Razor Sharp

This past week I've been on the road. What a great opportunity I've had to film, and learn from, more of the greatest swimmers on the face of the planet. While it's a bit premature to name the swimmers with whom I've been working, I continue to learn how easy -- and how hard -- it is for these athletes to become and remain the best.

This week our small staff is scattered all over the country but, thanks to Technology, we've been able to publish some articles for you. We hope to announce some new BIG projects in the very near future.

For now, a couple images will give you some insight into the kind of technical excellence that's in store in these new projects.

This first image captures the athlete JUST as she's getting ready to pierce the water on her start. As the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." There's not much more that can be said about what gives this swimmer a world-class start. The wonderful body line. The immaculate line from hands to hips.

Looking at this shot, you get the feeling that the legs are going to fall right into line as the swimmer continues into the water. These are the images that come from an athlete who has worked for YEARS to master her sport. In talking with her, however, you come to understand that NONE of it is OVER-evaluated, but rather, it's experienced. There's a constant interaction between the swimmer and the water. Her slight shifts of focus, done instinctually, reflect an exceptional FEEL for the water.

If the picture from the side didnt get you to understand the knife-like position this swimmer gets into during the start, this one certainly will. Nothing is out of line. The fantastic streamline position could have been taken out of any swimming text book. These things don't just happen. Swimmers with these kinds of starts aren't just LUCKY. They work on the fine points (and the big fundamentals) over and over and over again. By the time a swimmer reaches this level, certain movements and positions are instinctual, but great swimmers CONTINUE to work on them.

We hope you enjoy these quick pictures. Please understand that what you see here is the EASY part of the sport. The start is where you're the most natural as a land-based creature. If you don't look like the pictures above, then get back to the blocks, and KEEP PRACTICING.