My freestyle technique, what needs work?

I do not like your hand entry, I do not like what you are doing from the catch to finish. I do not like your finish. I do not like your kick. I do not like the above water stuff. I am very busy these days but will get back with my analysis of your stroke. Sheeeesh, geochuck, cut the guy some slack! I agree with bzaks1424! You might want to consider CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, as some of the other forumites have offered (such as Solar Energy and knelson). And, perhaps, using some diplomacy and sensitivity would be a nice thing to do, in addition to offering a compliment on what you DO like about his stroke!

Elainek, don't hold your breath. Asking george to be nice is a lot like getting geek to agree with you on something. Darn near impossible. You're not wrong about geek! I learned that during our little music discussion on Ande's thread... and the tech suit thread... and...

I'm more on the beginners experience level here, but I did notice a few key points. Even though it was hard to judge your speed in the footage, it looks like your hands are not catching and the kick is not connecting with arm stroke. Try to drive your arms with your shoulders and just use your hands to feel the water you grab for each pull then connect the kick from the hips and torso. That's what I'm trying to achieve:). On the other hand, your kick looks like there's good power available with more foot snap and ankle flex.

Thanks everyone for the critique, it is very helpful. geochuck, I look forward to your detailed criticism. (: I'd especially like to thank SolarEnergy for his detailed remarks. I have a few questions regarding those: How's your shoulders, generally speaking? And more specifically the right one? I really have not had much shoulder pain. The main issue I have had recently is a strange pulling feeling in my right shoulder blade, though I think that is from my (very bad) backstroke, so I have been avoiding that for a few weeks. The thing that strikes me the most, is the limited body rotation. You still swim little too flat (like Linsday already said). I must admit I am a bit surprised by this suggestion, as I thought my rotation was actually *too* much. I double checked, and the rotation at my hips definitely seems to be less than, for example, Michael Phelps in this video (at around ~0:16) YouTube- Michael Phelps freestyle multi angle camera I looked at a few other swimmers as well (Ian Thorpe, etc.) and can't really find many with more hip rotation, though I would agree that my shoulders may need more rotation so that I can properly breathe. However this is in contradiction with the comment that my shoulders and hips should rotate together... Is this a case of 'don't do as the pros do'? Or am I looking at things wrong somehow? Then, then there's this strange squeezed arm position/recovery. You seem to contain your reach within a limited range of motion. Your worst side on that aspect, well on both aspects as a matter of fact is your right hand one. The image attached shows this. I really really dislike. It's like your arm struggling to force your body to rotate. Arm led body rotation I could call this? This is a very interesting observation, I agree that this is likely the cause of some of my other technique issues, however it is not clear what exactly I need to do. Given that my elbow must be pointed, it seems that either you mean I should be opening my armpit wider, or possibly holding my elbow higher up (or both)? I agree with other responders who said I need to work on refining the size of kick, as well as reaching forward, and high elbow, but I think working on my recovery may be the most important thing to focus on first. Band around the ankles is probably the most difficult of all. Forces you to learn it real quickly! You put something to hold your ankles together, you therefore don't really kick, and you try to stay on top of the water purely by maintaining a perfect balance. But you're not there yet I think. You have to improve body rotation / arm recovery / relaxation first in my humble opinion. Thanks, haven't tried this one yet, looking forward to see what it does for my technique.

Sheeeesh, geochuck, cut the guy some slack! I agree with bzaks1424! You might want to consider CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, as some of the other forumites have offered (such as knelson). And, perhaps, using some diplomacy and sensitivity would be a nice thing to do, in addition to offering a compliment on what you DO like about his stroke! Elainek, don't hold your breath. Asking george to be nice is a lot like getting geek to agree with you on something. Darn near impossible.

Thanks everyone for the critique, it is very helpful. geochuck, I look forward to your detailed criticism. (: Well no worries. I looked at his short reply. Like we said, it's all interrelated. FreeStyle is like a chain. A lot of components for this stroke are tied together. They occur following a ordered list of small events. Here's what Geochuck had to say once about what I believe to be the most urgent matter to fix in your stroke: www.usms.org/.../showthread.php So... I really have not had much shoulder pain. Oufff. But you're very close though. The main issue I have had recently is a strange pulling feeling in my right shoulder blade, though I think that is from my (very bad) backstroke, so I have been avoiding that for a few weeks. Good. But I still see something very wrong with your right hand side shoulder during the recovery. You may not feel it yet, but it's as if there was some click. A structure (ligament, tendon) that meets some resistance (maybe a bone edge) during the recovery. Pay attention. You may feel this click. If so, you are going to have to modify your recovery until you feel no click anymore. So yeah. This thread by Geochuck is making a lot of sense. Poor recovery may set the table for problematic phases that follow. Hand/arm entry is directly affected by it (first event in the ordered list), then the stretch (second event) then the catch (third event) etc....... I must admit I am a bit surprised by this suggestion, as I thought my rotation was actually *too* much. Oh not at all. That yields the question: How much body rotation is required to perform the free style. What are the guide lines exactly? I'd say, to keep things simple, body rotation must be sufficient for the recovery to be done without squeezing shoulders and rotator's cuff's structures. It should also be sufficient for allow for easy (very easy without no neck rotation) breathing. Usually, as long as you keep your fingers close to the surface while recovering, you just can't rotate too much. There's no such thing as rotating too much if you keep the fingers close to the surface during the recovery. Of course, if you go with a straight arm recovery you loose this reference. But there again, it's very rare to come across swimmers that do rotate too much. Remember I told you about 2 very important drills I expect any free style specialist to be able to performed? One is the band-around and the other is this drill progression here, which takes care of all these issues (rotation, balance, recovery, catch, pulling, *everything*). YouTube- Free Style Drill : 0-Arm-to-Full-Stroke Progression Now. This is an extremely complex drill progression and if you want to give it a try, be prepare to check in to this thread on a regular basis to get more instructions. It looks easy when I perform it, but that's because it's one of my babies. I am very comfortable with it, having been working on it over the last 20 years or so... Not surprisingly, notice that the progression begins with Body Rotation exercise without any arm. Then you add one arm at the time. Then you finish with the full stroke. This is a very interesting observation, I agree that this is likely the cause of some of my other technique issues, however it is not clear what exactly I need to do. Given that my elbow must be pointed, it seems that either you mean I should be opening my armpit wider, or possibly holding my elbow higher up (or both)? For now, if I was your coach, I'd put you on a special straight arm recovery program until I get satisfied with both the body rotation and this squeezing of your shoulders. Once we got that sorted out, we would go back to high elbow recovery using the finger trailing drill to make sure your rotation is enough without becoming too much. I agree with other responders who said I need to work on refining the size of kick, as well as reaching forward, and high elbow, but I think working on my recovery may be the most important thing to focus on first. Remember though, your recovery MUST NOT lead the body rotation. So you need to make sure you're able to rotate enough so that the recovery becomes easier to perform. Without switching to pure straight arm recovery per se, you should consider working this as a drill. You will undoubteldy need assistance if you are to tackle on the 2 drills I mentioned. Because they are very difficult to master. So just reply to this thread and I'll be there to help you.

I have recorded ~16 sessions, and tried to gradually improve things. Here is what I have improved (list of things....) Who taught you these things? This is some sound advices anyway! Based on your description, you're experimenting a nice progression in your technique. Congratulations! How's your shoulders, generally speaking? And more specifically the right one? I have been doing alot of catch-up with a pull Ok that explains a few things. Now it's not bad, let's call it a necessary evil. Also been doing alot of stretches to enable my foot to stretch to a greater degree Smart thing. Increase your flexibility and your Relaxation too! Because relaxation is that can help you using your full range of flexibility. Given the venue at which you usually train, there's one kick set that I like to improve this. You visit both extremes. Tap on top of the water furiously during the times you go hard, then go as slow as possible with your ankles relaxed and flexible, then retain this relaxed state and go hard again. 10sec each. I was concerned about doing too much endurance training with 'bad' form,but I think I am nearly ready to start doing less form work and a little more endurance training. However before that I really would like to get some critique from some masters swimming forum members. I wouldn't start just yet. The thing that strikes me the most, is the limited body rotation. You still swim little too flat (like Linsday already said). Then, then there's this strange squeezed arm position/recovery. You seem to contain your reach within a limited range of motion. Your worst side on that aspect, well on both aspects as a matter of fact is your right hand one. The image attached shows this. I really really dislike. It's like your arm struggling to force your body to rotate. Arm led body rotation I could call this? And it seems to set your stroke including the pulling path. Not sure if it's by lack of flexibility or too much tension while swimming which prevents you from exploiting your flexibility? Not sure. Anyway, that creates a lot of other problems, including your cross over the mid line thing. Because your arm thus squeezed then enters the water in this position (arm bent and squeezed). Lack of body rotation brings the "gotta-turn-the-neck" thing etc... It's a classical case of poor recovery that badly prepare hand entry. It screws it up. If I were to point out my #1 problem at present, it is a lack of 'balance' in the water, though I am not sure exactly what that means or how to work on it. Band around the ankles is probably the most difficult of all. Forces you to learn it real quickly! You put something to hold your ankles together, you therefore don't really kick, and you try to stay on top of the water purely by maintaining a perfect balance. But you're not there yet I think. You have to improve body rotation / arm recovery / relaxation first in my humble opinion. Here's a nice execution of the drill. Could take months before getting it that good though. YouTube- Bands Only Swimming - 100m in 1'23"

Dare I comment, but it is a great start. I do not like your hand entry, I do not like what you are doing from the catch to finish. I do not like your finish. I do not like your kick. I do not like the above water stuff. At this point I'm torn between a "Green Eggs and Ham" joke (I do not like them Sam I Am!) or if I should ask "What then DO you like?"

Have you ever tried swimming with a Finis center-mount snorkel (www.finisinc.com/.../Adult-Swimmer's-Snorkel---Blue) I would suggest getting one and trying it out. This takes the breathing out of your stroke cycle and will allow you to concentrate more on what each arm is doing during the pull. You can use it with or without a pull buoy, but I'd use it a lot with a buoy if I were you. When you're working on your pull mechanics you need to isolate that component of your stroke. Your kick looks powerful, but it is too wide. Overall, though, I think I'd work on your pull mechanics before worrying about your kick. Right now I think you are getting much more from your kick than from your pull.

Dare I comment, but it is a great start. I do not like your hand entry, I do not like what you are doing from the catch to finish. I do not like your finish. I do not like your kick. I do not like the above water stuff. I am very busy these days but will get back with my analysis of your stroke. To me it seems you have read some books. But I think you need a person to help straighten out your stroke. I can see that your stroke has great potential.