Re swimming and breathstroke.

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   saltposted 14 years ago

   I love swimming breath stroke, yet I learnt to move  my legs right out up and then down smoothly. The stroke they want me to teach is this bizarre kick think that I think could only damage your body and has been modified to make the swim faster for high level athletes.
   
   Interested in others thoughts.
   
   I like the smooth style of breathstroke that I learnt. not some half kick thing.

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      qwarkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Salt:
      I was an lifeguard for 6 yrs in S Calif. and S Fla.
      The best stroke I developed for my job was a 1 armed side stroke with a scissor kick.
      It allowed me to keep an eye on my subject and I could cover more water faster and more accurately than guys using any other stroke.
      I would beat most of the other guards in our AM swim and run doing that stroke.
      It's powerful, fast and not nearly so enervating as the crawl.
      The breaststroke is too slow. you can cover alota water with it if yer not in a hurry.
      Qwark

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         saltposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Hi, yes, I know the side stroke with scissor action, it is useful and powerful. I suppose its the adaption of the breast stroke to a more competitive movement that seems to incorporate the scissor type kick.
         
         I was practising my breaststroke this morning and found that there was only the way you bend your knees that is a bit different, so I understand a bit better how they have slightly modified the kick for competitive swimming. Yet I also know sometimes its nice to swim leisurely!
         
         And I still dont see the way they half incorporate the scissor kick in the breast stroke as good for the body, as if you watch the competitive swimmers, or swim that way yourself, yes it does give a powerful push, but it also jolts the body.

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            qwarkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Salt:
            No jolt at all if ya do it right. It's smooth and efficient.
            One arm comes out of the water. One stays in. the head never goes under and breathing is natural.
            I had it down pat and could beat all of the "crawlers" on the guard in the pool or ocean in both speed and distance.
            Give it a shot.  :
            Qwark

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         saltposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Lovely to know you were a lifeguard. They do a great job and alot of lifeguard work here is done by volunteers, which is greatly appreciated.

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   Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

   It's actually called the breast stroke I always found back stroke easier.

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      Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Me too!  lol  I could never coordinate my breathing with my arms!
      
      - Oh, wait...that's freestyle, isn't it?   lol  I can't do either very well.

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         saltposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I think I thought I was a very good swimmer, and accepted that I knew how to swim well. Then I actually started understanding the way the body functions according to all the swimming teaching model and realize that I can swim, yet I did not get trained in the finer aspects of a swimming style. And swimming styles have changed partly due to competitive swimming and the desire for speed vs fun. I also suppose from a lifesaving perspective you want to get to someone as quickly as possible, so you are relying on strength and speed vs fun and the style of stroke becomes more mechanical. Well it does to me anyway.
         
         Before, I swam like I cooked, dont measure things, add by instinct and it all worked well. Then had someone bother me about what I add and dont add, and lost the flow of my cooking as they were always in my ear, taking away the fun of cooking.
         
         Feels a bit like that with my swimming now. Now Im more aware of the mechanics of swimming and not as intuitive in my style and  find it a bit more difficult in some respects.

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      saltposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Your right, it was a typo. I  meant breaststroke. Puts a whole new meaning to something Lol!

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