On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 10:02 PM, Margit wrote:
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Hi Terry,
I have a question I’m hoping you can answer…I recently read Peggy Dean’s "Open Water Swimming" published in 1998 and she mentions freestyle technique as having several phases includin outsweep, insweep, etc. I believe this is how freestyle was taught years ago. But having read Total Immersion, it seems the "insweep" is no longer being used. Can you tell me if this is the case?
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Margit
I avoid terms like that for these reasons:
1) Drag reduction is FAR more important than creating propulsion. Terms such as Outsweep and Insweep focus you on the less beneficial side of swimming — how to push water back.
2) The best swimmers stroke straight back — i.e. they don’t spend time sweeping out and in.
3) The "pushing" part of the stroke is over in an instant — too little time to think about — much less tinker with — complicated motions.
The most important part of the propulsive action is the catch – taking the time to get an "armful" of water before you stroke.
We will be publishing my latest book – on open water swimming – later this month. It’ll come out as an ebook.
Cheers,
