Video posted for advice

[Gmorning]

Hi everyone,

I was a swimmer for most of my youth and recently returned to the pool after a few decades on dry land. In the past few months, I've completed a self-coached workshop: Perpetual Motion. I was hoping to get some input/advice on a short video of my freestyle. There are two things that I'm concerned about: One is that my left arm tends to enter the water too far ahead. It feels very deliberate. The other is that my glide tends to suffer when breathing. My glide arm tends to drop too soon.

Any tips for the breathing in particular would be helpful. I added some freeze frames of the breathing/arm issue in the video.

Here's a link to the clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qZXo...ature=youtu.be

Thanks so much!
g

[azamy]

Nice smooth stroke and consistent SPL. What's the length of the lane you are swimming in?

Here are a few things I observed. The coaches and experienced swimmers will give you better feedback for sure.

1. Try not to lift your head for air when you breath, just rotate with your body and remember that the chin should be higher than the forehead. You can try breathing drills with one goggle out of water.
2. I noticed that you rotate your torso but not your legs on your left, if you practice rotating whole body (just enough rotation) on each side and shift body weight you can reduce your SPL and swim more efficiently.
3. From the side view it appears that you don't hold much water in your catch. Read Charle's ball analogy (post #3) in this thread, which is very useful for the catch.
4. The mail slot entry! While it is soft and decently wide, upon entry your left arm comes in front of your head which alters side to side balance specially when you try to breath. Keep your arm wide and extended when you turn for air, that should improve your side to side balance tremendously.

Keep up the good work.

Good luck

[daveblt]

Just to add ,the head lift seems more apparent when you breathe to the left ,not so much to the right .Otherwise looks smooth.

Dave

[dgk2009]

nice quiet legs.

[CoachToby]

Originally Posted by Gmorning

Hi everyone,

I was a swimmer for most of my youth and recently returned to the pool after a few decades on dry land. In the past few months, I've completed a self-coached workshop: Perpetual Motion. I was hoping to get some input/advice on a short video of my freestyle. There are two things that I'm concerned about: One is that my left arm tends to enter the water too far ahead. It feels very deliberate. The other is that my glide tends to suffer when breathing. My glide arm tends to drop too soon.

Any tips for the breathing in particular would be helpful. I added some freeze frames of the breathing/arm issue in the video.

Here's a link to the clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qZXo...ature=youtu.be

Thanks so much!
g

G, I like your stroke, especially the nice compact 2BK! To me, the most obvious thing you could improve is your head position - try to look down more. (the Whale Eye drill sequence will help you deal with the breathing when you adopt a better head position). I do think you're leaning on the arms a bit when you go for air, although I'd like to see some underwater footage before commenting further (you also tend to scull outwards for support). Finally, I'd recommend breathing every 2 strokes.

I hope you find this useful.

[Gmorning]

Thank you everyone for your comments and advice. I'm headed to the pool tomorrow & will be drilling - especially breathing. I'm very grateful!

Warmly,
g

[CoachStuartMcDougal]

Hi G,

Neutral head position, wide tracks, good balance- hips at surface,very clean and quiet entry. Work on patient lead hand (lead arm leaving too soon on breathing and non breathing stroke), lead with elbow not hand on recovery, finger tips down on forward spearing arm. Skate and Swing-Skate drills will help build these mini-skills.

Keep up the good work!

Stuart