Originally Posted by
adamtki
Today,
I don't have very muscular arms -- they're quite thin in fact. Perhaps that makes a big difference. My best 50 is about 45s and my best 25 is 21s.
I don't understand how he could have such bad form, but swim that fast so effortlessly (he breathes every 4-6 strokes!)
You need arm strength, it is a critical factor in a good crawl stroke. A good proportion of your thrust comes from the arms in a crawl. If your arms are weak, yes, you will be slower than someone with poor but adequate skills. Muscle can make up for a lot. I see this with runners/cyclist turned triathletes. You need to do some strength training with your arms and also some speed work.
I also strongly suggest you use a pull float between your thighs and lock your legs so you can work your arms more.
LC