Has Ryan Lochte discovered the next big thing in swimming?
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Coach David Marsh
So here we are, you know, 100 years into swimming freestyle, and Ryan’s literally discovering a new way to swim freestyle by staying on his back.”
Coach David Marsh
The rules of freestyle is, you swim any form you want during freestyle — free is free.”
Here's why it works to his advantage.
Like other swimmers, Lochte comes into the wall at top speed, creating as much momentum as possible.
He pushes off the wall like a basketball player jumps off the floor.
At his lowest point, Lochte is about five feet beneath the surface.
The glide from the wall gives his legs a tiny moment of recovery.
And by diving deeper and staying under longer than the others, he avoids the turbulence at the surface.
Coach David Marsh
He doesn’t have to swim the other person’s race. He doesn’t have to deal with their splash, their turbulence. He can be under that.”
Without disturbance, the water becomes a solid platform he can leverage with each kick.
If he goes too deep he'll lose time.
Ryan Lochte
But if you do it perfect, to where you’re just right under the turbulence, you can slingshot through that — past that turbulence and then pop up in front of everyone.”
The technique is so unconventional that FINA, the sport's governing body, has said it can't be used in medleys.
Lochte can still use the turn in freestyle races, but the rules state that he has to surface before 15 meters.
Ryan Lochte
Everyone is like, What is going on? Is he cheating? Does he have fins on?”
The turn plays to Lochte's particular strengths. His dolphin kick is one of the most powerful elements of his swim.
Coach David Marsh
He kinda has this, you know, natural dolphin shape — specially when he’s on his back.”
Lochte has exceptional flexibility and connectivity — his kick is initiated in his fingertips and finishes with a flick of his toes.
Coach David Marsh
If you took a whip and you snapped it and cracked it, that’s really what he’s doing. He’s sending that signal all the way down at the end.”
Ryan Lochte
Popping up and swimming again, I have not lost any momentum. If anything, I've gotten faster.”
Ryan Lochte
I hope people don’t copy me — then that means they’re gonna all start getting faster too.”