Here is an interesting article from swim world magazine.
THE techsuits left a void in the sport of swimming. I'm not talking about modest Masters swimmers, but in butterfly.
Look at the 2009 World Championship results and note the vast
difference in times. I'd argue fly is the stroke most deteriorated by
the restrictions on swim suits.
Techsuits allowed swimmers to swim extraordinary speeds underwater
and keep their hips high in the water despite fatigue. This aid resulted
in superhuman results in many butterfly races. A lot of the current
world records are unfathomable, but the sub 50 second 100 fly is still
unbelievable!
Who could forget the 100 meter fly showdown between Phelps and
Cavic? Some of you wonder which showdown I'm talking about, the Olympics
or World Championships, but it simply doesn't matter. The result was
the same and I'm not even talking about times.
Phelps and Cavic are two different animals. Phelps is lanky, tall,
and the ideal body type in the eyes of many in the swimming community.
Cavic was a bulkier fast-twitch beast out of a storied sprint program.
These different characteristics brought a few of the greatest races of
all time.
NO TWO STROKES ALIKE
One can break butterfly into two styles, the body driven or shoulder
driven stroke. Coach Mike Bottom has characterized the shoulder driven
fly and has used it with great success in sprint fly. However, the body
driven fly is the fly commonly utilized by Olympic medalists for the
past 30 years.
PHELPS V. CAVIC
Out of the water differences weren't the only things differentiating
these two swimmers. In the water, Phelps uses a body driven,
high-amplitude butterfly. He uses his elongated torso, to send force
from his chest, through his hips, down to his ankles.
This type of fly is ideal for distance as it creates a longer
distance per stroke, uses more core musculature, and is more efficient
in transferring energy.
The Cavic style or shoulder driven stroke is for sprints. This uses
the shoulder-blade stabilizing muscles to lock the shoulders into place,
providing a stable base for propulsion via the arms. This allows a
higher tempo and force production due to the power of the arms. This
stroke appears less graceful, but is a powerful beast, resulting in
greater levels of hydrogen ions and lactic acid.
SUIT NO MORE
Without the suits, the shoulder driven fly is at a disadvantage.
They do not receive the buoyancy or compression aide to hold this
powerful stroke for a whole 100 meters long course. This is one reason
Cavic is invisible since since 2009 and great short course yard
sprinters have difficulties translating success to long course meters
(Staab, Shields).
In yards, the shoulder driven fly will still succeed for a few reasons:
1. Walls: the more frequent walls allow the swimmers to rest their arms and use their legs for nearly 2/3 of the lap.
2. Length: a five-second difference between yards and meters
provides a huge physiological difference. This is why there are so many
flag swimmers in long course, they don't have the physiological means to
finish a full 100 meter race due to failure of their anaerobic system.
The body driven fly will remain successful in long course for these reasons:
1. Distance per Stroke: the athlete with the fastest second 50
typically wins 100 LCM events. The body driven stroke increase the
distance per stroke, decreases stroke rate and holds off fatigue.
2. Efficiency: the ability to transmit force through the core is
essential for efficiency. The body driven stroke allows a swimmer to use
the stronger core muscles opposed to the shoulder muscles which are
unable to withstand high levels of stress.
FUTURE
The future of fly depends on the techsuits. As long as the buoyancy
and area restrictions exist, then the body driven fly or a hybrid style
will succeed in the 100 meters. In fact, if swimmers use a body driven
fly for the first 75 meters, then transitions to a shoulder driven fly
to finish a race, then a hybrid might succeed, but unlike freestyle,
changing a fly stroke disrupts rhythm and likely impedes efficiency. In
free, transitioning between a body and shoulder driven stroke is
feasible due to the axis of rotation remaining the same, in fly this
difference leads to slowing.
CONCLUSION
If you're a young swimmer figuring out fly, learning the body driven
stroke is essential. This competency will maximize overall fly success.
However, the ability to perform a shoulder driven stroke is a must in
sprint fly and short course yards.
Therefore, if you're a known body driven flyer, learn the shoulder
driven stroke and how to unleash this beast in sprints and times in the
race requiring speed (turns and finish). For example, if one is able to
transition to a shoulder driven stroke at the end of a race or into each
wall, they will able to transition speed in and out of the turns,
maximizing yards success.
Learn both styles and find which works for your body and physiology,
remember no two strokes are alike, individualization is key!
