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I remember four years ago watching the closing of the 2008
Beijing Olympics and wondering, "How the heck can London compare in 2012?"
I think
you need a reminder of the awesomeness the Chinese organizers put on.
However, I think London might be able to compete with the
pageantry if they arranged something
a little like this.
Of course, the Olympics are such a draw because of the
athletic prowess, and not the ceremonies. For just a few days every four years,
the world watches people swim. That's right, something you would have to badger
your mother to do when you were six now garners the attention of millions.
Remember that next time little Billy Bob wants another 30 minutes of swim time.
He could be the next Ian Thorpe.
 ...via Laughaloud
The most prolific swimmer of the past two Olympic Games has
been American Michael Phelps. Fourteen gold medals and two bronze medals have
been awarded for his efforts, and he has said he will not compete in further
Olympics-at least in swimming (he's made statements about track and field
events, however.) Anyway, his swim coach Bob Bowman boils it down to a few key
points that keeps Phelps a half-second faster than his competitors. Bowman has
coached Phelps since the age of 10.
You should probably read this with the Olympic theme on full volume, just to get into spirit. Just saying...
Efficiency
Essentially, Phelps needs to be green with his energy
expenditure.
Tsk tsk Michael! That's NOT what Bowman means. What we mean
is the economy of his movement. It's often said that swimmers have a "feel for
the water." While it's difficult to explain, swimmers need to break the water
with their hand at a proper angle, and rotate the hand underwater for maximum
propulsion. If a swimmer were to break the water with a flat hand, not only
does this propel the swimmer slightly upwards (wasting energy), but it also
captures air
under the hand . Then
when the swimmer drops the hand below the body (at least 12 inches), it
carries the air with it. The swimmer is not just propelling from the water, but
from the air, which provides much less resistance to push from. This is because
water is 773 times as dense as air, and 55 times as viscous.
 ...via Dobkanize
Drag
Swimmers shave their heads (and, ahem, other body parts) so
their hair isn't weighed down by the water. Even with a shaved head, swimming
caps reduce the minimal drag created by the follicles.
It used to be believed that holding your head and neck
slightly above the water line reduced drag in an effort similar to the
operation of a hydrofoil. However, a swimmer is never going to be able to
generate the speed needed to reduce drag in such a way, so with the
introduction of video analysis at competitive swimming levels, coaches began
instructing swimmers to keep their heads as low as possible in the water. In
turn, this raises the hips which are a more significant source of drag.
 ...via Acta Orthopaedica
Muscle Training
Having a flexible and strong core is essential for posting
good swimming times. The natural curve of the spine decreases humans'
efficiency, so swimmers are taught to keep as straight-spined as possible. This
isn't easy, and requires heavy amounts of training done by intense workouts of
the abdominal and back muscles. If a swimmer were to extend and contract their
spine, not only would they waste energy with unnecessary muscle movement, they
would also modulate their swimming actions, further decreasing their
cooperation.
As further evidence of this, kicking is actually not
particularly important for most strokes (with the exception of swims like the
backstroke and breaststroke). The benefit of kicking is to keep the body in
position while the swimmer rotates his or her arms. Also, leg movements require
much more oxygen, so receiving the greatest amount of propulsion with the
smallest motion requires extensive leg conditioning. A common ratio is three kicks
for every one arm stroke.
Is this everything you need to know about Olympic swimming?
Hardly.
Will you now know what to look for when gambling on Olympic
swimming? Sure will! (No really, that's a real thing.) Follow my guidelines and you can be swimming in money!
 ...via Chicagoist
It will be interesting to see if the American duo of Michael
Phelps and Ryan Lochte will continue to duel for the crown of best swimmer at
this year's Olympic Games. They can expect strong competition from the
Australians, but swimming has been an American dominated event for decades.
Resources
Wikipedia - Michael Phelps; Hydrofoil
The Sport Factory - Improve Swim Performance and Technique
Alexandria Masters Swimming - Swim Posture
Vizard, Frank, and Robert Lipsyte. Why a Curveball Curves. ; The Incredible Science of Sports. 2009. Print.
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Re: CR4 Olympic Coverage: Practical Swimming
