VIDEO ANALYSIS FOR SWIMMERS

Instant replay changed the world when it was unveiled. People watching the game cheered at seemingly the exact same play happening multiple times in a row. Then the players started to move forwards and backwards, and yellow lines were scribbled across the screen. This was a completely new experience for people and it blew their minds!

Today almost everybody you know has a camera on their smartphone. If they don’t have a smartphone, (and you’ll know because they love to bring it up) they know how to use one. Point the camera at the subject then push the big red button. Instant replay is now a huge part of our lives. Videos lasting no longer than a minute, on loops, with slow motion and other filters, have become a new form of communication.

Swimming VS Land Sports

Every sport uses video playback to gain an advantage. Swimmers are not new to this realm, but the accessibility is still somewhat rare. There is a large percentage of swimmer who have never seen themselves swimming from an underwater perspective. Like an iceberg, most of the action is underwater. Swimmers need to be able to see things from multiple perspectives because of how unique the sport is. Massive drag factors, limited air consumption, obstructed visibility. Each one of these topics are enough to handicap most land athletes. Swimmers compete with all three and then some.

Invest in a waterproof phone case and film yourself swimming. Stick the phone in front of you, put it on the bottom looking up at you, balance it on the side of the pool so you can see yourself from out of the water. Then watch the video! The best option for proper video analysis is to seek the help of a professional coach. Watching thousands of swimmers over the course of many years, most coaches have developed a keen eye for imperfections and irregularities in a swimmers stroke. Just like getting a second opinion from a mechanic or a doctor, if your swimming skills are important to you, put in the extra effort.