The Backstroke Lane

Nope. I was reading about it on GoSwim. A coach(somewhere in the US) posted a comment about teaching the thumb entry. I can mimick it on dryland. Really, this isn't much different than how I enter now. I enter with the back of the hand, because rotating to get the pinky first causes my shoulders to flare-up. I was curious to see if anyone else had heard or tried this idea. Thumb first? Really? I just don't see how you can setup a good catch quickly as you have to body roll and your have to rotate the hand to a pinky downward position, which seems to be a waste of time over entering pinky first. I've heard of a neutral entry (i.e slapping the back of the hand) but I've never heard of a thumb first entry.

Thumb first? Really? I just don't see how you can setup a good catch quickly as you have to body roll and your have to rotate the hand to a pinky downward position, which seems to be a waste of time over entering pinky first. I've heard of a neutral entry (i.e slapping the back of the hand) but I've never heard of a thumb first entry. I am inclined to agree with you about the wasted motion but it could be like lot of things in swimming, one size doesn't fit all.

I am thumb back until right before the surface. I rotate the hand in one very fast smooth motion. My body roll sets up the shoulder rotation which is continued down through the hand. If you are rotating the hand underwater (thumb first entry) it's going to slow or kill your initial catch. You are going to have to dive the hand about a foot below the surface and rotate it before you can start your pull. FYI Peirsol starts his catch (at the wrist) when his hand is about an inch below the surface. Also , if you are slapping the surface, you may not have enough body rotation. I can be painful to pinky enter if the body is not rolled over. You can also widen your entry to help get that hand over. Stretching your pecs also helps too.

I was reading the other day that a coach teaches his swimmers to enter the water thumb first. He said is less stressful on the shoulder. It helps promotes better rotation and a better catch. Plus, it helps prevent swimmers from crossing over. Has anyone tried this idea or heard about it before? Just trying that in my cube here (yes) that seems awkward. You'd have to rotate your hand underwater to get it in the right catch and pull position (at least from what I can tell). It also is making my shoulder pop. I'll stop now.

I was reading the other day that a coach teaches his swimmers to enter the water thumb first. He said is less stressful on the shoulder. It helps promotes better rotation and a better catch. Plus, it helps prevent swimmers from crossing over. Has anyone tried this idea or heard about it before? I have no idea how that is even possible. I've tried mimicking the move on dryland and just can not see to get a catch at all, much less a good catch. Entering thumb first requires a rotation of combination of lower arm and shoulder to bring the hand to a position to be able to press against the water. Got any video?

I was reading the other day that a coach teaches his swimmers to enter the water thumb first. He said is less stressful on the shoulder. It helps promotes better rotation and a better catch. Plus, it helps prevent swimmers from crossing over. Has anyone tried this idea or heard about it before?

I have no idea how that is even possible. I've tried mimicking the move on dryland and just can not see to get a catch at all, much less a good catch. Entering thumb first requires a rotation of combination of lower arm and shoulder to bring the hand to a position to be able to press against the water. Got any video? Nope. I was reading about it on GoSwim. A coach(somewhere in the US) posted a comment about teaching the thumb entry. I can mimick it on dryland. Really, this isn't much different than how I enter now. I enter with the back of the hand, because rotating to get the pinky first causes my shoulders to flare-up. I was curious to see if anyone else had heard or tried this idea.

Breathing: Once per cycle, or twice per cycle (on every stroke)? Why or why not? Does it matter? For me, based on the choices you gave, once. Usually as the right arm moves up. I tried twice, but felt like I was hyper-ventilating.

Breathing: Once per cycle, or twice per cycle (on every stroke)? Why or why not? Does it matter? Hmmm. I'm not sure. I usually just breathe, when I need to? Is that bad?

Breathing: Once per cycle, or twice per cycle (on every stroke)? Why or why not? Does it matter? From thread "Swim Myth #7.....busted" ... ... during maximal exertion, even breathing at about our maximal rate (50 to 60 respirations per minute) we do not get enough oxygen. That is called oxygen debt and is why we keep breathing like we are exercising long after the exercise is over. Cardiac output is also one of the limiting factors in getting oxygen to the muscle, as are several others, but breathing less certainly does not help. BTW, you should try inhaling on every arm stroke in backstroke. You might go faster. ... I also have a breathing pattern in backstroke ... I breathe every other stroke, inhaling when my right arm is recovering. The jury is out. Another breathing metric I like, in addition to breathing pattern, is number of breaths per length. I have difficulty swimming SCY freestyle for very long if I don't get at least six breaths per length, and I much prefer seven or eight. The number of breaths per length is a limiting factor for me in freestyle events 200 & longer. (It is also a limiting factor for me in butterfly and breaststroke, on the rare days I can swim either of them.) Backstroke is a little different in that there are longer breakouts and fewer strokes per length. Breathing once per cycle would put me below 7 breaths per length, and I don't think I could sustain that. Breathing twice per cycle puts me way over 8. I'm more comfortable there. Chris, breathing once per cycle, how many breaths per length do you take in a 100 or 200 SCY back?