videos: swimming technique (part 3...and lots of it!)

i've written several posts on swimming technique before (you can reference part 1 and part 2). well, for those of you wanted more, and i mean *more*, as in more than you could ever possibly want--like an all-you-can-eat-buffet that replenishes no matter how much you consume, i have come across something that's about as good a candidate as you'll ever find.

it's the Youtube channel "fit2race" (you can check it out: fit2race). it currently only has 12 videos, but they all deal with swimming, with 10 dealing with freestyle swimming. the videos seem to be geared towards triathletes, since freestyle is the dominant stroke used in triathlon. but the video narration also indicates a general aim at new or novice swimmers. having said that, i think the material is relevant for anyone trying to figure out the nuances of the freestyle stroke and looking to improve their swim times in the water.

from what i can tell, the order of the episodes on freestyle swimming seems to be the following (i'm not sure, since some of the videos seem to be mislabeled):

• intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6KgK4hYAM0
  
• part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02o8bVCvpOM
• part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dmJcMakGyw
• part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GDK2PkQC5g
• part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MWgMqwqynI
• part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiLHd7-CmAM
• part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaB05mnMJ9U
  
• part 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y51x_Naz99M
  
• part 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZoILtg0pnM
• part 9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCFVeEJAJNc

i should note that the commentary in these videos is dry. very dry. it's much less of an active or interactive coaching style and much more of a classroom lecture style. and it goes into great detail regarding finer points of freestyle swimming. as a result, it's the kind of thing that it's very easy to lose the forest for the trees, in the sense that the detail can drown out (i know, bad pun, sorry, couldn't resist, just too easy) people trying to get the more general aspects of swimming. i think it's more helpful for those who've gotten the general aspects of freestyle and who are now trying to refine their stroke.

i should also point out that the videos consist of slides with voice-over narration. as a result, there's not much visually to illustrate all the discussion topics being applied in unison in the full act of swimming. for that, you'll have to rely on the videos included in my previous posts of part 1 and part 2.

for all that, take from these videos what you will. i wouldn't rely on these videos exclusively to improve your freestyle stroke, but i think they make a useful addition to the Youtube library on swimming, and probably something worth adding to your list of bookmarks.