seems like I spend an enormous amount of effort for lack of speed. At 90% -95% effort 35-38 sec 50M is all I can get. 2009_11120005i.flv video by C6C6CH3vo - Photobucket

Interestingly, kicking doesn't really help my time too much -lol. Today I made tighter, and even 4-beat at times, kicking. It felt better. The best feeling occurs with my legs being dragged just under the surface so indeed the kick is a partial speed brake for me. I also practiced the OAD but without breathing every stroke and this helped. But most of all I spent about an hour last night in the mirror mimmicing EVF and it felt good today. Hopefully the nect clip might show some good improvement

I agree 100% with your observation CoachT. True on all counts. I don't know about you but for me, I always recommend to swimmers to only address issues one at the time. Not sure if this real kicking flaw should get #1 priority, possibly if performance is the main goal. I thought maybe that Steve should make sure about his shoulder health first by fixing the catch, but hey, kicking is a huge element of Freestyle so... And besides, he seems to have started addressing it already. --- So Steve really you got something to chew on. Again, I'd venture to state that more than half of Master swimmers not coming from a competitive background suffer from one or both of these flaws. Dead spots resulting from wanting to feel long in the water, and a kick that causes some form of drag due (very often) too poor ankle flexibility or some other restriction to efficiency. For the kick, you already started to address it that's great. For the catch well look at some footage, pay attention to how slow catch is made. We may sometimes get the impression that the hand is gliding in the front, I know. But the key thing to look at: Look at how the hand sinks pretty much following the body rotation rhythm. And when you think about it. If body rotates bringing down the shoulder, and that the hands still reaches for the front, it's very risky to drop the elbow. And if you wait too long, then the level of pressure you need to apply on catch to catchup for being late on timing relative to body rotation (the clock) is such that it is barely impossible not to drop the elbow. It takes great concentration to learn to integrate the notion of acceleration from very slow to max power output. Modulate all this appropriately. Slow first is very important. Then sets of 25m buildup on speed from slow to fast.

I watched both videos and noticed two things that could help you. Coaches, tell me what you think. First, your feet look like they're nearly flat (45 degrees at best) and your kick is way too deep (acts like an anchor). I think your time would get better if you increased your ankle flexibility (not easy) or simply didn't kick (quick fix) and tried to keep the legs on the surface. If you want to increase ankle flexibility, pull your foot to stretch front tendon (8 seconds each foot) as often as you care to. I've heard great coaches yell kick, kick, kick to their swimmers when some of them have terrrible kicks. If your kick negatively effects your time, why do it until it starts becoming a positive to your stroke. Coach T.

Narrowed the kick. Still week and lacking flexibility, and my left leg seems to kick better. This clip is at easy pace so there's naturally a dead point at the beginning of the catch. 2009_11210001.flv video by C6C6CH3vo - Photobucket Practiced dive starts of side of pool today. My 25M is 1 second slower with a dive than push:bitching:.

Viewing the left hand entry bugs me. If the arm was straigt the hand would be in proper position. This is how I learned so reversing it is tougher than I thought.

This clip is at easy pace so there's naturally a dead point at the beginning of the catch. I wouldn't qualify it as being a dead spot, especially if you do feel that something is still happening. It's border line. Right hand behaves little better. The left one is still cheating just a little bit. But the improvement is such that hey. I can only congratulate you. Now. If you want this to hold the road for when you want to increase the rate (the speed), try flexing the wrist little earlier. Just little bit earlier. So instead of what you call the dead spot (at this particular point in the pulling), gently flex the wrist and orient the palm of the hand backward. I can see that you're doing it, but a bit too late. ** edit ** just gave it another look. Gees is it borderline. But I see no counterproductive dead spot. All you have to do is point fingers down little earlier and then you'll be ready to move to another aspect of your stroke. If you want to understand better what I mean just pay close attention to the slight difference there is between right and left hand behavior. On right hand entry, you can see your fingers pointing down earlier. On left hand entry, the hand is hesitating a bit. It's as if it wanted to point up toward the surface then down. Just a little hesitation, a left over from your previous flawed technique.

Narrowed the kick. Still week and lacking flexibility, and my left leg seems to kick better. This clip is at easy pace so there's naturally a dead point at the beginning of the catch. 2009_11210001.flv video by C6C6CH3vo - Photobucket Practiced dive starts of side of pool today. My 25M is 1 second slower with a dive than push:bitching:. The kick is noticeably improved. I did notice something that you might want to look at. Your hand when travels toward the mid-line almost touches your body. The eddy currents around your body as you move forward should be avoided. When you move your hand into moving water you will lose drag (the good kind your hand produces). Anyway, I think you should look into it. What do you guys think? Coach T.