Swimming Technique Concepts
Development of an Optimal Model For Technique: Part VIII- Body Base of Support For Breaststroke
By Rod Havriluk
Back in 2018 during the months of July, August and September, Swimming World addressed concepts concerning a swimmer’s body position that minimize resistance. Then, in December 2018, we explained the concept of “base of support” (BOS) to maximize propulsion with specific information for butterfly (January and February 2019) and freestyle (June 2019). This month’s focus is the base of support for breaststroke.
The torso is the swimmer’s BOS. During a stroke cycle of a typical breaststroker, excess vertical motion of the shoulder distorts the BOS, which compromises the ability to maximize propulsion and, as a result, limits swimming velocity. This article provides an example of typical technique and offers suggestions for how to stabilize the BOS to generate more propulsion to swim faster.
In Fig. 1, both the swimmer (top image) and the biomechanical model (bottom image) have a level body BOS in the streamline position, as shown by the yellow line from the shoulder to the hip. The level torso provides an optimal position for beginning an effective arm motion.
There is, however, a considerable difference in the head and arm positions of the swimmer and model. The model’s head and arms are level with the BOS. The swimmer’s head and arms are above the BOS. Even if a swimmer has the head and arms level with the BOS during the streamline, it is very common for the arms to angle upward (as in Fig. 1) before beginning a backward motion.
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Swimming World Magazine August 2020 Issue
FEATURES
014 OPPORTUNITY LOST
by Dan D’Addona
High school swimming has multiple seasons with roughly 130 state/sectional/divisional high school championship meets held as early as October or as late as May of the following year. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in mid-March, some high schools had already completed their championships, others saw their season canceled…while still others were interrupted during the middle of their meet! Here are a few examples of how the coronavirus affected high school swimming.
016 A GOOD INDICATOR OF FUTURE SUCCESS
by Andy Ross
Since Swimming World first honored its Male and Female High School Swimmers of the Year in 1997, 60 percent of those athletes have gone on to compete in the Olympics from 2000 through 2016.
019 TOP HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITS
by Chandler Brandes
Swimming World takes a look at the swimmers it considers to be the 10 best high school recruits—both male and female—from the Class of 2020 and where they’ll be attending college in the fall.
022 THE RECORD BREAKERS
by David Rieder
Nine high school swimmers from eight different states combined for 11 public or independent school records and eight overall national high school records—including three times in one event!
026 A GROSS INJUSTICE
by John Lohn
In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, 16-year-old Rick DeMont had won the 400 meter freestyle only to have his gold medal taken away several days later in one of the biggest injustices in Olympic history.
029 ISHOF: THE TOM AND MATT SHOW
by Bruce Wigo
As explained in last month’s issue,sprinters are considered a different breed of swimmer. They’re not just free spirits, but they seem to be rule breakers and troublemakers of the sport. In July, Swimming World featured two of swimming’s notorious female rebels, Eleanor Holm and Dawn Fraser. This month’s article takes a look at two male disruptors who paved the way for professional swimming, Tom Jager and Matt Biondi.
COACHING
012 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPTIMAL MODEL FOR TECHNIQUE: PART VIII—BODY BASE OF SUPPORT FOR BREASTSTROKE
by Rod Havriluk
The torso is the swimmer’s base of support (BOS). During a stroke cycle of a typical breaststroker, excess vertical motion of the shoulder distorts the BOS, which compromises the ability to maximize propulsion and, as a result, limits swimming velocity. This article offers suggestions for how to stabilize the BOS to generate more propulsion to swim faster.
033 SUMMER LEAGUE: HAVING FUN AND GETTING THE WORK DONE
by Michael J. Stott
No matter what tomorrow or next year brings, one can hope that the benefits of summer league as we know them will persist.
035 SPECIAL SETS: TRAINING FROM TRIALS TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES
by Michael J. Stott
Through the voice of Michigan associate coach Josh White, this month’s “Special Sets” traces the training Connor Jaeger did in the period between the U.S. Olympic Trials to the Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016.
041 Q&A WITH COACH NEIL HARPER
by Michael J. Stott
042 HOW THEY TRAIN ANNA HOPKIN
by Michael J. Stott
TRAINING
010 DRYSIDE TRAINING: EXERCISES FOR EXPLOSIVE STARTS & TURNS
by J.R. Rosania
JUNIOR SWIMMER
039 GOLDMINDS: HOW TO BECOME AN “A” SWIMMER
by Wayne Goldsmith
Ultimately, success comes to those amazing people who make the decision to be successful and who then live that decision in practice and performance—in and out of the pool—until they realize their potential.
045 UP & COMERS: ABBY REICH
by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COLUMNS
008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT
032 DID YOU KNOW? PETER JACKSON: “THE BLACK PRINCE”
046 GUTTERTALK
048 PARTING SHOT
Paige bower