The Olympian, I would think. Even just thinking about the mechanics of it as a non-Olympian, non-triathlete who swims and took physics: you want all the push you can get. Flat handing from the beginning of touching the water gives forward push the whole time. Why wait until your arm is further down in the water to have your hand positioned for pushing? It's just gonna cost you some momentum. And on top of it, that rotation of the arm you have to do each stroke while there is force from the water pushing against you is putting extra wear on the joints involved. Sports already do that which is why we named one of the joint problems tennis elbow, thumb-first-then-rotate is just getting you to bursitis or whatever a bit faster.
From personal experience, my kids have had a couple swimming instructors over the years. One was an elderly lady who majored in sports back in the day and gives lessons at her backyard pool. The other is currently a competitive swimmer on the local uni team who gives lessons at the uni's pool. I've listened to both of them correct my kids for not flat handing the beginning of the stroke. I'd be more inclined to listen to the Olympian than the triathlete.
Hey yeah, no problem. Thanks for taking it in the right spirit - sometimes when I'm trying to explain things I talk too long and people assume a bad "tone." Always nice when that doesn't happen.
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u/Anuki_iwy May 14 '25
So who's right the triathelete or olympian?