Mistakes during the second upsweep in backstroke

We've already talked about mistakes backstrokers do during the entry, first downsweep, and first upsweep of their armstroke so it's time to move on to the second upsweep and discuss what can be done wrong during this phase in backstroke. Swimmers who use this phase of the armstroke for propulsion are prone to commit three mistakes. They may pitch the hand up, instead of back, they may press the water too long as the arm travels toward the surface, and they may pitch the hand in rather than back.

• When a swimmer is pushing upward too much with his hand during the second downsweep in backstroke, his palm is facing up, and is almost perpendicular to the direction it is moving. With his/her hand in this position, s/he can only push water up. This will not only cause a loss in potential propulsion, but it will also cause the hips to submerge and it will lead to a decrease in the swimmer's forward speed. 
• Amother mistake swimmers may do during the second upsweep in backstroke is to use this phase for too long a distance. Swimmers shouldn't try to apply propulsive force all the way to the surface of the water. This will be counterproductive because swimmers cannot avoid pushing up with their hands and arms as they near the surface. The second upsweep should end when the hand approaches the rear of the thigh. Even if swimmers keep the palm of the hand facing back after it passes the thigh, they will still pushing up too much with this arm if they try to continue the second upsweep beyond this point.
• Another reason swimmers must release pressure on the water before the hand passes the leg is because the last portion of the underwater armstroke must be used to overcome the backward inertia of the arm and start it forward into the recovey smoothly and without delay. This is done by releasing pressure on the water and directing the arm up and forward during the last portion of its sweep to the surface. This change of direction is assisted by rolling toward the other side so that the shoulder of the releasing arm pulls it up and forward out of the water.

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