I always thought my streamline wasn't horrible, but then I saw the movie on this page:
www.page.sannet.ne.jp/.../fusiuki_index.html
In it, the swimmer is able to float ~15 M in streamline, and his legs don't sink at all.
When I try this, I can only get about half of the distance he does, and my legs start to sink almost immediately. If I try to keep my legs completely straight I can maintain them at about a ~30-45 degree angle to the water, but no matter what I try I cannot get close to his performance.
Clearly taking a big breath and holding it is important, as well as extending arms out as far forward as possible and pointing toes, but does anyone know anything else to suggest? In some of the links he discusses that anyone can do this, but is a little vague about the details. He mentions that you need to keep your body straight (of course), and also that that the way you rest your lungs on the water is important.
The pages are in Japanese, but some of the pages have diagrams that explain what is he talking about pretty clearly. The page has the best diagrams (the left side of the diagrams is the 'old style', the right side is the 'new (correct) style'.
www.page.sannet.ne.jp/.../fusiuki_5.html
He also mentions that it isn't about forcing any body part, its about 'releasing force' and floating naturally.
If there are any native Japanese-speaking swimmers and can quickly read through this and let me know a brief summary of his suggestions I would appreciate it. My Japanese isn't bad but there is alot of explanation and some of it a little difficult to understand.
Can anyone do the streamline as far as he does? Do you think it is really possible for any body type? It seems to me that the length of your various body parts, plus distribution of fat would imply that not everyone could do it as well as he does.
Parents
Former Member
Because as impressive as it may be to see someone continue to glide seemingly forever, it has very little to do with fast swimming (other than possibly as feedback or maybe even a benchmark to help you develop a tighter streamline).
That pretty much sums it up - it's a good feedback exercise for swimmers who may need it.
Other then that, you are right, extremely long streamline doesn't necessarily help the overal speed. At some point, a swimmer would slow down and lose more time then if they already started the break-out cycle.
The key is to see if a streamline could be improved, to shave a bit of time off a race. For some swimmers, whose weak spot may be very inefficient streamline, this exercise can help. Others, it may not. As always, individual mileage varies.
Because as impressive as it may be to see someone continue to glide seemingly forever, it has very little to do with fast swimming (other than possibly as feedback or maybe even a benchmark to help you develop a tighter streamline).
That pretty much sums it up - it's a good feedback exercise for swimmers who may need it.
Other then that, you are right, extremely long streamline doesn't necessarily help the overal speed. At some point, a swimmer would slow down and lose more time then if they already started the break-out cycle.
The key is to see if a streamline could be improved, to shave a bit of time off a race. For some swimmers, whose weak spot may be very inefficient streamline, this exercise can help. Others, it may not. As always, individual mileage varies.
