Whats the problem?

[Zenturtle]

She says her left side catch isnt feeling as well as the right side.
What do you think is the problem?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HiCbbtkKtM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zrUq-04bs4

[daveblt]

In the second video it appears that her left hand and arm are not as relaxed as the right ? Maybe a little too stiff as she stretches her arm down . Besides that her stroke looks good .

Dave

Looks good to me. Could just be perception? Maybe a slight strength imbalance? Is the swimmer right arm dominant in life generally?

Anyone that's every tried left foot braking in a car will know that proprioception on your weaker (or less familiar) side can vary greatly compared to the side you use more often.

I typically breathe to my left when swimming as it feels more comfortable to me. Breathing to my right feels odd and less elegant however my old coach noticed and video showed that when I breathe to my perceived weak side my stroke and breathing is actually better! Weird. Can't trust those senses sometimes!

[WFEGb]

Hello Zenturtle,

if it's Claire Owen in your videos, most of us would (and should) be glad to deal with such "different felt" swimming-sensations. And if you can't find the difference, who will be able to do? (Before being invited to become a TI-Master-Coach...)

Seriously I'm nearly sure her feeling is comparable with ours when folding hands with right thumbs most up to left thumb most up. Like the cited chocolate versus vanilla side in another thread...

Best regards,
Werner

[Zenturtle]

She has great alignment, balance and a beautifull kick.
The high elbow shape looks great and impressive too.
There is a certain range of timings between the anchoring of the arm and the kick in swimming.
In my view she is right at the extreme end of this timing range, and the left arm is sometimes outside the normal range.
I also believe the right side is better controlled and stronger, what makes balancing on this timing edge a bit easier.
Its like the ignition timing of a combustion engine. Small timing changes can make a big difference in power.

Here a range of anchor-kicktimings from Manadou to Sun Yang. All with a 2BK, Sun and Ledecky with a 4BK.
ThIs is the moment that the downkick has reached the max amplitude, and the kick has basically ended.
Compare the arm positions relative to this kickend timing point.

Manadou


Shelley T


TI Mandy


TI Shinji

[Zenturtle]

going further forward in hand position:

Ledecky


Sun Yang


Right side


Left side


Her kick has finished, she has just catched the water and the whole pull has to be done without kick support.Thats hard and more arm only action than a combined anchor-kick-spear.
Doing it on a non dominant side makes it even harder.
So in my view, both arms are a bit too patient, a style thats almost exclusively seen in strong male swimmers.
With the left arm she is even more patient, moving out of the normal timing range.
Just deminish the glide time a fraction of a second before going into catch and the problem is solved.

[andyinnorway]

I see a difference in elbow rotation between the right and left.

Pre catch the left elbow is pointing down at 7 oclock which will make the catch harder to setup.

The right side appears much better nearer 2 oclock so the forearm can drop into catch on this side.

I agree with ZT too that the catch timing is at the extreme

[WFEGb]

Hello ZT, hello Andy,

not sure if your found differences are the difference from breathing and non-breathing strokes. (You'll know.)

@ZT: Think so, because even her head is more relaxed in your first shot.

@Andy: OK, but the extreme catch-timing won't make the felt difference if symmetrical. And your shots are from different point of views, not sure, if really comparable...

Best regards,
Werner

PS: If the TIers were my students (ha,ha,ha... wrong way round...) and if I were able to realize what your shots show, I'd give the suggestion/question, how a 10cm deeper spear will feel to the catch-setup.