Executing the right start when swimming the crawl or butterfly strokes significantly affects the overall swim, as well as your result. Learn how to perfect the swimming start technique.
Many swimmers don't pull back/use their hands on the start. You may generate more power, but since you're leaning back, you spend more time on the blocks. If the power comes from your legs, you can lean forward and spend less time on the blocks. It's also not about power, it's about the entry. If you use your arms for power on the start, there is a higher chance you don't have an optimal entry (your arms are moving more in the air). If you don't use your arms for power, then they can be used to guide your body through the air. Notice how the swimmer in the video, sort of dives upward and then veers downward into the entry? That's what you want. You don't want lots of power, and then have a flatter entry. Look at how Florent Manadou dives.
No. It is about power. You want the highest velocity possible on impact while still getting a good entry at an optimal distance from the block. Note this is not the farthest distance but the optimal distance to get good entry at the highest velocity. It's all about power.
Manaudou moves his arms quite excessively during his start. I'd argue a good instance to disprove pretty much everything you're saying is to look at Ben Proud's start. He pulls with the arms, gets amazing power out of the start, isn't leaning back at all like you seem to assume, and has a practically perfect entry into the water. While the entry is important, a good entry is useless if the rest of your start is dogshit and has no power behind it.
Actually, you are supposed to push off of the block with your feet. It is a slower reaction if you lean back and pull with your hands. Your legs are much more powerful than your arms, so this is actually a good video to improve start technique.
One thing stands out here to me, and this is after watching 'Dressel Dissects" with Caleb Dressel. Swimmer's first reaction to the start gun is for his head to come up instead of pulling with his arms.
Lots of people seem to think that the hands should 'push back' against the block on the start. This is not what should happen. The legs are far more powerful in moving the body forward. The HANDS grab the block and PULL the athlete off balance (off the block and toward the water) on the start signal. This allows the hips and legs to get in a powerful position faster. This 'losing balance' is really the only important thing the hands do on the block.
Hello. First of all, I ask for your understanding that I used a translator. I would like to use some of your videos for about 3 seconds to make my RU-vid video. Can you give me permission? What I'm trying to express using your video is a "preparation mindset". Please allow me to use the video. Then. Goodbye. I'll be waiting for your reply.
You want to use your arms to pull your body and center of gravity forward and down towards the water to position your body for the right angle to push off with your legs straight out and not up. That is where you'll get most of your power from.
Ryan Akhavan is correct. The hands pull the athlete off balance. This gets the whole start underway much faster. The athlete in the video looks like he is simply letting go of the block. If this is the case then why is he grabbing it in the first place?
