Awhile back I had tried to record myself swimming freestlye and ask around the net for commentary, but it was with a low-quality camera and only above-water footage. Not getting too much feedback at that time, I decided to buy a underwater HD camera and try to use that as a reference and improve my freestyle technique. Over about 40 days I have recorded ~16 sessions, and tried to gradually improve things. Here is what I have improved:
- No longer crossing over arms in middle (at least most of the time)
- Entry occurs when arms are more stretched forward, before my elbow was bent ~90 degrees for some entries
- Left pull is a bit more consistent, but still not a clean S curve like right arm (yes I'm right-handed)
- kick is a bit tighter and more controlled (though this probably still needs to be made even smaller, with less knee kick)
- neck angle when breathing is less extreme, before I was turning upwards much more than necessary
I still look straight down at the bottom when swimming much of the time, partially because if I look forward with a 45-degree angle I can't really see much anyway because my goggles get in the way, although I know doing this will make my breathing more natural, and possibly improve my posture overall.
I have been doing alot of catch-up with a pull bouy and that seems to have helped me control my upper body more. Also been doing alot of stretches to enable my foot to stretch to a greater degree, and doing a few laps with zoomers to help improve my overall kick form.
Anyway, the result of my recent training can be seen in the following video, where I edited together a few sessions together, and you can see my technique from a few different angles, both above and underwater.
YouTube- Jeff's Freestyle Technique 7/5/2010
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.
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. When I see videos of pro swimmers like Michael Phelps I am amazed by how their arms seem 'anchored' in front, whereas I have to struggle to even keep them straight. It takes a conscious effort to not cross over the middle, and even then I can't seem to keep my arms 'anchored' in front.
I do most of my training in a housing-development pool with no swimming friends, so any commentary would be very helpful.
Thanks very much!
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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.
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.
