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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Former Member
I have a question regarding the frequency -- do you define it as one arm pull or as one full cycle (i.e. two pulls to get back to the same starting position) ? I suspect that it is a single pull, otherwise I'd be waaaay off the graph you gave as an example.fritznh - It is a single pull. For example..your right hand hits/enters out in front, you pull through, and when your right hand hit/enters again, that is a stroke cycle.
We were working on some EVF freestyle drills today, and at the end of practice we did a set of ten 50s with varying equipment, but alternating between a deep pull and an EVF pull. I got a tempo trainer and did the last four holding a constant cadence (set at fairly relaxed 1.15, or 52 cycles per minute). Interestingly, I found that with a deep pull I had a higher perceived effort level to maintain the stroke rate and I took two more strokes per lap (went from 11 to 13 for 25 meters). EVF 50s averaged 35, deep pulls averaged 37 (scm).That sounds like a big swing in technique and this is why having a graph on yourself would have eliminated the guesswork during that set. In this case, all you would have had to do was take the lap time you were doing and keep that consistent, find your optimal stroke rate for that time on the graph, set the metronome, and dial into the correct stroke frequency/tempo. Now you would be working on getting to a stroke pattern that is optimal for you. A much more efficient way of using your practice time.
On your graph, the swimmer starts out at 25 cycles per minute and is going 19 seconds for a 25. 25 arm pulls per minute would be one pull every 2.4 seconds, 52 is one every 1.15 seconds, and so forth. Race pace would be about 1 cycle per second, or even faster if you can keep your stroke together. Am I on the right track?You are right on track. In addition, using current training speeds, you can with confidence dial in to the correct frequency/tempo for your stroke immediately. Then with weeks of training increase your capacity to withstand higher stroke rates, by systematically working up the graph. You can do this with confidence because it is your graph. The only reason most swimmers can't hold higher stroke rates with good technique is they don't train it enough. You will be able to design training sets with confidence that the stroke rate/tempo your using is producing the correct time. Again emphasizing a more productive and individualized use of practice time.
I have a question regarding the frequency -- do you define it as one arm pull or as one full cycle (i.e. two pulls to get back to the same starting position) ? I suspect that it is a single pull, otherwise I'd be waaaay off the graph you gave as an example.fritznh - It is a single pull. For example..your right hand hits/enters out in front, you pull through, and when your right hand hit/enters again, that is a stroke cycle.
We were working on some EVF freestyle drills today, and at the end of practice we did a set of ten 50s with varying equipment, but alternating between a deep pull and an EVF pull. I got a tempo trainer and did the last four holding a constant cadence (set at fairly relaxed 1.15, or 52 cycles per minute). Interestingly, I found that with a deep pull I had a higher perceived effort level to maintain the stroke rate and I took two more strokes per lap (went from 11 to 13 for 25 meters). EVF 50s averaged 35, deep pulls averaged 37 (scm).That sounds like a big swing in technique and this is why having a graph on yourself would have eliminated the guesswork during that set. In this case, all you would have had to do was take the lap time you were doing and keep that consistent, find your optimal stroke rate for that time on the graph, set the metronome, and dial into the correct stroke frequency/tempo. Now you would be working on getting to a stroke pattern that is optimal for you. A much more efficient way of using your practice time.
On your graph, the swimmer starts out at 25 cycles per minute and is going 19 seconds for a 25. 25 arm pulls per minute would be one pull every 2.4 seconds, 52 is one every 1.15 seconds, and so forth. Race pace would be about 1 cycle per second, or even faster if you can keep your stroke together. Am I on the right track?You are right on track. In addition, using current training speeds, you can with confidence dial in to the correct frequency/tempo for your stroke immediately. Then with weeks of training increase your capacity to withstand higher stroke rates, by systematically working up the graph. You can do this with confidence because it is your graph. The only reason most swimmers can't hold higher stroke rates with good technique is they don't train it enough. You will be able to design training sets with confidence that the stroke rate/tempo your using is producing the correct time. Again emphasizing a more productive and individualized use of practice time.
