Making the Water Feel Thicker

[jenson1a]

While searching google for anything to do with how to increase dps, I came across a video by Natilee Coughlin--her suggestion was to make the water feel thicker. Didn't say how to do it tho.

Also was a good article by Coach Suzanne. Gave ideas about different ways to swim--using fist only, then 1 finger, then 2, then palm. Goal was to feel how much the difference the water felt while doing that. I tried this but did not feel a whole lot of difference.

I also got some advice on a previous thread from Coach Suzanne about anchoring the lead hand and then moving past that anchor. Suggestion was that the feel was like the lead hand was anchored in cement.

I do feel the water pressure against my forearm and front of hand, but do not understand this idea of thicker water. Is the idea just to take the mind off the pull phase on the stroke?

Maybe someone has another way of explaining this.

Sherry

[CharlesCouturier]

Nice but deep topic. I can't wait to read what others are thinking about it.

[CoachSuzanne]

Originally Posted by jenson1a

While searching google for anything to do with how to increase dps, I came across a video by Natilee Coughlin--her suggestion was to make the water feel thicker. Didn't say how to do it tho.

Also was a good article by Coach Suzanne. Gave ideas about different ways to swim--using fist only, then 1 finger, then 2, then palm. Goal was to feel how much the difference the water felt while doing that. I tried this but did not feel a whole lot of difference.

I also got some advice on a previous thread from Coach Suzanne about anchoring the lead hand and then moving past that anchor. Suggestion was that the feel was like the lead hand was anchored in cement.

I do feel the water pressure against my forearm and front of hand, but do not understand this idea of thicker water. Is the idea just to take the mind off the pull phase on the stroke?

Maybe someone has another way of explaining this.

Sherry

You've already read my thoughts, but I'll just add that you want to play with the amount of pressure you begin with, the rate at which you apply pressure and how long you wait to apply it. If you pull the water will slip away. if you anchor the water will "stay still". Slippery water feels thin, still water feels thick. It's a sensory experience and when you've created the sensation, you're doing the movement properly. if you think about the movement first, you're probably going to miss the sensation. Let the water be your guide...let the water teach you where the pressure is, rather than your brain overriding the movements and diminishing their effectiveness.

[azamy]

I learned the anchoring part mostly in my bed room lol in front of the mirror :-)) creating that sensation in your brain is the important part, when I stand in front of the mirror and try to anchor my lead arm for a high elbow catch I sometimes have to walk forward for the next stroke. I read in an article on menshealth.com that quoted Terry saying "Water is 1,000 times denser than air," If I can anchor my hand in the air then you should be able to anchor it in water and feel that thick cement that Coach Suzanne mentioned in another post. All you have to do is create that sensation in your brain.

My 2 cents.

Eid

[andyinnorway]

Something I used to do when trying to understand this was to use open doors and try to move my body past them whilst using my hand on the door for 'thrust'. If you pull the door it will shut, if you anchor your hand on it, it gives you support to move past. You can experiment different pressures by putting different sized (weight) objects as door stops to increase the resistance before the door moves.

Its one of my left field things from the early days but it does demonstrate to your body the difference between pulling and holding.

[Janos]

You could try some sculling exercises to cultivate the feel needed to get a grip on the water. When resting between lap training, extend both arms forward into the water, and then articulate shoulders and elbows into vertical catch position. Then start moving forearms and hands in figure of eight, and start to feel the viscosity of the water. You could also do the same thing when floating on your stomach, perhaps near the end of some glide training laps.

Regards

Janos

[Richardsk]

You can also stand or even sit in the shallow end and make little whirlpools by sculling. This shows that your hand is shedding vortices and that the pressure is greater on the palm side. It is a fun thing to do and for all I know useful in cultivating 'feel for the water'.

Emmett Hines has a lot about sculling on his web site:

www.h2oustonswims.org/

[CoachSuzanne]

Originally Posted by andyinnorway

Something I used to do when trying to understand this was to use open doors and try to move my body past them whilst using my hand on the door for 'thrust'. If you pull the door it will shut, if you anchor your hand on it, it gives you support to move past. You can experiment different pressures by putting different sized (weight) objects as door stops to increase the resistance before the door moves.

Its one of my left field things from the early days but it does demonstrate to your body the difference between pulling and holding.

i love this!! maybe we need a forum called 'Left Field' for great tips like this.

[Jeffinhawaii]

I wonder if anyone has ever tried creating a swim tank with a heavier viscosity fluid to train in? Would it work? Something between water and maple syrup that allowed slower motions at higher resistance and high flotations. I wonder if superman glides in corn syrup would enhance ones form? Maybe I'm just craving waffles.

[CharlesCouturier]

Originally Posted by Jeffinhawaii

I wonder if anyone has ever tried creating a swim tank with a heavier viscosity fluid to train in? Would it work? Something between water and maple syrup that allowed slower motions at higher resistance and high flotations. I wonder if superman glides in corn syrup would enhance ones form? Maybe I'm just craving waffles.

Mmmm, there's an easier solution. Go to the gym, perform a hard session, then get to the pool. You'll get your maple sirup without the drag associated with it.

In fact, just chatting here, not recommended any of these things. But swimmers are probably those who experience solid water feeling the mosts. I've seen some evenings, 12x400m on 6min, 1->3 (5:50, 5:40, 5:30), 6 stroke 6 pull, as part of a 7000 session. After a whilst you just bonk out of sugar, then water gets automatically solid.

And quite frankly, these, I never forget, they're part of what taught me how to swim. Sad, and a very small percentage of people here will ever experience this. You're there giving it all you got, I'm mean the intensity of a flat out 100m here, but the output is no longer there. You're just relying on fat, which can't regenerate the ATP fast enough to sustain speed.

But gees do you feel the water like never before.

I still have no clue of how much of it was necessary to build the swimmer that I am.

Earlier in some other thread Terry asked me in what my own brewed humble concept, the Swim Training Day, was promoting values that are conflicting with TI. This would be an exemple. I am not claiming having a a goal to get my people to bunk, but after 5 hours of swimming in a day, near a kilo of sculling drills alone, near the end of the day, they certainly feel the water.