Here is my .02 on sculling (while I def have a lot more to say I will boil it down here)
Swimming is a "feel" sport. Over and over on st here, people say that they can really tell when someone has a feel for the water or they dont.
Swimmer feedback is all about feel, before any stat is discussed.
How do we enhance feel for the water then?
In a nutshell, sculling.
Much akin to keeping pressure on your chain when you pedal, sculling helps us to better understand a constant pressure on the water. Constant pressure on the water is key to maintaining momentum. Sculling is not, as it was described here (not by you I don't think) but as doing circles w the hands. Please do not do that.
Sculling with your arms out in front of you and approx 45 degrees down from the surface of the water is probably the most beneficial area to scull in.
The sculling motion is this:
and try this
standing with your chin on the surface and everything else below so your arms are out in front of you but a solid 6 inches below the surface. Arms straight out. Thumbs **almost touching making a 'V' shape with your hands. Pinky fingers are up thumbs are down, palms are facing away but
not vertically.
Angled. As you separate your arms you'll feel pressure of the water on your hands and forearms. Do this slowly at first.
As they pass shoulder width you then
reverse the angle of your hands so that as they come together (
if you brought them all the way together) your thumbs would be on top and the shape your hands would make would be an 'A' shape. Gently round out the ends of those arm movements j
ust outside your shoulders and
before your hands come together in the middle.
You are looking for consistency of pressure through the entire movement. Start slowly to get a sense of it. Gradually increase your arm/hand speed (note you're still standing !!!)
If done effectively you will start to see small whirlpools form above your arms/hands.
Do
not move arms closer to surface or deeper. Keep them out in front of you consistently and maintain an engage elbow. Not straight locked out or bent too much at all.
Once you have done this for a few sessions. Try it as you lay on the surface. IF you happen to be someone who sinks drastically and has a super hard time keeping your feet up, throw in a small and gentle flutter kick behind to help support you but not propel you. DO NOT USE FLOATATION
This will enhance your FEEL for the water and
consistency of pressure. You should note (when horizontal) that even WITHOUT moving your hands
back toward you or past your head/chest/hips you can move forward.
Many coaches and great thinkers of aquatic performance (and myself included) have spent many an hour thinking of ways to teach or coach FEEL. In almost every discussion we eventually work ourselves back to sculling. (in one way or another)
As far as 'S' movement when you swim w your arms. This is a total waste. If you want to
swim harder and
slower, then go for it.
But as a test, take that standing/squatting sculling into the deep end where your feet are not touching.
Apply more pressure with faster and smaller sculling movements and increased energy in your posture. You'll notice that you can lift your head higher in the water.
Now. In that same deep end. Use your hands like pistons to push water VERTICALLY from armpit to hip. And back up. (meaning keep hand within an inch of the side of your body)
Go ahead and hammer on those piston movements and feel free to write back and tell me which direction you went. Up? or down?
All the best,
DaveD
http://www.theundergroundcoach.com