I recently bought an underwater video camera, and have recorded my first videos.
Here is a clip of my butterfly. (It's my worst stroke, but I'm a sucker for doing things in IM order. Plus fly videos seem to be the hot topic at the moment.)
YouTube- Butterfly 10-02-19
I knew that video would be great feedback: the few times I have seen an above-water clip of myself, I have been astonished to see things I was unaware that I was doing. But underwater video is even better.
Flaws I can see:
hands move too close in front?
too much glide/pause in front?
stroke not flat enough: too vertical during recovery
first kick (with hands extended) is too late?
first kick (with hands extended) is too hinged at the knee
I'm uncertain about my own diagnosis, though, and would welcome other opinions.
Also, since my timing & stroke actually feel fairly smooth to me while swimming (very different from how it looks), I'd love to hear about drills or key attention points that can help me focus on the changes I need to make.
See the same thing from the top. After you breathe, you are not getting your head back in line with your spine and looking down at the bottom of the pool. It's like you are skipping this step entirely. Dropping the head will help pop your hips back to the surface. Your head should also lead your arms and be the first thing back in the water on the recovery. Your hands are diving in too deep. Try to lay those arms on the surface with your chest and head below your arms. Don't rush the catch but let it form without effort as the boyancy in you chest brings it back up to the surface naturally. Then you can apply a strong pull and finish as you kick hard. Be sure you are fully exhaled on the kick so you can sneak your breath quick and get your head back in line as early in the recovery as possible. When you do this you will find your second kick can be smaller to maintain body position and you will exert less overall effort.
See the same thing from the top. After you breathe, you are not getting your head back in line with your spine and looking down at the bottom of the pool. It's like you are skipping this step entirely. Dropping the head will help pop your hips back to the surface. Your head should also lead your arms and be the first thing back in the water on the recovery. Your hands are diving in too deep. Try to lay those arms on the surface with your chest and head below your arms. Don't rush the catch but let it form without effort as the boyancy in you chest brings it back up to the surface naturally. Then you can apply a strong pull and finish as you kick hard. Be sure you are fully exhaled on the kick so you can sneak your breath quick and get your head back in line as early in the recovery as possible. When you do this you will find your second kick can be smaller to maintain body position and you will exert less overall effort.
