Requesting Critique

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:42:44 GMT

RE: Requesting Critique

jaadams1 — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:06:59 GMT

So here is my latest rendition. I've really been experimenting a lot, trying to catch water earlier. Not liking my hand entry on the right, will work on that. But I was really concentrating on my catch and pull. In particular, trying to maintain a high elbow. I've gotten a lot better at the initial catch, but I seem to drop my elbows on the pull and still trying to figure out why. Any advice is greatly appreciated. www.youtube.com/watch By the way, I've been wearing the Aquasphere face mask because I was getting a skin reaction with my last couple pairs. How much drag do you think these things add? I'm basically staying about the same speed as before on my 50's and 100's since the change, so I'm hoping that means I'm a little faster. Obviously if and when I race I will wear normal goggles. First thing I see right off is that your pull is way outside your centerline. Try to get a little more body roll to get your catch more in front and continue the pull (almost following the black lines on the bottom of the lane) straight down your body to finish past your thigh. With more body roll and extension in front and back you'll be taking much less stroke per length of the pool.

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:39:02 GMT

The video says it's private. By the way, we're at Vint Hill until school lets out. We'll be back for LC in mid-June! See you then. Hey there. I corrected it, public now. See you at LC then.

RE: Requesting Critique

swimshark — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:29:30 GMT

So here is my latest rendition. I've really been experimenting a lot, trying to catch water earlier. Not liking my hand entry on the right, will work on that. But I was really concentrating on my catch and pull. In particular, trying to maintain a high elbow. I've gotten a lot better at the initial catch, but I seem to drop my elbows on the pull and still trying to figure out why. Any advice is greatly appreciated. www.youtube.com/watch By the way, I've been wearing the Aquasphere face mask because I was getting a skin reaction with my last couple pairs. How much drag do you think these things add? I'm basically staying about the same speed as before on my 50's and 100's since the change, so I'm hoping that means I'm a little faster. Obviously if and when I race I will wear normal goggles. The video says it's private. By the way, we're at Vint Hill until school lets out. We'll be back for LC in mid-June! See you then.

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 04:16:22 GMT

First thing I see right off is that your pull is way outside your centerline. Try to get a little more body roll to get your catch more in front and continue the pull (almost following the black lines on the bottom of the lane) straight down your body to finish past your thigh. With more body roll and extension in front and back you'll be taking much less stroke per length of the pool. I thought that I was rotating past 45 degrees, but are you suggesting rotating almost completely to my side? I see how that would bring my lead arm more underneath me/toward center. Perhaps in my attempt to get a better catch I've been extending a little wide, like KPN. Maybe too wide. When you talk about pulling down the center line, do you mean the hand? I would think the forearm and elbow especially will be well lateral to the middle. You can't pull with a high elbow without the elbow going wide. Some olympians do seem to pull down the middle more, but there are others like Kara Lynn Joyce who pull a lot wider. I'm still trying to find what works best for me. The interesting thing is that in the past experimentation would completely mess me up for weeks, but now I can tweak things much more easily without long term effects.

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:54:56 GMT

Your rotation has come a long way, as has your high elbow. Looking good! Was this during a meet? I see both bulkheads moved to strange places. Hey Shark! Yeah there was a meet going on. The underwater shot was in the shallow area so my son could videotape me from the side. Poor kid, I asked him to come and sit through a whole workout just to get some video from the side. iPod Touch and Kindle were put to good use.

RE: Requesting Critique

swimshark — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:36:05 GMT

Your rotation has come a long way, as has your high elbow. Looking good! Was this during a meet? I see both bulkheads moved to strange places.

RE: Requesting Critique

Former Member — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:38:32 GMT

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:37:49 GMT

Much improved, I would like to see a little more effort with the forearm to the hand action (catch to finish). You seem to be reaching for the bottom during the catch phase. The lats do not seem as they are involved. I think I see that your fingers are held tightly together. This sometimes causes tension in the forearm. In general a good swim. How many yards is that accross the pool. 60 feet or 75 feet? You know, the story behind this is kind of interesting. My coach preaches a deep catch, and initially I was resistant to the idea because it went against everything I read. He says that if you are hanging off a cliff, do you want to be pulling yourself up by the fingertips or by your hand and forearms. He's not a fan of the "extreme EVF". One day I decided to just let go and do what he said, and I found that suddenly catching deeper improved my relaxation, rhythm, and believe it or not my ability to keep my elbow higher than my hand. Still realizing that eventually I need to get that elbow up higher, I've decided to do it gradually. Maybe weekly try to get it up another inch or so. In the past when I would go for it all I found my hips sinking and my elbow unable to hold its high position. One thing that I think is helping me a little is the rotator cuff exercises I've been doing. I do use paddles and I think they have definitely improved my catch, at least relative to where it was. I have experimented without the wrist band. I recently got a Swim smooth DVD set, and they mention 4 sculling drills to incorporate that improve your ability to hold the water throughout the catch and pull. Anyone have thoughts on the role of sculling to help with this? I think that if I can learn to feel the water a little better I will have more success keeping the elbow high. It seems harder to keep the elbow high when I don't feel like it is bracing on anything. Kind of the chicken and the egg, do I need to keep it high to feel the water, or feel the water to keep it high.

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:19:08 GMT

RE: Requesting Critique

gdanner — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:43:51 GMT

Maybe try paddles, I think this promotes EVF, I know when I pull with paddles, they make me go to an earlier vertical forearm. As an addendum, I recommend using paddles without the bottom strap around the wrist. Most often the paddles will be falling off if you don't have EVF.

RE: Requesting Critique

rtodd — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 06:06:19 GMT

You have a nice quiet relaxed stroke. Your high elbow recovery looks good, your hand placement in the water and reach looks good, your kick looks in rythm, your stroke count is very acceptable (if it's meters, it's very good), but you are still dropping your elbows. Try hard to achieve high elbows and vertical forearm and you will feel yourself pick up speed. Maybe try paddles, I think this promotes EVF, I know when I pull with paddles, they make me go to an earlier vertical forearm.

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 01:20:05 GMT

Lack of critique means progress. LOL, thanks.

RE: Requesting Critique

__steve__ — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:13:56 GMT

Lack of critique means progress.

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 08:37:29 GMT

Here is my latest video, after doing Masters for a month. I know there are still problems (catch not superb), but hopefully it looks better than before. Different angles than the video in the beginning of the thread, but hopefully people can compare them a little. Any advice greatly appreciated, because my coach really doesn't see me too well under water I would imagine. YouTube - Tarik swimming Jan 23 2011

RE: Requesting Critique

swimshark — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:54:15 GMT

Hey Shark, sorry haven't been on for a few days. But yeah, I was there on Thursday next to the bulkhead, with the blue cap. Pretty much every Tuesday and Thursday. I saw you on Tues. I think you were doing catch-up drill. Your stroke is looking better. Keep it up! Hopefully I'll see you again in the new year.

RE: Requesting Critique

Former Member — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:39:28 GMT

I agree, you have a classic dropped elbow. Work on improving your EVF and that simply means you need to "set-up" your stroke or put more leverage (pressure) at the beginning of your stroke. There are many things you can do to improve and ankle flexibility maybe another?? Anyway good luck to you and take your time at the start of your stroke. Think of your stroke like a golf stroke, the start is slow until you get into the power phase and in swimming (freestyle) the power phase is from approximately the chest to the back of the hips. I could go on and on but I think you get the idea. Again, Good luck and happy holidays!!!

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:22:48 GMT

Taruky, were you there this morning? Blue suit and cap swimming in the lane next to the bulkhead? Hey Shark, sorry haven't been on for a few days. But yeah, I was there on Thursday next to the bulkhead, with the blue cap. Pretty much every Tuesday and Thursday.

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 01:14:17 GMT

I think the second video is alot better than the first (Dec 9). Some people have a natural position that allows a good streamline. But if your like me you sink real fast so your bum is too low and you have alot of drag. What helped me significantly was the kick. Even if your shoulder driven, if you can kick real fast with a good portion of your workout consisting of focusing on it then the rest of it wont matter and will fall in to place. Do alot of kick sets:) Yeah I'm a sinker. If I try to counter that by lowering my head, my head is completely under water. I try tilting my pelvis back, but as I mentioned before I end up just arching. George made a good point in that there are elements of my catch and pull through that sink me, especially left side down. I can't quite figure out why, maybe my left arm goes too high? My kick timing is not great and I tend to pause it on that side, that might also explain a lot. My body line is also broken on the left, and when I do side kicking drills I have a hard time going straight on that side. I may be one of those people that really needs someone to come into the water with me and physically put me into the right positions so I can eventually imprint them into muscle memory.

RE: Requesting Critique

Former Member — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:33:22 GMT

Leg position can be controlled by 1. What your hands do above the water. 2. How you finish during the catch phase. 3. Head position high or low. 4. Your kick. You must try several ways to change how you swim or find someone who can help you change with simple instruction.

RE: Requesting Critique

__steve__ — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:25:20 GMT

RE: Requesting Critique

swimshark — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:35:46 GMT

Taruky, were you there this morning? Blue suit and cap swimming in the lane next to the bulkhead?

RE: Requesting Critique

taruky — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 12:17:58 GMT

Oh, sorry. I changed it to public. Thanks.

RE: Requesting Critique

swimshark — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 07:25:54 GMT

Your hip rotation is much better so your reach is better as well. The pool was more cloudy so it was harder to see. Sorry, I must have worn too much lotion that morning. hee-hee.

RE: Requesting Critique

rtodd — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 12:37:10 GMT

Here is a front view showing high elbows with a good reach and glide. Look how high his elbows are compared to yours and notice he is finishing with his hand just under his body. Your hands are too far out and that limits your ability to roll. YouTube - Ian Thorpe-front