The Pushoff

[jenson1a]

AndyinNorway had suggested in another thread that in order to become more streamlined, one should practice pushing off and focusing on being as streamlined as possible. I have started doing this and there does seem to be some improvement in my spl.

One thing I notice tho, is that sometimes I push off deeper than other times.
Is there a tradeoff in doing this? I also notice that sometimes my push off is hindered by waiting to take that first underwater stroke. By doing this, when I rise to the top of the water, I am at almost at a completely dead stop. Forward motion has gone. Not sure of this is due to a deeper push off or just the timing of the underwater stroke is too late.

Any comments?

Sherry

[Zenturtle]

I think its best to push off a little closer under the surface as the pros and try to surface horizontal with a speed that comes close to your swimming speed or a little faster.
Otherwise you have to reaccelerate again and that takes away some of the streamlined feeling you want to preserve.
When you come up from right under the surface you are not bobbing up and down so much, making the transition to swimming easier.
You can also push off right at the surface, but that gives more resistance.

[andyinnorway]

Sherry as Zen suggests.

Get lower as you push off. imagine the path you want to take with a fixed angle towards the water that gets you to the surface as you turn for air on e.g. your third beep.

Note from this video that the hands aren't pointing up, you hold a good streamline and your buoyancy takes you to the surface

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfLFdFVk-Co

[fooboo]

I assume the balance is what is needed. Push off makes it in one way
or other. Never to forget: push on your chest. Whatever you swim, back,
breast or freestyle. Balance and axis rotation.
Boomer video comes to mind. Streight arm recovery has it's role. I might
replicate it in backstroke. In fs, it is that I overthink it all.
Doing streight arm recovery in public pool would look heartbreaking.
My reputation would be broken. :)

[Zenturtle]

What do you think your reputation is Fooboo? ;-)

[sclim]

Originally Posted by andyinnorway

Sherry as Zen suggests.

Get lower as you push off. imagine the path you want to take with a fixed angle towards the water that gets you to the surface as you turn for air on e.g. your third beep.

Note from this video that the hands aren't pointing up, you hold a good streamline and your buoyancy takes you to the surface

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfLFdFVk-Co

Wow, watching the video I have a whole new appreciation for the fine points. I thought I had got it down ok, and so I'm doing it ok, or so I thought; now I see I'm barely scratching the surface (no pun intended at all!). How does she get such long perpetuation of speed??? (Or, why is my own speed scrubbed off so quickly!!!). Once I grapple with that answer, I'll bet I'll be struggling to apply the solution correctly with the required precision every time. In other words, her genius includes consistency of execution

[andyinnorway]

Well it all happens pretty quickly.

At sprint speeds I try to get to 6m inside 2 seconds.

Practice slow and try to hold as the challenge increases I guess.

[fooboo]

Originally Posted by Zenturtle

What do you think your reputation is Fooboo? ;-)

That I drink sparkling water from the pool and let others do the same.
Not taking all for myself. And looking funny, healing chronic depression
in two minutes. Eventually I do swim from time to time. That's me.

[jenson1a]

Thanks for the comments--will practice more on not going too deep.

Missed that video on Go Swim, and it gives plenty of focal points to do it well.

I also find that practicing this drill is great when you are getting tired of doing something else. Helps me to slow my breathing rate down after doing multiple lengths.

Sherry

[novaswimmer]

Originally Posted by sclim

Wow, watching the video I have a whole new appreciation for the fine points. I thought I had got it down ok, and so I'm doing it ok, or so I thought; now I see I'm barely scratching the surface (no pun intended at all!). How does she get such long perpetuation of speed??? (Or, why is my own speed scrubbed off so quickly!!!). Once I grapple with that answer, I'll bet I'll be struggling to apply the solution correctly with the required precision every time. In other words, her genius includes consistency of execution

I'd like to see videos of us sinky guys doing that drill well.