the catch of the pull and the pull of the catch!

[Talvi]

Yesterday, frustrated once again by backward progress during a session, I had an idea. it felt like a betrayal but desperate times call for desperate measures - so I went for it.

I was frustrated with many things but also aware of how my rhythm had improved by practicing breathing every third or fourth stroke. Problem is I can't do that for even a whole length. I run out of puff!

What was clear was that the balance in the rhythm of my strike was to all to pot. Power from each side came at different moments, there were flat points, and a general absence of directional focus.

As I was focussing on the timing of my catch it suddenly occurred to me: use the TT. Instead of focussing on spear or kick or hip or etc, I'd focus on the moment my catch was complete, on the moment I dived over it. So that's what I did.

It was amazing. Perhaps following TI too literally, I had developed an aversion to that specific moment in the UW stroke. If you're doing things right it should just happen, right? So, with steely determination, I've averted my eyes from it. The results have been as described -- dire.

Now though my new catch focus has literally opened my eyes. As that moment is the central point of the stroke it focuses pretty much everything else around it: spear-extension, roll-over, rotation, and the magic of powerless-power -- the timing. This focus is NOT the pull. It's the moment before any of that. It still has power, that feel of sculling through the water, but it's the separation point between that phase and the push-to-exit phase (stroking the dog as Charles once referred to it here) .

As Werner said, we need to have patience and respect in feeling our way into the new, but I'm excited, so thought I'd pass it on. The results were good. I have renewed and perhaps realistic hope of sub 2:00 CSS.

Enjoy.

Thanks Charles Couturier for the comment that has unlocked all of this, eventually!

p.s
this Shinji vid at 2:39 shows the focus point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrSA5l9ppwY