Technique First

[juddy_009]

Hi all,
Firstly thanks to everyone who posts, really love getting new ideas about the best ways to improve. I’m a former Olympic trials swimmer from Australia and have recently made a comeback after 4 years out of the water. USRPT allows me to train efficiently in amongst full time work. I am currently using USRPT to train myself (specifically for the 50 & 100 free & fly) would love to start the technique conversation as I recently read a comment from a fellow poster suggesting we need to be focusing more on technique rather than the fitness/physiology.

I have uploaded a couple of videos of myself swimming a couple of strokes at 100 pace from different angles. Would love to hear any feedback anybody has (links below). I am a former coach myself but feel that ‘fresh eyes’ from those who have presumably also read the ‘technique bible’ would certainly help both myself and the discussion generated will hopefully benefit the rest of the community.

Cheers

Free side angle:

Breast side angle:

Fly side angle:

Fly kick side angle:

Free Front angle:

Fly Front angle:

Breast Front angle:

[lipearse]

Hey juddy_009!! Thank you for getting this type of discussion happening! I admire your bravery uploading videos of yourself for critique. I’ve attached some very brief initial observations and suggestions for your freestyle. Would love to know your thoughts, and what your intentions/focus is at the moment in the pool.

Where are you in Australia? It’d be great to have a swim with a fellow USRPTer some time!

[lipearse]

Sorry, maximum file size is very limited with posting annotated images. Here are the main observations I’ve made. The attachment shows the most significant (i think).

Your streamline looks very good.
It’s hard to tell if there is much head lift when you breath, but hips do seem to be lower than back of head from the side view.
Timing of breathing looks good.
You can see in some frames from the front view that the wide angle of your elbow causes your leg to kick outside of an ideal streamline (in reaction). You may consider a ‘tighter’ elbow bend to maintain streamline and maximise power, and minimise hip/leg sway.
Looks like you have great coordination as well (i.e. no overtaking arm-action).
End of stroke looks good. Your elbow is back and alongside your body and your forearm/hand is vertical.

Attachments:

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[lefthanded swimmer]

Nice underwaters btw. Breast recovery (legs) looks slow. This is your drag time as I am sure you know. Work on your timing and faster heels on the recovery. On fly, for the first angle it appears you stop your hands at the front for a split second longer than most do on 100 Fly. If you freeze it on the first stroke where you breath, you lift your head a bit early instead of with the stroke. The next stroke you don’t breath so this doesn’t show up except on first pull of the video. If I had to guess you would swim slower breathing an entire 100 fly because of this. Correct? Good videos!

[juddy_009]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. All of what you have said is along the lines of what I was already working on but it definitely helps to hear it from other people. The ‘elbow bend’ is something that I continue to work on (believe it or not my arm used to be even straighter) and I reckon when I get this right I’ll be able to hold together the back end of my 100 much better than I currently am. I had a look at my 50 metre pace videos after posting the 100 pace ones above and they seem to have less ‘issues’ in them than the 100 pace does. I’m wondering if all my years of ‘traditional training’ is showing through more here due to what seem to be some lazy habits surrounding my breaths. Anyway I’ll focus on the particular elements discussed and will re-post in a couple of weeks to compare.
cheers

PS: I’m in Melbourne

[Author]

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