What Do You Think Of Mr Smooth?

[Adam Young]

Hopefully by now you've seen our swimming animation, Mr Smooth. We've put a lot of effort into developing him to show swimmers what a great freestyle stroke looks like. We hope swimmers around the world find him useful and insightful.

If you haven't seen him yet, you can view Mr Smooth in profile on the Swim Smooth homepage: http://www.swimsmooth.com

You can also download the very cool Mr Smooth Free Console to see him from any angle, at any speed. You can even remove the water for a clearer view - from some angles distorts things. Download the free Console application here: http://www.swimsmooth.com/console

The Free Console on your desktop (50% size) :



We suggest when you go for a swim you watch Mr Smooth beforehand. See how smooth his stroke is, take on board the rhythm and timing of his stroke and try and reproduce this when you swim. A simple visualisation like this can really help your stroke and answer your questions at a glance.

Please use this thread to post any feedback and questions you have about his stroke and the Console software (free or pro versions).

Cheers, Adam

[noratheexplorer]

Mr Smooth is eye catching but more importantly helpful ... As a beginner it really helps to be able to see what is being described. Many thanks for what must have been a lot of work! NTE

[Paul Newsome]

Thanks NTE, we're very glad that Mr Smooth is helping you visualize the freestyle stroke. Our aim is that Mr Smooth doesn't replace the video footage of the world's greatest swimmers, moreso that he adds to this footage that is widely available and providing you with a clearer way of seeing all the facets of an efficient stroke from a variety of angles, with & without water and in super slow motion and the ideas and concepts that lead to an efficient technique.

Keep us posted with your progress!

Cheers

Paul

[Wingy]

Hi guys

I just wanted to say that I think Mr Swimsmooth is an outstanding piece of technology. I am lucky enough to live in Perth and was able to have a one-to-one session with Paul a couple of weeks ago. The Smooth visualisation has been a great help in following up on the points we discussed at the session.

But to focus on Mr Smooth alone really underplays the quality of your website overall. It really is second to none in terms of internet sources - I am a heavy web user (cycling, running and tri) and have not come across a site that gives such clear, straightforward instruction for no cost. I really like the consistency of the information - at sites like beginnertriathlete and trinewbie.com (as great as they are for free info), there is too much info and I'm never really sure who the source is.

I found the jigsaw analogy in the earlier website very helpful and you've obviously done a lot of work to pare it down to the basic points. I'm coming in as a "thrasher" (can get down the pool by thrashing away without breathing) and am trying to relearn the stroke from the ground up so the info you offer is perfect.

The fact that you are providing these tools for free made me really want to give something back so I was pretty quick to buy the Learning Freestyle DVD over the weekend. I think the waterproof booklet is a great idea and if you can produce these for the next level up too, I will buy one when I get there so I can take it to the pool with me. Also, if you recommend particular goggles and paddles etc I would be more inclined to purchase those things, preferably from you, on your recommendation (rather than rely on looks, colours and forums )

Thanks for all your dedication - I really think that without your website and Paul's coaching, i would still have a phobia about just getting into the pool and having a go, despite my limitations. Your passion (if not your swimming talent!) is infectious.

Cheers
Karen

[Paul Newsome]

Thanks very much Karen for your kind words and support - that is very much appreciated.

Make sure you keep us posted with how you progress and hope to see you again in Perth soon!

Cheers

Paul

[matt_1967]

I think Mr Smooth is great, I have it on my iphone and I watched it for a minute or so before my OW session this morning, really helped to get the rhythm.

Just a small point, when you decide to do an update on him, any chance of getting him to sight for OW, I have great trouble getting the timing right, especially when tired?

[Adam Young]

Just a small point, when you decide to do an update on him, any chance of getting him to sight for OW, I have great trouble getting the timing right, especially when tired?

Hi Matt, good idea, we'll certainly consider doing that. Have you watched the little clip of Ceinwen here? : http://www.swimsmooth.com/triathlon

Notice how she looks ahead but doesn't attempt to breathe whilst doing so, then turns her head to breathe to the side - great technique. Sighting like that gives minimum disruption to your rhythm and body position.

[matt_1967]

Thanks Adam, I'd missed that!

[Paul Newsome]

Thanks Adam, I'd missed that!

Easily done Matt, there's a lot of info to explore up on the new site!

Cheers

Paul

[Meowws]

the biggest flaws in Mr Smooth is the water effect. If you swim like Mr Smooth in the real world, the wave at the swimming pool will be too hard for you. I can hardly see Mr Smooth 90 SPS without visualisation.

[Brian]

Mr Smooth looks like a great tool both as a swimmer and as a coach,
Question
If i decide to buy the commercial Mr Smooth can I down load it on to 2 computers? as I have computers for home and pool use.

Brian

[Adam Young]

Hi Brian,

Yes you can, the license allows you to install it on two computers - so many people have two machines these days. That goes for all the console versions - Free, Pro Enthusiast and Pro Commercial.

Cheers, Adam

[Swimma]

Mr. Smooth is incredible! I'm a beginner who may have just crossed over to intermediate after reading and watching his smooth moves=)

[Paul Newsome]

Mr. Smooth is incredible! I'm a beginner who may have just crossed over to intermediate after reading and watching his smooth moves=)

Thanks Swimma, thats great feedback. What aspect of his stroke do you particularly like looking at?

Cheers

Paul

[Swimma]

I've read every Swim Smooth email like a trashy dime-store novel since signing on. Can't get enough. I was looking for something that I could work with independently to prepare for open water swimming. Body rotation has helped me with bilateral breathing, understanding why it feels so bad when you hold your breath even momentarily, and catch and pull technique has helped me tremendously.

[Paul Newsome]

understanding why it feels so bad when you hold your breath even momentarily

Thanks for the reply Swimma - yes this is really a big aspect of the freestyle swim stroke that many people overlook. Sham though as it can have such a massive impact on how relaxed you feel in the water and also on how horizontal your body sits within the water.

Keep up the good work!

Cheers

Paul

[camy]

Mr Smooth is the greatest swimming animation I've ever seen ! A totally new way to describe swimming motion at any angle or speed.
I've spent so many hours googling for slow motions of great swimmers...

Congratulations to the computer analysts who have succeeded in creating him, and to the swim coaches who described them precisely each move.

By the way, I've been told that Mr Smooth is a good backstroker too, and that he has got a sister who performs butterfly and breaststroke perfectly.
When will she be invited to swim with her brother on the site ?

[Paul Newsome]

By the way, I've been told that Mr Smooth is a good backstroker too, and that he has got a sister who performs butterfly and breaststroke perfectly.
When will she be invited to swim with her brother on the site ?

Thanks Camy, we're looking into picking her up from the pool soon...we'll keep you posted.

Cheers and thanks for the kudos - much appreciated!

Paul

[Ermie]

Mr Smooth is great - was able to use it to explain to someone who isn't a comfortable swimmer some of the things to concentrate on when in the water.

also useful to look at for myself to work out where I need to concentrate in swimming sessions.

[Andre]

The biggest thing I've gotten from Mr. Smooth is how his wrist moves just before the catch. I believe I was doing the classic mistake of reaching with the palm facing up. I try to focus on my wrist moving like the animation and it seems to be working.

Just an idea, do you think there would be value in being able to toggle Mr. Smooth to swim with some of the common flaws (bad body position, sissor kicking, reaching across center). I was thinking it may be beneficial to show people the difference between 'bad' and 'good' strokes.

Mr Smooth is a great tool.