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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Pressure increases linearly with depth so as you move your hand deeper into the water the pressure on the palm of your hand will increase as your hand goes deeper and a pressure sensor on your palm will register increasing force. But the back of your hand is also going deeper and the force on it is also increasing. In this case the forces on the two sides of your hand cancel one another out and there is no net force, even though pressure on the palm is increasing.
As you pull your hand backwards through the water you increase the force on the palm of your hand and decrease it on the back of your hand and that unbalances the forces and creates propulsion.
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I don't believe that the depth will have anything to do with the force, rather it is the mechanics of the stroke that allow you to exert force on the water. Pressure increases with depth, but it increases on both sides of your hand. It is the difference in pressure that causes acceleration (the pressure gradient, in fluid mechanics), not the pressure. Otherwise, you could have an object with a special shape on one side and an ordinary shape on the other so that when you put it in the water it would accelerate. Objects don't, of course, rather they just sit there unless you push on them.
You are right about the force balance -- the game is to increase propulsion and decrease drag to maximize speed in the water. I like Gary's idea of taping some streamers to your upper arms and then filming. That would show where the flow is going in an unexpected direction during your stroke. It is a very complex flow problem.
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Pressure increases linearly with depth so as you move your hand deeper into the water the pressure on the palm of your hand will increase as your hand goes deeper and a pressure sensor on your palm will register increasing force. But the back of your hand is also going deeper and the force on it is also increasing. In this case the forces on the two sides of your hand cancel one another out and there is no net force, even though pressure on the palm is increasing.
As you pull your hand backwards through the water you increase the force on the palm of your hand and decrease it on the back of your hand and that unbalances the forces and creates propulsion.
:
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:
I don't believe that the depth will have anything to do with the force, rather it is the mechanics of the stroke that allow you to exert force on the water. Pressure increases with depth, but it increases on both sides of your hand. It is the difference in pressure that causes acceleration (the pressure gradient, in fluid mechanics), not the pressure. Otherwise, you could have an object with a special shape on one side and an ordinary shape on the other so that when you put it in the water it would accelerate. Objects don't, of course, rather they just sit there unless you push on them.
You are right about the force balance -- the game is to increase propulsion and decrease drag to maximize speed in the water. I like Gary's idea of taping some streamers to your upper arms and then filming. That would show where the flow is going in an unexpected direction during your stroke. It is a very complex flow problem.
