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!
Parents
Former Member
Preferably the swimmer would use a pull buoy and not be kicking. Have you already tried something like this? Lindsay - We have tested with a pull buoy ( arms only) to subtract out the possibility of what the kick might add. Without the legs, there is a difference, but we have found generally nothing significant. The misleading element when testing with a pull buoy is that is when you float the lower body, for some people this reduces drag. Some people we have tested actually swim faster with a pull buoy in, so the telemetry in that configuration can be misleading.
It would be very interesting to see how much of the drop in velocity can be accounted for just by lack of propulsion, if you were to have a swimmer swim a few strokes and then just stop with one hand out front and one hand at the side we could subtract out the decline in speed there from the decline in speed when pulling and get an idea of how much is left to be accounted for. Your question about propulsion is a good one, and we have recently conducted some very interesting measurements in that regard. Our Velocity Meter/Video Telemetry can also measure acceleration, power (watts) and force (lbs and kg.) as well as velocity all at the same time. In regard to propulsive force, we recently tested two high level swimmers one of college age and one of age group age for freestyle, with their best event being the 500 freestyle. Both subjects were simultaneously measured using our Velocity Meter and a device developed by Dr. Rod Havriluk, called the “Aquanex” that places pressure sensors on the hands between the center two fingers. The device measures propulsive force, and also collects underwater video at the same time. Since Dr. Havriluk has a validated device that measures propulsive force through a stroke cycle, one the goals was to determine using two independent means of measurement, how the propulsive force data would compare between the two devices. We had the swimmers do progressive trials from slow speeds to an all out sprint with both devices collecting force and video telemetry at the same time for both subjects for all trials.
To our surprise, both devices collected very similar average peak force data within a couple of lbs. on both subjects for all of the trials. In general terms we found with these two subjects as the stroke cycle begins, and the hand/arm enters the water and starts the pulling pattern, propulsive force progressively increased and peaked in the stroke cycle at a location basically under the shoulder. This location was verified by both devices using the telemetry data and the synchronized video record. The findings below for force are from the Aquanex, because it specializes in measuring propulsive force, and the corresponding velocity measurements are from the Velocity Meter, since measuring velocity is its specialty. As I said above, both devices were collecting at the same time for each trial.
For me, there were two really interesting findings during this testing. First, on the fastest trial average peak force measured by the Aquanex for the college swimmer at 1.90 meters/sec. averaged 22 to 23 lbs. of peak propulsive force, while the age group swimmer at 1.75 meters/sec averaged 27 to 28 lbs of peak propulsive force. From a performance standpoint, the college swimmer had much faster times, (15 sec. difference) in 500 freestyle. Secondly, readings between 22 and 27 lbs. of propulsive force do not seem high, but might be for swimming. A search of the literature on this subject revealed a study about Alexander Popov by a Russian scientist that claimed during the race at the Olympics when Popov broke the world record for the 50 meter freestyle, he used 24 watts of power. (17.70 lbs. of propulsive force converted)
Even though both of these swimmers have pretty good times for their ages, the college swimmer has faster performance times and the average velocity of the fastest trial was also significantly higher. With that being said, I would have expected the college swimmer to produce significantly higher force values than the age group swimmer, but that was not the case. Even though the age group swimmer produced higher force values, he also had significantly slower performance times and average velocity on the fastest trial compared to the college swimmer. So to me, the age group swimmer has to have greater drag during the stroke cycle. An interesting outcome to say the least.
Budd
Preferably the swimmer would use a pull buoy and not be kicking. Have you already tried something like this? Lindsay - We have tested with a pull buoy ( arms only) to subtract out the possibility of what the kick might add. Without the legs, there is a difference, but we have found generally nothing significant. The misleading element when testing with a pull buoy is that is when you float the lower body, for some people this reduces drag. Some people we have tested actually swim faster with a pull buoy in, so the telemetry in that configuration can be misleading.
It would be very interesting to see how much of the drop in velocity can be accounted for just by lack of propulsion, if you were to have a swimmer swim a few strokes and then just stop with one hand out front and one hand at the side we could subtract out the decline in speed there from the decline in speed when pulling and get an idea of how much is left to be accounted for. Your question about propulsion is a good one, and we have recently conducted some very interesting measurements in that regard. Our Velocity Meter/Video Telemetry can also measure acceleration, power (watts) and force (lbs and kg.) as well as velocity all at the same time. In regard to propulsive force, we recently tested two high level swimmers one of college age and one of age group age for freestyle, with their best event being the 500 freestyle. Both subjects were simultaneously measured using our Velocity Meter and a device developed by Dr. Rod Havriluk, called the “Aquanex” that places pressure sensors on the hands between the center two fingers. The device measures propulsive force, and also collects underwater video at the same time. Since Dr. Havriluk has a validated device that measures propulsive force through a stroke cycle, one the goals was to determine using two independent means of measurement, how the propulsive force data would compare between the two devices. We had the swimmers do progressive trials from slow speeds to an all out sprint with both devices collecting force and video telemetry at the same time for both subjects for all trials.
To our surprise, both devices collected very similar average peak force data within a couple of lbs. on both subjects for all of the trials. In general terms we found with these two subjects as the stroke cycle begins, and the hand/arm enters the water and starts the pulling pattern, propulsive force progressively increased and peaked in the stroke cycle at a location basically under the shoulder. This location was verified by both devices using the telemetry data and the synchronized video record. The findings below for force are from the Aquanex, because it specializes in measuring propulsive force, and the corresponding velocity measurements are from the Velocity Meter, since measuring velocity is its specialty. As I said above, both devices were collecting at the same time for each trial.
For me, there were two really interesting findings during this testing. First, on the fastest trial average peak force measured by the Aquanex for the college swimmer at 1.90 meters/sec. averaged 22 to 23 lbs. of peak propulsive force, while the age group swimmer at 1.75 meters/sec averaged 27 to 28 lbs of peak propulsive force. From a performance standpoint, the college swimmer had much faster times, (15 sec. difference) in 500 freestyle. Secondly, readings between 22 and 27 lbs. of propulsive force do not seem high, but might be for swimming. A search of the literature on this subject revealed a study about Alexander Popov by a Russian scientist that claimed during the race at the Olympics when Popov broke the world record for the 50 meter freestyle, he used 24 watts of power. (17.70 lbs. of propulsive force converted)
Even though both of these swimmers have pretty good times for their ages, the college swimmer has faster performance times and the average velocity of the fastest trial was also significantly higher. With that being said, I would have expected the college swimmer to produce significantly higher force values than the age group swimmer, but that was not the case. Even though the age group swimmer produced higher force values, he also had significantly slower performance times and average velocity on the fastest trial compared to the college swimmer. So to me, the age group swimmer has to have greater drag during the stroke cycle. An interesting outcome to say the least.
Budd
