What a bent arm recovery is
In backstroke, the recovery is the part of the stroke where the arm travels up and over the water, from your hip back to the entry beyond your head.
A bent recovery is when the arm bends at the elbow on that journey, instead of staying long and straight.
Why it costs you
A bent arm lands short and often crosses in behind the head, which cuts the next pull short.
It can also pull the body off line, so the hips sway from side to side as the arms turn over.
How to fix it
Keep the arm long and relaxed as it swings up and over, from the hip to the entry.
Lead with the thumb as the hand leaves the water. As the arm passes over your shoulder, turn the palm out so the little finger enters first.
Aim the entry in line with your shoulder, at about eleven and one on a clock face above your head.
One drill to try
- Swim single-arm backstroke with the other arm resting at your side.
- Watch your hand travel straight up toward the ceiling, then over and back into the water.
- Switch arms each length, and keep the head still throughout.
How to film it so Llyr can read it
Stand your phone on the pool deck, side-on to your lane, with your whole body in the frame. Llyr shows you how to frame the shot.
From the side, Llyr reads the angle at the elbow as the arm passes over the water.
Already have a clip? You can import a video you filmed earlier. Read the full filming guide.
What you see in Llyr
When an arm swings over bent stroke after stroke, Llyr names it Bent recovery and shows it on a still from your own video.
Its glyph is a shaded angle at the joint, between the arm as filmed and the dashed line it aims for.
The cue to take into your next set is Swing long over the water.
Llyr is a second set of eyes, not a coach. Check each correction on the replay, and if your coach sees it differently, go with your coach.