Jan Prins has been involved in swimming coaching & research for more than 48 years. He is the director of the Aquatic Research Laboratory, and teaches Biomechanics, at the University of Hawaii. For the past 8 years he has been involved with unique swimming research using multiple, high-speed cameras examining the stroke mechanics of elite swimmers. Data collected from competitive swimmers, include Olympic, World champions, and former world record holders. Noting the need for “specificity” as applied to strength training for each respective sport, he continues to examine the applications of his research to improving dry-land programs for competitive swimmers.

QUOTES

“We are finding things that are very different to what the expectations are (of swimming coaches)”

“Elite swimmers are not swimming with their elbows bent a lot”

“Swimmers know instinctively that they should be moving fast on dry land”

“Focus on the decelerators”

“The bottom line is speed of body relative to the side of the pool”

“Watch these things because of the research but don’t just do the one thing because the athletes will get fed up over the season”

Show notes

1) Jan's background at Indiana and Hawaii as a swim coach and biomechanistic

2) High speed underwater multi-camera videography

3) The importance of measuring body segment velocity and impulse in swimming

4) The key takeaways from the biomechanical analysis and application to dryland training – i) straighter arms ii) lats and medial rotators iii) decelerators of elbow iv) wrist flexors

5) The four aspects of specificity for any sports training

6) The importance of wrist and finger strength and being able to hold that in the water

7) Why you can’t just focus on the “best” exercises for swimming all year round

8) Closed chain pulling and being aware of relative speeds of the body to the side of pool and the arms to thebody

9) The application of Jan's research to Paralympic swimmers

10) Use of hydrotherapy and aquatic physical therapy and how to apply to other athletes

People mentioned

James Counselman

Mark Spitz

James Magnussen

Emily Seebohm

Mack Horton

Matt Brown

Dennis Cotterill