Cokie Lepinski, Head Coach, Marin Pirates Masters

Anna Lea Matysek, Membership Coordinator

Bob Hopkins, New Jersey Masters Swimming

One of the most common stroke defects I see in the long axis strokes is incorrect timing of the body rotation. The body rotation should be done during the pull/push phase of the armstroke right after the forearm and hand have a good hold on the water with the early vertical forearm (EVF) movement. Once the pull/push part of the arm stroke begins, the body should rotate to the opposite side so that the core body can be involved in the power generation movement in addition to the arm.  

Finis HydroHip

One way to learn this movement is to use hip fins, which will accentuate the feel of the body rotation movement so that you can execute it at the correct time. Hip fins are especially useful for backstroke since you can see the fins and also hear them as they

make a "thump" sound when rotate from above the water back into the water. Hip fins are available online at Kastaway and SwimOutlet.

Another way is to use the "catch up" drill for freestyle that most are familiar with, that is wait for your recovering hand to meet your outstreched hand before starting the next stroke. For the purposes of learning the correct timing of the body rotation, you should breathe every stroke as soon as you see your stroking arm in the EVF position. The breathing movement will help insure that you rotate your body at the correct time since you naturally rotate your body as you breathe. This drill will allow you to feel the body rotation early in the arm cycle so that you will be able to incorporate into your whole stroke swimming.

The Meet Director Asks: Can we have "Open" or "Choice" events at a meet? We have limited pool time for our next meet, so we want to limit each swimmer to one 200 event by offering an event called "200 Open" or "200 Choice" and let the swimmers in that event chose which stroke to swim.

Answer: No. You can limit each swimmer to one 200 event, but you cannot call the event "200 Open" or "200 Choice," since neither of those terms are listed in Article 102.5. Only recognized distances and strokes, as listed in Article 102.5, are considered for USMS Top 10 and records. In this case, 200 free, back, breast, fly, or IM.

An official time can only be achieved in that event or stroke entered, and freestyle events only count for freestyle regardless of which stroke is used (103.13.2), so you can't call it "200 free" either.

Event #4-8 200 yards (choose only one)

            4 free ____________

            5 back ___________

            6 breast __________

            7 fly __________

            8 IM ____________

For any questions about rules contact Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair,