The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-03-10
COACHES DEFEND
YANKEE METHODS
TAKE EXCEPTION TO CRITICISM
OF SWIMMING STROKES MADE
RECENTLY BY AN
AUSTRALIAN.

New York. March 1O.-The whole
sale criticism of American swimming
strokes and methods by Richard CaVil
former champion of Australia, and now
instructor at the Illinois Athletic cluD
of Chicago, has aroused coaches
throughout the country and brought to
light some interesting facts concern
ing the development of the crawl since
it's introduction here seven years ago.
Any discussion on the relative merits
of the Australian and American varie-
ties of this stroke must, of course
prove an idle one. both because there
is no definite type in either country
and because widely differing condi-
tions make impossible fair comparison.
And il may be added that Cavill cam
not be counted competent judge OF
the question, owing to his having
studied American methods only in the
middle west. Considering that New
York. holds the championships at all
distances in straight swimming, his
views are not at all conclusive.
zone thing stands out irrefutably
however" says a well known coach,
"Cavir bases his criticism on our sup
posed use of straight arm stroke, and
vet all of our best coaches teach their
pupils to catch with elbow raised,
which makes a straight arm drive i'm
possible. If some insist on the arms
being brought down at right angles
10 the body. Il is because they know
! that this is the best way to prevent the
beginner from getting an exaggerated
inward hook that minimizes the ef-
fectiveness of the drive"
II is made evident by the published
arguments that in the past few years
students of swimming have given par
ticular attention to the obtaining Of a
set of movements that would insure
the propelling forward of the body
from start to finish of the arm drive.
In the old side stroke, when the hand
was carried in to the chest and then
out, there was considerable loss of
power. and later when the. trudgeon
came into existence and q straight arm
was preached, both the early part and
the finish of the stroke were useless,
because the pressure was applied
downward at first and upward at last.
To obviate this, the raised elbow catch
was introduced, and IL gave immediate
results. because it enabled the swim
mer to begin to draw his body for
ward the minute the hand went into
the water
In the new method the hands plunge
into the water with force on either side
of the head and above IL. The elbows
are held high and the wrists bent
slightly downward. AS the arm sweeps
down in this position the shoulder is
made to do most of the work until the
hand reaches the height of the chest,
when the upper arm slackens speed
Che elbow is still high and the fore
arm comes strongly into play pressing
backward hard until it reaches the
thigh. when II is lifted out of water
and carried forward for another stroke.
AS can be seen, this action entails no
loss of power or cessation of forward
propulsion at any part OF the drive.
Curiously. Cavill makes no mention Of
this stroke. He claims that the arm
should be carried down along the CEN
ter of the body and close 60 1t, but any
one with even slight knowledge of APP
piled mechanics will understand why
such a method is inferior to the other,
as the leverage is at no time as good.