What Do You Think Of Mr Smooth?

[Adam Young]

Love the concept but it continually crashes on my system. I run other Adobe Air apps with no problem but Mr. Smooth crashes after about 20 - 25 seconds or at anytime I change the view and it then crashes in 5 or 6 seconds.

Great job and a super tool but it's not working for me.

I'm on an iMac, Snow Leopard OS, tons of memory and disk space available. I'm running the most current version of Adobe Air.

Hmm, I 'm sorry to here that Bill. I'm not sure what the problem can be - have you got any unusual software on the machine? Adobe Air does seem to have one or two compatibility issues with other software, but I've heard of this on the PC not Mac.

Adam

[Adam Young]

I think Mr Smooth is good for visualisation.

I appreciate that you folks have chosen to incorporate a six beat kick and a front quadrant style (FQS) of swimming in Mr Smooth. I know this is going to bloat up Mr Smooth (and I don't mean he becomes fatter or anything) but what about options for:

1. Rotary stroke: Which is what most sprinters I believe still do or what most FQS-ers out there revert to when sprinting.

2. Two beat kick: This seems like the most popular thing around nowadays for distance swimmers. I guess most of us can still see the dominant kicks within the six beat kick and figure out accordingly how to do a two beat kick but still... While we are at it, how about a two beat cross over kick too?

3. Miss Smooth: It gets boring looking at Mr Smooth. If you need help, I can suggest the swimwear/clothing/model. Nuff said.

That said, a great visualisation tool. If only I can figure out how to install it on my computer at work.

Thanks Silk - these are definitely things we're looking to do in the future. We have a small queue of people waiting to design Miss Smooth's outfits!

[vegasphotog]

Wow...Mr. Smooth is a mack-daddy for sure but the overall website is a tremendous resource. I swim with a local Master's club and this past year have really tried to improve my stroke. Our volunteer coaches have helped as much as they can but your extensive tutorials are really, really helpful. Thanks for all the hard work that went into this!

[wghayek]

I am very impressed and an improved swimmer watching Mr. Smooth. I also learned how to alleviate shoulder pain from your add in this month's Triathlete Magazine. Never would have guessed thumb entering the water was the cause. One recommendation, how about a Ms Smooth with the body of Dara Torres as an option, it just adds a sense of beauty to training. Thanks for a great tool.

[valpintail]

I keep Mr Smooth on my desktop all day! I'm hoping subliminal learning will occur! I certain visualise him when I'm working on my stroke in the pool. What I'd like is to be able to adjust the stroke rate scale more precisely so I can see how he looks at my rate, ie 17spm. The scale seems to leap from about 11 to 21, with no adjustment either way - am I doing something wrong?

[Adam Young]

I keep Mr Smooth on my desktop all day! I'm hoping subliminal learning will occur! I certain visualise him when I'm working on my stroke in the pool. What I'd like is to be able to adjust the stroke rate scale more precisely so I can see how he looks at my rate, ie 17spm. The scale seems to leap from about 11 to 21, with no adjustment either way - am I doing something wrong?

Hi valpintail, thanks for your feedback! When you say you're doing 17 strokes per minute, I assume you mean 17 strokes per length? I can guarantee your stroke rate will be a lot higher than 17 (otherwise you'd sink ).

To find your stroke rate, ask someone to count how many strokes you take in 15 seconds (counting both arms) and then multiply that number by 4. You should find that Mr Smooth allows you to get much closer to your stroke rate then!

I hope that helps, please post again if you need any further clarification.

Cheers!

Adam

[valpintail]

Thanks Adam, of course you are right! Don't know how I thought it was 17 spm. It was measured this morning and in fact it is 44 spm and I can now use Mr Smooth to help me better visualise my strokes.

I have found Mr Smooth so very useful and together with my Poolmate I am able to plan my swims more creatively.

I have only been seriously concentrating on my stroke since early November when I decided to go for a week open water swimming in the British Virgin Islands ... this coming March.

I have trained myself to breathe every third stroke and turn my body every stroke, I also keep my feet pointed and I know my catch is pretty accurate.

However I'm finding it rather difficult to improve my stamina - I get tired/breathless rather too quickly. I'm using a PowerBreathe device to develop my lungs, but am not improving very quickly. Perhaps I'm asking too much of my elderly body. Any advice?

[nealhe]

Hello All,

I like Mr Smooth

Thanks very much.

I also like the swim tips eMail news.

The ankle stretching for flexability is a very useful tip to me.

Cheers,

Neal

[Nat the rat aka nuts]

agreed with ankle flexibility,
especially when u have an stiff ankle like mine after surgery
nat

[BillVick]

I've been hoping to see a version of MrSwim that works with the Mac Snow Leopard (most recent Mac OS) but have not seen or heard of anything.

When I run MrSwim all is fine for 20 to 30 seconds or anytime I change the view and then is stops and crashes. I'll be glad to provide the log file showing the crash info to your developers if that will help. I've passed on MrSwim to several of my Masters group and they tell me they have no problems on the PC.

Love the product and would like to use it.

[Paul Newsome]

I've been hoping to see a version of MrSwim that works with the Mac Snow Leopard (most recent Mac OS) but have not seen or heard of anything.

Hi Bill,

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Mr Smooth does work on the Snow Leopard platform (this is what I use) and we have tested it extensively on this OS. What I think you may be encountering (perhaps) is an issue with when you upgraded from Leopard (or other) to Snow Leopard. Approximately 50% of all machines (mine included) were affected by a bug in the upgrade process which meant many programs then either failed to open our crashed immediately after opening. Presumably you received the OS DVD to upgrade and simply ran the DVD and followed all the instructions on screen? For a bug-free upgrade to Snow Leopard people were recommending that Apple got it "wrong" by simplifying this process and that you still needed to do a full archive and install. This was very frustrating for me as I did the simple thing, then everything was crashing, so had to do a complete reinstall again which was a real headache. As difficult as it sounds, this may be your only solution. Are you noticing issues with any other program? Mail especially?

There are some useful links here on this topic: http://www.google.com/search?client=saf ... 8&oe=UTF-8

Hope this helps Bill!

Paul

[velvetparlour]

Approximately 50% of all machines (mine included) were affected by a bug in the upgrade process which meant many programs then either failed to open our crashed immediately after opening. Presumably you received the OS DVD to upgrade and simply ran the DVD and followed all the instructions on screen? For a bug-free upgrade to Snow Leopard people were recommending that Apple got it "wrong" by simplifying this process and that you still needed to do a full archive and install. This was very frustrating for me as I did the simple thing, then everything was crashing, so had to do a complete reinstall again which was a real headache. As difficult as it sounds, this may be your only solution. Are you noticing issues with any other program? Mail especially?
Paul

Ah Macs...that's why you pay the big bucks...for that proven architecture and smooth proprietary sailing...hmmm

[Paul Newsome]

Approximately 50% of all machines (mine included) were affected by a bug in the upgrade process which meant many programs then either failed to open our crashed immediately after opening. Presumably you received the OS DVD to upgrade and simply ran the DVD and followed all the instructions on screen? For a bug-free upgrade to Snow Leopard people were recommending that Apple got it "wrong" by simplifying this process and that you still needed to do a full archive and install. This was very frustrating for me as I did the simple thing, then everything was crashing, so had to do a complete reinstall again which was a real headache. As difficult as it sounds, this may be your only solution. Are you noticing issues with any other program? Mail especially?
Paul

Ah Macs...that's why you pay the big bucks...for that proven architecture and smooth proprietary sailing...hmmm

I can just hear Adam cackling away at this - he hates them too! LOL!

[phil85207]

Hope you can help. I have a mac with os, and downloaded Mr Smooth. I came to the register part, where I entered my e-mail address and then the code which I copied and pasted ok. Only the cancel is highlighted. It won't let me register. ??? I am in no way a computer guru, so be gentle, please. Phil.

[Paul Newsome]

Hi Phil,

This occasionally happens and I must apologise for the inconvenience. Please make sure you are cutting and pasting the key code into the box and if it still doesn't highlight the box, simply click back into the email field (box) and it will do - hope this helps!

Paul

[Erwin]

Nice site !
Would have been verry usefull when I was still in competion swimming (some +25 years ago !)

Although strange technic by Mr.Smooth pushing downwards full palm hitting the water instead of hitting the water first
with the thumb and take it just under your nose (almost like butterfly stroke). Because you
should than have more grip/more surface under the water then MrSmooth.
Meaning V-form by pushing palm, lower arm and elbow through the water than bring it under your chest
push it than futher towards your hips. The outcome of the hand is perfectly shown.
I like to hear your comments on this. Perhaps my technic is far out of date !?

Thank you,

Erwin.

[Paul Newsome]

Mr.Smooth pushing downwards full palm hitting the water instead of hitting the water first
with the thumb and take it just under your nose (almost like butterfly stroke).

Thanks for your email Erwin and kudos about the site.

On this particular point above and your ruminating about whether or not some of your remarks might be out of date (as it were), this particular point is something which is very much at the forefront of our coaching. A thumb-first entry *used* to be taught by many coaches as a *smoother* way of the hand entering into the water and then setting up for the *proposed* S-Pull shape under the body, similar to what you describe in butterfly swimming. This method is still being taught as part of the British ASA teaching scheme as a matter of interest. For close-on 10 years now, physiotherapists and biomechanists have warned about the prevalence of shoulder-related injuries as being directly connected to excessive internal rotation of the shoulder during the recovery and hand entry phase of the freestyle stroke. The more contemporary approach (and certainly that of ours) is to teach a finger-tip first entry into the water, where the finger-tips are always subtly below the level of the wrist and the wrist below the level of the elbow when viewed from the Perfect Side view of Mr Smooth. This allows the shoulder to stay in a more neutral position and coupled with a lack of cross-over at the front of the stroke will help to alleviate and ward-off potential shoulder problems.

Hope this all helps - for more detailed explanations, please see: http://www.swimsmooth.com/injury_adv.php

Have a great weekend!

Paul

[Adam Young]

Hi Erwin,

Having read your comment on the Introductions thread, I think you're discussing the way Mr Smooth's fingers point downwards during the pull phase of the stroke?

You're right to say that many elite swimmers don't swim this way. It's not a huge determining factor in freestyle stroke technique but we have a slight preference for this downward hand angle if you can achieve it. Some people simply prefer their fingers in line with their forearm and this is fine also. The downward hand continues from the downward position during the catch and this seems to give a minor advantage in feel for the water. It can also help avoid crossing the centre line of the body during the pull phase, which is critical and can slip in when swimming very hard.

I hope that answers you question, if not could you clarify it?

Cheers,

Adam

[Erwin]

Thanks Adam & Paul for your point of view and in bringing me up to date.
A lot has changed since ... . I will try these ways although it will be difficult
since my technique was thought at the age of 9yrs.
Also good info (and grafics) on the catch, freqencyrate(s) and speed per 100mtrs (still the standard).
Nice site, keep up the good work and hope to see new infos & topics.

E.

[Yusri]

Mr Smooth is the one I have been looking for my whole life. Thank you a lot. Genius product.