No high-elbow recovery
A high anything recovery is an unbalancing weight pressing down on your torso
A high anything recovery is an unnecessary pause in the stroke
A high anything recovery is stressful for your shoulder
INTRO
The shortest distance from where your arm exits the water and where your arm enters the water, is a straight line, not an arc.
RECOVER LOW AND STRAIGHT FORWARD
Reset your hips vertical — this clears the space so you can pull your hand and forearm in close to your long-axis — and recover low and straight forward.
• This is the most efficient recovery, it has the least arm movement off the water.
• This is the most effective recovery, it is the only recovery that sends your energy straight forward.
• This is the most balanced recovery, with the weight of your arm close to your long-axis, you can rotate your hips faster, easier.
• This is the safest, most shoulder-friendly recovery, your elbow is as far away from your scapular plane as possible, and is the easiest motion for your shoulder to repeat thousands of times.
Lifting your arm far from the water is a waste of energy and is one of the causes of shoulder injuries.
✔ Keep your hands vertical, little finger down, throughout the stroke.
✔ Keep your hands and forearms close to your long-axis throughout the stroke.
COMBINE HIP ROTATION WITH THE RECOVERY
Launch your body forward
Rotate your hips like you mean it
Generate more torque
The recovery is more than just a time to recycle your arm forward, it's an opportunity to launch your body forward. Set the catch, rotate your hips hard — like you mean it — as you toss your arm out long and low over the water, little finger down, so the entire length of your arm falls into the water at the same time. When your whole body is involved (vs. just your arms and legs) there is more distance per stroke, lots more.
BALANCE
If you are balanced well, your arms are light and move quickly and send energy forward easily. If you are not balanced well, your arms are heavy and move slowly and don't.
With a slight downhill aquatic line you can recover in a slightly downhill direction, so your arms are light and move quickly and send energy forward easily.
Move your balance point far forward and lean on it
Keep a neutral head and a long straight neck in line with your spine
Remember, linetation
TEMPO
Every motion in swimming starts slowly and ends quickly, so start the recovery slowly and end it quickly.
Slow then fast.
THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF YOUR ARM ENTERS THE WATER AT THE SAME TIME
The entire length of your arm enters the water at the same time from just above the surface of the water. This keeps your arm relaxed, best sends your energy forward, and sets the catch far out in front.
The best swimmers return their arm to the water softly, without disturbing the water much, which is only possible with a low recovery close to your long-axis.
We define best as swimmers who have exceptional distance per stroke.
