Ever wondered exactly what your arms and legs were doing during each of the four primary competitive swimming strokes: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle?
We came across this video today on Facebook, and found the original source (as best as we can tell) on a YouTube channel called “anybodytech” from 2008.
The video looks at a muscular and skeletal level at what is happening during each of the four major strokes. When a muscle turns purple, that means it is activated.
The research for these videos was done by a doctor Nakamisha at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. In the video’s info, there is a link to see more information on each video.
If you were ever wondering why, exactly, butterfly is so exhausting, this video gives a good indication – the arm muscles are constantly activated. Unlike the other strokes, there’s never any significant period of relaxation.
I remember having seen this before, http://www.swum.org/, may be the original source for the material. Anyway the site is interesting.
The report on the skeletons retrieved with the Mary Rose – Henry V111’s doomed mega battleship,, determined exactly what their training was by the bone density & muscle attachment impact.
I wonder what forensic anthropologists will make out if they were to uncover victims of a swim squad disaster 500 years on. Picturethis – an elite squad goes to camp in a volcanic island & whoosh – buried by lava . They might deduce this was in fact Atlantis where everybody had to swim miles & miles everyday as some sort of survival or religious ritual.
Swimmers & coaches should always be looking at muscular/ skeletal impact in this life & with consideration at what will they think in… Read more »
I’d like to see the musculoskeletal breakdown of this stroke:
http://swim.isport.com/swimming-videos/play/learning-to-swim-without-injury-18590
Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to watch that. It is a true gem of the internet and something any swimming fan will enjoy.
Hey i’ve seen this before in the Olympics. He didn’t start with the cross-stroke but switched to it toward his final sprint. Now i know where he went to train.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woYG6Uq6OVU
So that’s how Thorpe did it.
You see, when the arm goes under water, the shoulder loses the ability to pull backwards…..
It’s too bad Thorpe didn’t use this technique, because it he had, he’d be injury free.
I know that because the the internet said so.
if you are really a geek you can listen to a tough lecture on how their analysis system was developed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB0ULNlUoYE&index=3&list=PLFfwPdNH_Wt2GzyVcyJMObs4bXJm4sj_F
What is unknown is the swimmer used. Obvious differences in technique will play a role in which muscles are activated. Would love to see:
Ledecky for free
Phelps fly
Pearsol back
and a variety for breast depending on technique
where’s the video?
dude – it’s in the header at the top of the article.