Swimming Technique & Stroke Development Flashcards

What is 'active streamline' and how does it differ from a passive streamline?

Answer: Active streamline uses muscle engagement to squeeze arms and body tightly together, while passive relies on gravity alone

An active streamline requires deliberate muscle contraction to squeeze the arms, head, and body into the tightest possible position, minimizing frontal drag more effectively than a relaxed passive position.

In competitive butterfly, what is the legal breathing pattern regarding breath frequency?

Answer: There is no restriction; swimmers may breathe as frequently or infrequently as they choose

There is no FINA/World Aquatics rule restricting how often a butterfly swimmer may breathe; breathing frequency is a tactical and physiological choice.

What does 'stroke tempo' refer to and how is it measured in coaching?

Answer: The time in seconds for one complete arm stroke cycle, often measured with a stroke rate watch or counting strokes per minute

Stroke tempo is the rate of the arm stroke cycle, measured as cycles per minute or seconds per cycle, and is a key variable in optimizing swimming speed.

Which anatomical structure is most commonly stressed in swimmers due to the overhead pulling motion and internal shoulder rotation in freestyle and butterfly?

Answer: Supraspinatus tendon of the rotator cuff

The supraspinatus tendon is frequently impinged or stressed in swimmers because of repetitive overhead pulling and internal rotation, leading to 'swimmer's shoulder.'

A swimmer consistently drops their elbow during the freestyle pull, resulting in a 'sculling' or 'pawing' motion. What is the primary consequence?

Answer: Reduced propulsive force because the forearm and hand cannot push directly backward

A dropped elbow means the hand pushes downward rather than backward, losing the large forearm surface area needed for an effective catch and reducing overall propulsion.

In breaststroke, what is the 'outsweep' phase and what does it initiate?

Answer: The initial widening motion of the hands from a streamlined position, which sets up the insweep and pull

The outsweep is the outward separation of the hands from the streamlined position, widening to shoulder-width to set the catch angle before the powerful insweep begins.

What is the recommended strategy when a swimmer's stroke count per length increases significantly in the final 25 meters of a race?

Answer: Address aerobic conditioning and stroke efficiency under fatigue in training

Rising stroke count at the end of a race indicates technique breakdown under fatigue, which is best addressed by improving aerobic capacity and practicing stroke-count control during race-pace sets.