Hi Paul Am enjoying the emails you send. This one was very interesting as I took part in the Ironman World Champs in Kona, so I passed Lucy on the bike course - she was obviously going the other way!! It was only my 2nd Ironman (I qualified in Bolton in July) and it was the first time I had ever swum a race in the sea and without a wetsuit! In the end I managed a decent 13th place / 113 in the F60 agegroup. I don't come from a swim background at all so this discipline is my weakest. I am gradually improving by regularly attending swim club sessions. I sometimes get a bit confused about what I am being taught in pool sessions in terms of how I adapt to open water so it was very helpful to watch this video. Thanks! PS. I tried emailing you but it bounced back as spam!
Great video. I’m so sick of going to squads and being told I have a swinging stroke and need to have a higher elbow, while getting no feedback about my catch (which admittedly is harder to see from the deck). I usually tell the coach I have a shoulder injury now, just to get them off my back.
Lucy-Charles having a stroke rate of nearly 100 per minute blows my mind! ...not so much the aerobic side, but if she's breathing every 2, then that's head turning back and forth 50 times per minute and as for body rotation, presumably that must be minimal? - otherwise at that rate wouldn't the stresses of the momentum shifts back and forth be a bit too intense? I suppose that's what it takes to be the best of the best.... -pushing to almost breaking point
After 40 yrs. of swimming, I have come to the conclusion that...: Stroke Rate and Power of linear "Push" are what determine speed. And, kick is part of "push". No matter the length of the stroke, glide, recovery style, kick-beat count, etc., ... if the power under the water compliments the power of the kick (also called hip/shoulder rotation timing) is done in way to produce linear motion ... you will swim faster. Where open water swimming differs dramatically from pool swimming is the idea of "linear" push. Sometimes the fastest and most efficient power comes from various angles of push to counter irregular water pressures/currents/density from bubbles/etc. What is common between pool swimming and open water swimming is that the power is always generated under the water while arm movement out of the water is recovery from muscular stress. The proper cycle of muscular power to relaxation minimizes effort with maximum gain. This biomechanical cycle of swimming is why cadence is important.
Hi Paul
Am enjoying the emails you send.
This one was very interesting as I took part in the Ironman World Champs in Kona, so I passed Lucy on the bike course - she was obviously going the other way!! It was only my 2nd Ironman (I qualified in Bolton in July) and it was the first time I had ever swum a race in the sea and without a wetsuit!
In the end I managed a decent 13th place / 113 in the F60 agegroup.
I don't come from a swim background at all so this discipline is my weakest. I am gradually improving by regularly attending swim club sessions.
I sometimes get a bit confused about what I am being taught in pool sessions in terms of how I adapt to open water so it was very helpful to watch this video.
Thanks! PS. I tried emailing you but it bounced back as spam!
Thanks Rachel. Well done on getting to Kona. That’s a great result ❤ drop me one to paul at swimsmooth dot com if you hadn’t tried that?
Great video. I’m so sick of going to squads and being told I have a swinging stroke and need to have a higher elbow, while getting no feedback about my catch (which admittedly is harder to see from the deck). I usually tell the coach I have a shoulder injury now, just to get them off my back.
Glad it helps. Swingers are not without the need for tuning, but the mistake is to think Swingers need to be Smooths.
" Esperti da poltrona " 😂😂💪🏊♂️🏊♂️🏊♂️🤙
There's plenty...
Yes, i suppose ... stroke ( swinger ) for ever 😁
Lucy-Charles having a stroke rate of nearly 100 per minute blows my mind! ...not so much the aerobic side, but if she's breathing every 2, then that's head turning back and forth 50 times per minute and as for body rotation, presumably that must be minimal? - otherwise at that rate wouldn't the stresses of the momentum shifts back and forth be a bit too intense?
I suppose that's what it takes to be the best of the best.... -pushing to almost breaking point
Good points - one thing's for sure, she killed it alright!
After 40 yrs. of swimming, I have come to the conclusion that...: Stroke Rate and Power of linear "Push" are what determine speed. And, kick is part of "push". No matter the length of the stroke, glide, recovery style, kick-beat count, etc., ... if the power under the water compliments the power of the kick (also called hip/shoulder rotation timing) is done in way to produce linear motion ... you will swim faster.
Where open water swimming differs dramatically from pool swimming is the idea of "linear" push. Sometimes the fastest and most efficient power comes from various angles of push to counter irregular water pressures/currents/density from bubbles/etc. What is common between pool swimming and open water swimming is that the power is always generated under the water while arm movement out of the water is recovery from muscular stress. The proper cycle of muscular power to relaxation minimizes effort with maximum gain. This biomechanical cycle of swimming is why cadence is important.
Very eloquently put!
At 9.30 into the video there is a underwater horizontal ladder thing. What is that and where can i read more about it please?
That is the HUUB M.A.D testing facility in Mallorca.