Reader Responses Straight-arm Recovery Article - July 2002

Dear Dr. Dan,

Janet Evans was and still is a very young adult. Her straight arm recovery worked for her, but would that technique work for a lifetime of swimming, say 60 or 70 years? I think that a straight arm recovery causes wear and tear (ouch!) on the shoulder joint. And what about resting the hand and forearm during arm recovery so they can work hard on the power phase of the arm pull? Too much effort is required to raise the hand up high during arm recovery. In order to have a clean hand entry, the elbow must bend sometime to slide the hand cleanly into the water. A straight arm hand entry will splash the hand onto the water with much friction, resistance and bubbles under the water. A hand causing bubbles is not grabbing water, it is grabbing air bubbles. The style worked for young Janet. But more people use the high, bent elbow recovery. If straight arm is better we would see more people using it. The only place I see it is at age group and high school workouts.

Thanks for organizing the coaches corner.
Coach Marcia Marcantonio, San Antonio Flying Jalapenos

Send your responses to the Janet Evans article to Dan Thompson at thommed@bellsouth.net.