Freestyle Video

Just found out who this fellow is www.totalimmersion.net/.../CoachStefan so I better not critic.

I would find it hard to find anything good about his stroke. The problem is that he does not enter his hands properly. Yes they are too wide the hands are flexed out and it looks like he is pushing against the water with the back of his hands. I think I can tell that he learned his technique from a DVD that I would not ever buy. The Endles pool is a hard to swim in item you have to bury your head very deep in order to keep your legs up. He also ran the pool in a very slow position this made it awkward to get into the proper position. In the Endless pool it seem he finished above his waist line, I would sooner he finish a little lower Just don't try to copy what you see he may not swim like this video shows. However he may be a great teacher? Thanks for the feedback. Very helpful. Based on what everyone has said, I will look for better examples of the freestyle stroke to study. Thanks.

The arms do look a bit wide and the wrist is breaking on entry - this will slow you down. This may be a function of swimming in an "endless pool" where the slower and more deliberate stroke would keep him steady and not smash into the front of the water jet. If there is video swimming in a standard lap pool lane I'm sure that may be more informative.

This is me, maybe not a great video but I am in a swim in place pool and as you can see it is at a very slow pace YouTube - George in the River Pool

Would anyone care to share their thoughts on this guy's stroke?

I think the person has a very smooth and fluent stroke. The catch is probably wide for the turbulence created.

Stroke is too wide, he has limited rotation and does not really swim on the long axis. His right hand also cocks out to the side as he starts his catch. BTW that was 36 seconds for the 50... and that stuff about heart rate is kinda deceiving. Is that 70 below max on land... Heart rate in water is generally lower. That and he only did a 50...

His stroke looks as if he is doing a 10K swim, very relaxed & easy.

The pool appears to be a 60 footer not a 75 foot pool. The time 36 is not for a 50 yard swim. It may be a 40 yard swim. Guys who are swimming hard do a 40yd swim in 15 to 18 seconds. My time in 1952 was 18 seconds for a 40yd swim. Stroke is too wide, he has limited rotation and does not really swim on the long axis. His right hand also cocks out to the side as he starts his catch. BTW that was 36 seconds for the 50... and that stuff about heart rate is kinda deceiving. Is that 70 below max on land... Heart rate in water is generally lower. That and he only did a 50...

I guess one question raised by the discussion is whether endless pools are a good teaching tool. Perhaps they distort the stroke? Another is whether good coaches need to be good swimmers. Although it's always tempting to say physician heal thyself, I'm not sure they do. Of course if their conception of an ideal stroke, as opposed to their execution, is flawed that is another matter.