It’s just whatever is fastest and most efficient for individuals in their preferred events , determined after much experimentation
Gallop v “front quadrant†swimming comes in cycles in popularity
Gallopers (both big and small)- phelps, ledecky, paltrinieri, lezak, Conor Dwyer
Front quadrant catch up swimmers - sun yang, romanchuk (go look at his races from 2016 versus 2021 and he is now much more catch up and much faster), wellbrock, Horton, eric mulk and ferry
I think TI were big front quadrant fans. But the rate needs to be higher , not crazy high, but higher, in the big dark OW than what they may unfairly be called out for having.
I catch up my arms too. When need to do a 100 sprint I gallop
. Back in the 90s there were not many front quadrant elites and Larsen Jensen Erik Vendt when they were coming up were criticised at least in one article I read by an Aussie commentator for their stroke being too front heavy and not like Hackett and Perkins. But that stroke is now used by plenty of 1430 swimmers
The article said that until they changed their inferior technique they wouldn’t be able to compete with the best.
Ferry and romanchuk probably the two most obvious catch up swimmers.
If you want to see the best modern example of the classic Hackett timing hafnoui and lukas martens on the men side