Theory Of Everything.
In physics, not all the theories are compatible. Some explain matter,
or time, at slow speeds but not at high ones. Hence scientists are
trying to come up with what's called a Unified Field Theory, which is
sometimes just called a TOE.
Luckily, things for humans in the water is not nearly as complicated.
The following video is the TOE of human, male swimming.
http://www.kurtz.se/swim/index.html
0930-jensen-davies-hackett.mpg (4.8MB)
Larsen Jensen is depicted first underwater. He's a TI swimmer long
before it was invented. Beautiful body roll from side-side-side,
swimming catch-up as he shifts from one side-lying balance position to
the other. Booming 6-beat going the whole time to keep his body
knifing through the water.
Second is Dave Davies using an entirely different stroke. Much higher
turnover than Jensen, much shorter stroke as his arms enter the water
bent ("crablike"😉 instantly pulling on the water, not gliding like
Jensen.
Third is Hackett, swimming more like Jensen than Davies. Except in
this sequence, Hackett is using his 4-beat kick, so he pushes back a
long ways with his left arm to maintain momentum. Not nearly as
symmetrical as Jensen in body roll.
This video is the TOE off male swimming. Y'all can argue till the cows
come home (and we proably will) , but if you don't look like one of
these swimmers in the water, then you're not trying to swim like an
elite male.
You can swim long, smooth, and in front like Jensen, but if you omit
his big kick, guess what? You ain't swimming like Larsen Jensen!
You'll be efficient in the water and fast, for an average male, not a
World class one. But don't think that it's the fastest way for you to
swim, because IT MIGHT NOT BE. You actually might be a little faster
using the high turnover style of Davies. And for that modest increase
in speed, you might feel like you're working a heck of a lot harder.
(That's the way I feel). And you'll be hanging on the wall panting
between send-offs thinking, "there's got to be a better way".
So you've got to ask yourself a question - how fast do you want to
swim, and what price are you willing to pay? If you can swim 1:30 with
long, efficient strokes, and little kicking, but you can swim 1:25 with
Davies' high turnover and flat, barge-like posture, pushing through the
water, which are you going to choose?
If you choose long and efficient, fine. But then don't come on the
user group and think you have some grand way of swimming which TI has
turned you onto which is the right way. Cuz guess what? No elites
swim that way. In the crucible of competition, that style has been
measured and found wanting. By all means, swim long and smooth, and
live long and prosper. But if you ain't kicking, you may not be as
fast as you could be.
Eric