Master the Crawl in 15 minutes!

This animation video has some useful bits in it.

However, it doesn,t tell you how to get to such perfection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E9O2Iz4WwE

One bit I found interesting was the two pulse power phase under water. The final push towards the end of the stroke should feel stronger than the pressure when the forearm first reaches vertical.

Secondly, the hand entry should extend forward just below the water line.

cottmiler wrote:...One bit I found interesting was the two pulse power phase under water.  The final push towards the end of the stroke should feel stronger than the pressure when the forearm first reaches vertical...

IMO this is essentially what "SolarEnergy" told me on the old SS forum, about "passing the elbow" under the body at the second phase of the arm action (which he said was mandatory for fly swimmers but optional for FS-ers).  That was his response when I complained that on close examination of Phelps arm action in in video clips, he seemed to be doing a "deliberate dropped elbow" at the transition from the pull phase of the arm action to the push phase.

I used to post on  SS that it improved speed, if one added extra "oomph" to the up-sweep by flinging the arm back during the up-sweep - and that was substantiated by advice on an old DVD I have, of old ex-Olympic swimmer Tom Jager.

For some of my little "FS variants" I do use this idea (with only a moderate angle between upper arm and forearm - maybe at a guess some 20 degrees - definitely not as pronounced as in fly stroke arm action), but principally on the non-inhalation arm strokes - I think it is less easy to do when doing the inhalation arm stroke, because most of one's concentration is in preparing to suck in fresh air! Also there is a very clear demarcation between the pull/push phases in fly (when, finishing the semi-circular pull, the upper arms are brought in closer to the ribs - with the pull phase ending with elbows beneath the tum but forearms (inclined at possibly 45 degrees relative to the surface) out front a bit, hands beneath the neck or head, ready for the big up-sweep).

It is slightly more difficult, when swimming FS, to remember that towards the end of the pull phase one needs to let the wrist and hand lag the position of the elbow to get that "deliberate dropped elbow" just prior to that up-sweep, utilizing the powerful triceps in the following upward (mighty!   ) push!

..... As an "aside comment" - am really enjoying swimming FS in a more relaxed style now, with inhalation on each 4th arm stroke.   It seems to me that there is so much less disturbance of water as one comes to make the inhalation.  And the smooth steady "flatter" movement seems to make a better defined trough in which to inhale, whereas with inhalation on every 2nd arm stroke there is much more disturbance. I suppose the main reason, is that for most of the 4-stroke cycle the head is looking down at the bottom - and conscious of moving "arrow-like" in a straight line - with only a slight turn of the neck needed to take in fresh air. (It's a pity that my heart starts pumping so furiously after relatively little movement of arms or legs - so I still need those awful "pit-stops"! )

By improving your natural buoyancy you can swim the 1000 freestyle in 15 minutes, a nice article:
https://www.usms.org/fitness-and-training/articles-and-videos/articles/breathing-and-buoyancy-in-open-water-swimming?Oldid=2774

Nice article, but for pool swimmers, I reckon a bit of judicious "Pressing the buoy" (i.e pushing the head down a little - which involves part of the buoyant chest - raises the legs up nearer the surface, and so counter-acts any "sinky legs" tendency.  Such action does not hinder getting the mouth above the water line for the subsequent inhalation, because there is a noticeable "upward buoyant bounce" just at the right time!

  IMO This works well if one is using a leisurely inhalation on every 4th arm stroke, (only "pressing the buoy" on the first half of the 4 stroke cycle) - but seems OK if doing the normal inhalation on every 2nd arm stroke.  I also went back to look at the clip that "cott" included in his post. It does seem more sensible from the point of view of balance, to breathe more steadily without forced "explosive" exhalations.  Although I "clucked" about inhaling more deeply, with an almost audible suck-in of air - "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"!    I think it does help me, but I often forget, and the inhalation is then just a "snatched sip" of fresh air!