That's a quote from a discussion of the freestyle armstroke which plunges on that way for 18 (yes!) pages. It's in a volume entitled, with inadvertent humor, Swimming Even Faster by Ernie Maglischo, considered the premier sourcebook on technique. Some of you have probably even tried to read it. The volume is loaded with, among other things, minutely detailed descriptions covering every angle, degree and inch of movement as the hand travels through water. Then Maglischo continues over the next 30 pages to discuss kicking, timing of arms to legs, breathing and 20 different possible stroke faults, before dispensing with body position--much simpler to teach and with far more improvement potential--in a cursory paragraph or two. |