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!
George, Knelson,
Perhpas you guys are right. It looks as though there are certain swimmers under certain conditions that will avoid injury amd swim better without a locked elbow, so this is not for everyone and maybe even just a few. This excerpt is from
Shoulder Injury in Competitive Swimmers
By Larry Weisenthal
Huntington Beach, CA
Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine
University of California
Irvine School of Medicine, Medical Director
2. Don’t swim with a locked elbow forward reach unless you are Ian Thorpe and have a great kick. Van den Hoogenband never completely straightens his left elbow, and he’s the fastest freestyle swimmer (100/200) in history. A female distance swimmer shouldn’t ever swim with a locked elbow stroke unless she is Astrid Strauss on steroids with an unbelievable kick racing Janet Evans in the ’88 Olympics. Otherwise, swim like Brooke Bennett or Diana Munz,. Shorter stroke; faster turnover; no Neer test, no internal rotation during recovery and entry. Early exit to avoid supraspinatus arty wring out. Locked elbow stroke only makes sense in the context of a great kick (e.g. US distance ace Erik Vendt). Otherwise, in a weak kicker (e.g. most female distance swimmers or swimmers such as Claudia Poll and Lindsay Benko), the more rapid turnover is needed to conserve momentum, which is rapidly lost with locked elbow orthopedic Neer impingement test and will be more likely to produce shoulder (rotator cuff) injury.
George, Knelson,
Perhpas you guys are right. It looks as though there are certain swimmers under certain conditions that will avoid injury amd swim better without a locked elbow, so this is not for everyone and maybe even just a few. This excerpt is from
Shoulder Injury in Competitive Swimmers
By Larry Weisenthal
Huntington Beach, CA
Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine
University of California
Irvine School of Medicine, Medical Director
2. Don’t swim with a locked elbow forward reach unless you are Ian Thorpe and have a great kick. Van den Hoogenband never completely straightens his left elbow, and he’s the fastest freestyle swimmer (100/200) in history. A female distance swimmer shouldn’t ever swim with a locked elbow stroke unless she is Astrid Strauss on steroids with an unbelievable kick racing Janet Evans in the ’88 Olympics. Otherwise, swim like Brooke Bennett or Diana Munz,. Shorter stroke; faster turnover; no Neer test, no internal rotation during recovery and entry. Early exit to avoid supraspinatus arty wring out. Locked elbow stroke only makes sense in the context of a great kick (e.g. US distance ace Erik Vendt). Otherwise, in a weak kicker (e.g. most female distance swimmers or swimmers such as Claudia Poll and Lindsay Benko), the more rapid turnover is needed to conserve momentum, which is rapidly lost with locked elbow orthopedic Neer impingement test and will be more likely to produce shoulder (rotator cuff) injury.
