Phelps warm-up swim

[Richardsk]

I thought people might find this interesting. I certainly do, especially the high arm recovery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zJSI0aoRfU

[PASA]

Another video you might find interesting. I shot this about a year ago at a surprise visit Michael Phelps paid to my kids' swim team. He jumps in at about :34 and the "race" begins at about 2:20.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agts20RMoDw

[naj]

Originally Posted by PASA

Another video you might find interesting. I shot this about a year ago at a surprise visit Michael Phelps paid to my kids' swim team. He jumps in at about :34 and the "race" begins at about 2:20.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agts20RMoDw

Wow PASA you and your kids' must have been on cloud nine after that! I had the honor of swimming with Lynne Cox last year from Alcatraz. One of the greatest honors of my "young" long-distance swimming career.

Naji

[Richardsk]

Hi PASA

Yes, I had seen the Phelps video you linked to. There is also one of him warming up in Berlin but it's shot from the stands and he is a tiny figure in the pool. Interesting all the same. Those kids he swam with probably won't really appreciate what an amazing experience that was until they grow up.

If one could only have a fraction of that ease! It was hard earned in his case, of course.

[Alex-SG]

Michael Phelps or not we need to "TI-ANALYZE" this guy :)

First thing that comes to mind is the incredibly low Stroke per Lenght count. May be the pool was only 25yards... but still

Second... Incredible 90deg shoulder rotation. Head is obviously very low in the water. I would have thought that with that kind of stacked shoulders position his head would be 30cm below the water surface and he would not be able to breathe. Perhaps shoulders are overrotated but the hips are not which means that he gets support from the water while getting an incredible propulsion out of the tension in the back muscles.

I assume this is his normal stroke and not some kind of practice drill...

ALEX

[Richardsk]

Hi Alex-SG

No, I don't think it's anything like his normal stroke, but obviously there must be common elements. Apart from the extreme shoulder roll and very high arm position, what strikes me is the great sense of rhythm. I tried to do something similar during my practice today and I think it's definitely worthwhile to keep a mental image of this relaxed and rhythmic stroke as you swim.

In his swim with the kids that PASA posted the link to, it seems to me that Phelps also swam with this rhythmic accentuation of the hand entry.

It's a pity there isn't some underwater footage as well, because I'd like to see what his feet are doing. A two-beat kick, I imagine, perhaps even a dolphin kick.

[PASA]

Originally Posted by Richardsk

Those kids he swam with probably won't really appreciate what an amazing experience that was until they grow up.

If one could only have a fraction of that ease! It was hard earned in his case, of course.

Richardsk, this was quite an amazing experience for both the kids and the parents who stuck around after drop off. Most people, adults and children alike, seemed to have what a Disney cast member once describe to me as "Ariel Awe" - this is when little girls are literally speechless when they sit for a photo with the Ariel character at Disneyland. Michael spent well over two hours with the team, mostly on deck giving coaching tips, and then a "race" at the end.

The older boys were a bit disappointed they didn't get a chance to race him, but they were blown away that he swam a 1:41-1:42 for 200 yards at a pace that looked like a Sunday stroll. 1:41 is a fast time for a high school swimmer going full speed. Michael made it look easy.

Originally Posted by Richardsk

It's a pity there isn't some underwater footage as well, because I'd like to see what his feet are doing. A two-beat kick, I imagine, perhaps even a dolphin kick.

There's no underwater footage, but the official Speedo video shows a bit more close up, and reveals two strong dolphin kicks off the wall and then very active legs after that. The race begins at about 3:10 Here's a link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9ZNLyx7_Hw

[Richardsk]

Thanks for that PASA

Actually, though, I meant the warm-up swim when I was talking about the leg action. In the race with the kids, he is using dolphin kicks to good effect and a six-beat kick. Obviously his loafing speed is pretty fast. I think he judged his speed very well to be just fast enough. Some of those kids are pretty fast, too. I am constantly amazed when I see the times ten years and under kids swim in the USA. Maybe there are some who are as fast in this country too, but obviously we haven't got the huge base that you have in the States. No wonder you keep producing prodigies like Missy Franklin.

You can see his feet to some extent in the warm-up footage, but it's hard to tell exactly what's going on.Maybe a very gentle six-beat.

[sasquatch]

Putting analysis and discussion of form or kick frequency/amplitude aside, one thing I get out of this is that even Michael Phelps sees a benefit to swimming slow and consciously tuning various aspects of his strokes, even his flip turns. Something that most TI swimmers do but many more age group/masters coaches and swimmers would do well to emulate.

[vdsadr]

Hi Alex,

Correct me if I am wrong. So if our upper body over-rotates we can compensate for it rotating the lower body less.
The reason I am asking this question is because I tend to slightly over-rotate.