In our morning practice today, we had a substitute coach. This is a FANTASTIC coach, don't get me wrong, but very "old school". Completely wanted me to change my freestyle stroke and do the "S" stroke with thumb entry first (at least I heard it was an old method). It was soooo incredibly awkward! I felt like I did, when I was first learning to swim. I've been working so hard on my EVF and really pushing the water. I just couldn't feel any power in my catch this morning, and I couldn't roll very well.
What do you guys do? Do you have sub coaches on your teams? Do you swim their way during their practices, or stick to your own technique?
Parents
Former Member
Like the Tarahumara Indian Runners, we can learn a lot about technique by going back to the past.
The "S" stroke is actually a precursor of stuff we do now. In the past coaches used tell me I should not roll the shoulders, now how I rolled the shoulders is described by others as foot controlled motion.
I was also told about thumb first entry but decided myself I did not like the stress in the shoulders caused by the thumb first entry. So I took what I consider the easy less shoulder problem way, by having the thumb and little finger entry and drop the hand to the catch position.
I quit listening to coaches when I was 21. I do only what I want to do. I only teach others things I believe will help their particuular stroke. I never ask for a complete overhaul of a stroke.
Like the Tarahumara Indian Runners, we can learn a lot about technique by going back to the past.
The "S" stroke is actually a precursor of stuff we do now. In the past coaches used tell me I should not roll the shoulders, now how I rolled the shoulders is described by others as foot controlled motion.
I was also told about thumb first entry but decided myself I did not like the stress in the shoulders caused by the thumb first entry. So I took what I consider the easy less shoulder problem way, by having the thumb and little finger entry and drop the hand to the catch position.
I quit listening to coaches when I was 21. I do only what I want to do. I only teach others things I believe will help their particuular stroke. I never ask for a complete overhaul of a stroke.
