JasoninHalifax wrote:
I really like a lot of the Finis gear. Not all of it, by any means, some is truly headscratching in the WTF were they thinking way, but most of it I would rate as really good. And I'm a big fan of toys *if* they are used properly, i.e. to improve your swimming without the toys. (I'll spare everyone the rant about this...)
That said, I know it's a good piece of kit, but I still can't get used to a snorkel. I've given up.
as far as EVF goes, most aren't going to get the extreme level of EVF that you see in elite swimmers. Hell, most pure swimmers aren't going to get that. However, I believe there is still benefit in trying to employ some of the principles that result in a good EVF. One of the most common ones I see at my local pool is people trying to reach too deep and pull with a nearly straight arm. another is leading with the elbow. (that's aside from the typical triathlete m.o. of jumping in and swimming 1500-2000 straight with no plan, no structure and no apparent purpose other than doing the distance.)
you're the swimmer in this discussion, not me. but i think EVF is a little bit obfuscating for triathletes. the
concept is good, the technique is achievable, but the teaching model might not be ideal. i might be wrong about this, but i suspect it *might* be easier just to think of the swim stroke as a canoe paddle. you reach out in front of you, drop the paddle in perpendicular to the water, and pull back. (rather than, say, a riverboat paddlewheel that only once very briefly achieves verticality). you want to get the largest pulling surface you can perpendicular to the water for the greatest amount of time possible.
that might be a more straightforward way of looking at it, and then i couple that by arguing against any S pattern, or finding still water to pull, because triathletes already to very silly things with their hands in the water. i rely on the canoe paddle analogy, and like that paddle i just say anchor your arm in the water, don't move it, use it as a lever, and yank yourself forward over it. past it. of course really good swimmers do find still water to push, but as i watch triathletes' stroke underwater i generally find that what they need is to get rid of that horrible hand hitch right about midway through the pull.
all that said, very likely i'll be writing another Guppy Challenge beginning late winter, right about when the 100/100 ends, and i'm looking for any good ideas on how to frame all of this. (from folks like you, who're better swimmers than i am.)
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman