DVD Review - 'Go Swim: Sprint Freestyle with Roland Schoeman'

I own several swim instructional videos from such coaches as Eddie Reese, David Marsh, Richard Quick et al. All distinguished coaches and all of whom have coached dozens of champions and/or Olympians.

I collect numerous swim instructional videos because I believe that swimming is both an art and science and the more viewpoints I hear about the subject the better. Best of all is that all these different styles, different approaches, and different points of view can all be tested in a pool with a good clock.

So, recently I bought the Go Swim Freestyle with Kara Lynn Joyce; (Glenn Mills most recent video), and I was electrified how exuberant it was. I was impressed with the first person narrative by the swimmer herself and how graphically illustrated the finer points of the freestyle stroke were illustrated. Soon thereafter I went out and bought the Go Swim: Sprint Freestyle with Roland Schoeman DVD because I wanted more.

I am very pleased with both investments; (cheaper than a clinic, more powerful than a locomotive), and though the production value of the ...Roland Schoeman DVD is not as grand as the Go Swim Freestyle with Kara Lynn Joyce DDV, and the narrative is more along the lines of the usual swim instructional video, I never got lost so to speak and I understood each concept because it was illustrated so well by the swimmer and the videographer.

The Roland Schoeman video has interviews with Schoeman, His approach to the Freestyle stroke, particulars on catching water, the importance of his thundering kick, drills he does, and sequence on how he does his turns. (I hate to say this but his turns are sloppy. Sorry; don't shoot the messenger.)

Coaches like David Marsh, Richard Quick, and Eddie Reese are masters at their craft: David Marsh is detail oriented, Eddie Reese is accessible in explaining technical nuance, and Richard Quick is always engaging and willing to experiment. Having said that, what makes the Go Swim videos so much better than the Championship Sports Videos, which the aforementioned coaches distribute their videos through, is that Glenn Mills understands the importance of production value.

For instance seeing Roland Schoeman or Kara Lynn Joyce catch water from a 3/4 view, or filming them catching water from underneath or from behind and from above really illustrates the concept. The Championship Sports video collections have the sublime talent and the brilliant coaches but the visual delivery and the narratives therein are very dry.

I am going to definitively say that as of now, the Go Swim with Kara Lynn Joyce and the Go Swim: Go Sprint Freestyle with Roland Schoeman are the very best freestyle videos in my collection. They are the best because I can truly see what is being explained by way of multiple viewpoints rather than trying to assess from just a front and/or side view only as in the Championship sports videos.

So, if you haven't mastered the freestyle stroke or are looking for ways to improve you stroke, first talk to your coach or coaches, but if you need a visual reference and an explanation you can refer to, I would say that a safe purchase would be the Go Swim DVDs starting with either the ...Kara Lynn Joyce or the ...Roland Schoeman which in my opinion are the best.

Go Swim Sprint Freestyle with Roland Schoeman: [Link]
Go Swim with Kara Lyn Joyce DVD: [Link]

* I paid for the videos out of my own pocket and I will receive no commissions or fees on any videos sold as a result of linking to them.