A new backstroke revolution?

Swimming Technique, Oct-Dec 1999 by Rabalais, Scott

Many of the advances in swimming technique over the past two decades have come from the more efficient use of a swimmer's core strength. Most notable of these advances have been the changes in breaststroke introduced primarily in the 1980s and the implementation of increased underwater swimming in the 1990s.

The modifications in breaststroke have involved the more efficient usage and transference of energy via short-axis rotation, which is driven by core strength. Similarly, the effectiveness of underwater swimming depends heavily on the strength of one's dolphin kick, which is, in large part, a function of core strength.

While the use of a dolphin kick during backstroke has been limited almost exclusively to underwater work off of the start and turns, there is emerging evidence that swimming backstroke with a dolphin kick may be faster than using a flutter kick.

Perhaps the first swimmers in the United States to use the "dolphin" backstroke effectively in major competition were actually from Japan. At this summer's Santa Clara Swim Club International Invitational, Seiko Kobayashi and Aya Terakawa finished first and second in the women's 100 meter backstroke, ahead of top Americans Natalie Coughlin and Catherine Fox.

What caught the eye of some of those in attendance was that the Japanese swimmers were using dolphin and flutter kicks interchangeably while swimming backstroke during the race. Kobayashi used the same strategy in winning the 200 backstroke the next day.

Most stroke modifications are popularized through the exceptional performance of a single individual, such as the use of extended underwater dolphin kicking on one's side by Misty Hyman and the use of underwater dolphin kicking in backstroke by David Berkoff in the late 1980s.

Technical advancements in breaststroke were made popular in part by the world record performances of Mike Barrowman roughly 10 years ago. While potential advancements in backstroke may not be attributed ultimately to the performance of the two Japanese swimmers, the swimming world will certainly take notice of this new technique if top backstrokers in the Sydney Olympics use the dolphin style.

While some elite swimmers may look effortless in swimming dolphin backstroke, the stroke does not lend itself to simplicity. Factors such as frequency, timing, rotation, amplitude, strength, stability, coordination and body flow come into play.

It is likely that as the stroke develops, each individual will develop his or her own style and method of implementation into performances. The stroke may not be for everyone, and those who use it will be required to spend months, if not years, in fine-tuning it.

The changes from the conventional breaststroke to the modem breaststroke were made gradually and over a period of years; such may also be true of changes in backstroke.

Here is a closer look at the factors that affect the dolphin backstroke:

Frequency

We are accustomed to seeing freestylers with various kick rhythms: two-beat, four-beat and six-beat, among others. It is likely that the dolphin backstroke will have various styles as well. Perhaps most common will be the "two-beat" kick, which is described as the swimmer kicking once on each arm stroke.

Initially, swimmers experimenting with the stroke are likely to develop a kick of greater frequency, but like the butterfly stroke itself, two kicks per stroke should prove to be most effective. Those who use rapid dolphin kicks underwater off of the start and turn may be tempted to continue such frequency. However, the kick should slow to a "two-beat" rhythm once the arm stroke begins. Timing

It appears that the most effective placement of the propulsive upbeat of the kick is as the hand enters the "catch" phase of the stroke. The rhythm or flow of the stroke should determine the placement of the kick, and using the highpropulsive part of the kick at a low-propulsive phase in the stroke seems logical.

As the hand drops underwater a few inches, the opposite arm has finished its highly propulsive last sweep and is into its recovery. Since the initial phase of the catch in backstroke is not generally highly propulsive, the swimmer's forward motion may be increased with the placement of the dolphin kick at this point.

The goal of the overall stroke should be to create a smooth "body flow," that is, there should be little, if any, break in one's forward momentum. Likewise, the great breaststrokers of today are those who have developed a smooth rhythm to their stroke, compared to the breaststrokers of decades past who swam with a more uneven, pulsing rhythm.

Rotation

One of the most difficult aspects of the dolphin backstroke is the continuous long-axis rotation. The dolphin backstroker must continue to execute a high degree of rotation in the stroke to achieve maximum stroke length and efficiency.

The hydrodynamics of kicking indicate that a dolphin kick on one's side is faster than the same kick on one's front or back. This is due to the more efficient displacement of the water to the side and away from the swimmer rather than to a turbulent surface. (Check your local aquarium-most of the fish should be kicking side to side.)