Spearing depth and rotation

[Lawrence]

There has been recent discussion here of how spearing to a shallow depth immediately before turning to breathe can make breathing easier (because the air is easier to find).

As I understand current TI thinking, the spear immediately following the breath should be deeper, so as to exploit weight shift as a propulsion source. Whatever the merits of that view, I think such deeper spearing may have a separate virtue, as explained below.

When one rolls to air, it seems to be acknowledged that there is a tendency to roll further than when one rolls on a non-breathing stroke. I would add that lifting the recovering arm over the water immediately after taking of breath always feels easy, but that lifting the recovering arm over the water and into position for re-entry is harder following a non-breathing stroke. The solution: spear more deeply immediately after taking a breath. This results in recovery on the more difficult side being made easier because the shoulder on that side is higher at the start of recovery.

Anyone else had a similar thought?

I also wonder whether something like this is behind the loping style of Phelps and others.

[RadSwim]

Lawrence-
My swimming has improved substantially since I eliminated anything resembling a deep spear. As I have written previously, deep spearing is a necessary evil for some with inflexible shoulders. If possible, it should be eliminated as soon as circumstances permit.
RadSwim

[Lawrence]

I think that leaves my points unaddressed!

[Richardsk]

It may be TI heresy but I find that I recover the non-breathing arm easier when I accentuate the pull back and consciously try to flick the rear hand out of the water. This helps to counteract my bad habit of leaving the non-breathing arm trailing ( known as the 'poisonous pause' I believe).

I don't think I spear any deeper on the breathing side as I do so. A slight turn of the head to the non-breathing side also seems to help, although in principle I think the head shouldn't turn at all except to the extent that the upper body rolls. I think that, because I am almost exclusively a one-sided breather, my head is probably slightly tilted to the breathing side all the time.

Video might provide the answer to this, especially underwater video.