Larry--Xmas swim biceps freestyle?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Was your xmas swim commenced with the biceps freestyle? I loved the video.

Is biceps freestyle easier on the elbows? <<

Through the years I've experimented with a whole lot of different
freestyle strokes. When I just do non-race swims in open water, I like
to use all the arrows in my freestyle quiver. I particularly like to do
a little bit of "loping," as this is much easier for me in the ocean
than in the pool. I do some standard bilateral breathing freestyle. I
do some of my "Weisenthal Free 1.01," which consists of two breaths to
the right, a crossover bilateral breath to the left, followed
immediately by a "double breath) to the right. Then I use my "slice of
the head of the terrorist" (original) biceps free. Then some very
front quadrant free, where I mainly focus on getting a lot of
propulsion out of a brisk wrist flex at the catch. But, yes, most of
the time I swim with my revised biceps free, which Fagan cleverly named
"drop bi free." I hadn't thought if this would be easier on the elbows
(having never been much of a tennis player), but I'm guessing it might
well be. I think that holding a "proper" high elbow position does put
a lot of stress on the elbow tendons, which is not there with "drop bi
free."

- Larry

(Larry Weisenthal) said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Was your xmas swim commenced with the biceps freestyle? I loved the video.

Is biceps freestyle easier on the elbows? <<

Through the years I've experimented with a whole lot of different
freestyle strokes. When I just do non-race swims in open water, I like
to use all the arrows in my freestyle quiver. I particularly like to do
a little bit of "loping," as this is much easier for me in the ocean
than in the pool. I do some standard bilateral breathing freestyle. I
do some of my "Weisenthal Free 1.01," which consists of two breaths to
the right, a crossover bilateral breath to the left, followed
immediately by a "double breath) to the right. Then I use my "slice of
the head of the terrorist" (original) biceps free. Then some very
front quadrant free, where I mainly focus on getting a lot of
propulsion out of a brisk wrist flex at the catch. But, yes, most of
the time I swim with my revised biceps free, which Fagan cleverly named
"drop bi free." I hadn't thought if this would be easier on the elbows
(having never been much of a tennis player), but I'm guessing it might
well be. I think that holding a "proper" high elbow position does put
a lot of stress on the elbow tendons, which is not there with "drop bi
free."

- Larry

I also have an arsenal of freestyle strokes and varying patterns of
breathing. I often use a vertical S, catching deep and pulling up, then
altering direction of my hand as I push sort of down rather forcibly.
My breathing patterns are dependent on my getting the amount of air
taken in bilateral breathing; more causes me to hyperventilate. If I
want to breathe on every stroke I must radically decrease stroke rate.
The result is the same time in spite of far fewer strokes, but this is
much more tiring for me than my usual rapid turnover.

rtk