So earlier at practice I experimented with flat feet coming off every wall. There was a very noticeable difference. I could surface with ease past the flags, without any DKs. In my first two years of swimming, I have used just the balls (and toes) of my feet in coming off the walls.
Flat feet (that is, both ball and heel) feels a little awkward right now, like any technique change, but I think I'm going to start adjusting to it for permanent use.
Thanks to Jim Thornton who suggested I make this a poll!
Another wrinkle to consider.
If you look at Phelps's push off with fly, it does look like he has the whole foot surface on the wall.
With freestyle, it's harder to see, but it looks like it's a little less whole foot and a little more balls o' feet.
Hypothesis 1. The short axis strokes, which require you to touch the wall with both hands (and for many of us, grab the wall!), swimmers are more likely to place the entire sole surface on the wall before pushing off.
In the long axis strokes, which allow flip turns and no hand touches required, we don't have to get quite as close to the wall and can thus bounce off with more of a balls o' feet push-and-go.
As far as power from the actual push goes, it would be interesting to see if high jumpers plant their whole feet before the leap, or if they jump from the toe-not-heel position. I am pretty sure track sprinters run the latter way, and they don't seem to be losing much "push" because of it.
Another wrinkle to consider.
If you look at Phelps's push off with fly, it does look like he has the whole foot surface on the wall.
With freestyle, it's harder to see, but it looks like it's a little less whole foot and a little more balls o' feet.
Hypothesis 1. The short axis strokes, which require you to touch the wall with both hands (and for many of us, grab the wall!), swimmers are more likely to place the entire sole surface on the wall before pushing off.
In the long axis strokes, which allow flip turns and no hand touches required, we don't have to get quite as close to the wall and can thus bounce off with more of a balls o' feet push-and-go.
As far as power from the actual push goes, it would be interesting to see if high jumpers plant their whole feet before the leap, or if they jump from the toe-not-heel position. I am pretty sure track sprinters run the latter way, and they don't seem to be losing much "push" because of it.
