See clips dated 06-Jun-10

Note: Good improvement - you are breathing more quickly and getting your arm extended at shoulder depth as you get onto your side. Now focus on the third recommendation to begin your catch as soon as your recovering hand enters the water. You need to begin the the catch with one hand together with the extension of the other (rather than perform the extension first and then the catch).

Posture
09-May-10

06-Jun-10

Your head, chest and hip connection looks strong, but because you take too long to breathe, and also because you leave your arms right at the surface on extension, you are canceling out the positive effects of good posture.

On the final clip you still have good posture, but now it is put to better use because you have improved your arm extension. If you compare the two clips you are now more horizontal in the water, which is much more efficient than swimming "uphill".

You are taking too long to breathe.

On the final clip you are breathing more quickly, but you are breathing too late in the stroke cycle. When breathing, as you rotate onto your side, you should roll your face to the air at the same time - instead, you roll your face to the air after your body has rotated. I think this is not so much a breathing problem as it is a timing problem having to do with your arms and rotation (see below). When those are corrected, it will be much easier to breathe quickly and at the right time.

09-May-10

06-Jun-10

You get good rotation to both sides.

On the final clip the amount of rotation you get is very good to both sides. There is a timing issue with your core rotation that makes it difficult for you to breathe correctly - but that is caused by the timing of your arm stroke. When the arm stroke timing is corrected, you will be able to coordinate the timing of your core rotation with the rotation of your face to the air for breathing.

Good but the hands are too close to the surface, which angles your body up toward the surface.

On the final clip your arm is extended deeper in the water and this gives your body a very nice aquatic line parallel to the surface.

Your catch is done with a high elbow, but it is a bit late in terms of when your recovering arm enters the water.

On the final clip your catch and pull are still starting late. Try to begin your catch just as your recovering hand enters the water, so that your hands are "passing" each other just in front of your head.

Good recovery in terms of being straight ahead, but your hands sometimes do not get out of the water (it looks as if you are doing the fingertip drag drill). Get your elbow higher in the air during the recovery and drive your hand into the water at a slightly steeper angle, so that by the time it is fully extended you are on your side and your hand is at shoulder depth.

On the final clip you are getting your hands forward more quickly, but entering the water a little too far back on your body, and that brings your whole body a little deep into the water. Try to enter the hands at a less steep angle, right in front of the head.

You are kicking too hard, but your kicking mechanics are pretty good (compact with very little knee bend). You will be able to kick less when your arms get deeper and your body becomes more level relative to the surface.

On the final clip you are still kicking too hard, but I think this is also related to timing issues with the catch and pull. Because you have both arms extended out front at the same time, you are stalling and need to kick harder to keep moving. If you begin your catch and pull earlier, this "dead spot" in your stroke will go away.