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One of the keys is the fact that connecting the “windmill” stroke into the body is an absolute must.  This technique has tremendous potential when connected to angular momentum and unless it’s anchored into the core it could all go to waste. So yes it has the potential to be more powerful, has the potential to increase rate along with that power, but connecting the anchor to the core has to happen to make this work.

If you watch his 100 meter race in Charlotte you’ll note that he swam his regular stroke in the beginning, a little straight arm in the 2^nd 25 and then evolved into his normal stroke through the turn. Coming off the wall it was all the old MP we’ve seen, and then back to the windmill to finish the race.  In watching it seemed that his ability to manage the stroke was limited, and there seemed to be a clear lack of connection between the “windmill” and the body… especially over the last 15 meters. To me the lack on connection seemed stronger on the left than the right.

http://swimnetwork.com/videos/v/20090517/charlotte_men_s_100m_free_a_final-16629.html

What makes the left side seem like a struggle is the fact that MP uses a hybrid based stroke that is used by many, but might make the transition difficult. (He gallops)  By this I mean that on his left side he uses a high elbow anchor, but on the right side he uses more of a straight arm (underwater stroke). This causes him to surge off the right side, (more power) and then drop down lower in the water and be more horizontal on the left side. So where the right arm will fit well with the transition to a straight arm recovery, the left will struggle with it.

In this race I thought the transition to the windmill did nothing for him at all, and he looked far more powerful in his normal stroke.  That might be just a training/adaptation issue, and time will answer that question (is it right), but underneath all that it’s not easy fitting this stroke onto a hybrid/gallop stroke to begin with.  Getting the brain clued into how to manage this in an effective manner won’t be an easy task. So his training adaptation program will need to be specific with regards to accommodating both strokes within the same race strategy, and think it will take more time than this summer to get a solid sense as to whether strategy might be successful. I’ll add to that this thought… if his program is distance based and similar to the training strategy he used to get ready for Beijing, I’d also question whether it would be specific enough to accommodate his sprint based goals.

It’s an interesting strategy since there are so many variables to consider. Do his genetics allow him to make this leap? (sprints) There have been many distance based swimmers who dropped down, Ryk Neethling being the most recent example, but under the current suit conditions, the ability of the distance based swimmer to compete at the 100 level is very limited. When the 50 back, breast and fly folks figure this out, things might change in those events as well. However, a large part of this depends on what FINA does with the suits, and what direction they take. With Mustapha stepping down and Maglione coming in, it might shift the mindset back to a pre 2007 level, and that will give Michael a chance.  Keep things as they are, and I think it will be tough.

If for some reason FINA doesn’t change their current stance and we remain a suit dominated sport, then going in this direction is probably a good bet. (Assuming he can bring it off) If we head back to the suit designs that are pre 2007, then staying with the old stroke might be a better bet.