How Léon Marchand Swims So Fast | IM Stroke Analysis

Léon Marchand is the fastest swimmer in the world right now. After breaking Michael Phelps’ long-standing 400-meter IM world record, Léon is on his way to becoming a household name in swimming, and winning a few medals at Paris 2024.

An individual medley specialist, Léon is a master of all four competitive strokes. Let’s take a look at how Léon swims each stroke so you too can improve your technique and swim stronger!

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[kelvinnuel]

The race was won in the breaststroke and the record was shattered underwater...

[northsta]

Best swimmer = the WR holder in 400m IM LC. I like this definition, really👍

[solareiusdeiu]

French are technical i remember how Kevin Mayer broke the Decathlon world record because of his technical events, people felt the record was impossible because of the most explosive events like the 100m sprint, and the longjump etc. But if overall you are more technical and complete, you can break even incredible world records. Leon MARCHAND is the Kevin Mayer of SWIMMING for sure. both French guys, both insane technical balance between all events. this made the difference.

NOW if Leon bring both the extra physiological and his incredible technique together, he can be the first under 4min 400 IM for sure. and considering his age, pushing even more the record to 3min58 / 3min56 this seems unheard of, but technically possible for him in his career...

[anderssanggaard]

I wonder if the narrow entry on backstroke is actually intentional. I suppose since he has a much lower stroke-rate in the 400 im than you would in a 100 or 200 backstroke it creates a glide phase. He almost presses his bicep into his head and i suppose this does reduce a bit of drag for a short time and if you have the core strength to not worsen your body position, perhaps this could result in him saving a bit of energy in exchange for not really pushing it that hard in the backstroke leg.

[kasraeshghian]

hey @faresksebati, I think the beseeest swimmer in the world is you, because of sharing the best knowledge. Thank you

[Rory]

Looking like we may have a new GOAT after the Paris Olympics. Cant wait to find out 😊

[LilHappyPiggy]

Anyone else here after the GOAT won 4/4 gold medals at the Paris Olympics 2024?

[yihongli]

@FaresKsebati What were Leon and Phelps splits?

[skatingcanuck]

Could you please make a video about Summer Mcintosh? She’s won 3 gold and 1 silver at the Paris games!

[tomasquindt]

Excellent video Fares. Thanks. Why don’t you analyze Qin 200 breast? It is also amazing!

[dsinemoimouton]

Actually, I'm wondering if the "Claw" isn't a way to make the first inches of pulling more efficient since it is more vertical that way, and then aligns back with the forearm when it is also vertical.
Don't know, just a thought

[hudsonbakke]

I personally take great encouragement and inspiration from analyzing how Marchand swims. Even though I'm nowhere even close to being as good as him, watching him swim gives me encouragement because of the things we do similarly. I may be way slower right now, but I know from watching him that I have the potential to get there. To give one example, my short course 200 breast is about 27 seconds slower than Marchand's, which to most people would be discouraging, however I look at what me and Marchand have in common. We take the same number of strokes, for instance. 5 per length. We both go to halfway on every pullout. We both spend about the same amount of time in our pullouts. This is extremely encouraging to me because I know I'm already doing so many things correctly, and if I work on the things that I do poorly, I absolutely can go 1:46 in the 200 breast, or 4:02 in the long course 400 IM.

[Nick_the_Gold_Bach]

Tend to agree with other comments - the 400 IM is the gold standard for "Best Swimmer In the World". But I guess GOAT (and DOE for woman, suspect that is Katie Ledecky) still goes to Michael Phelps based on medal treasures.

Looked it up, best woman swimmer in the world :

Summer McIntosh(17 for another 2 weeks!) set a new world record in the 400m individual medley with a time of 4:24.38 at the 2024 Canadian Olympic Swimming Trials. McIntosh swam nearly a second and a half under her previous world record of 4:25.87.

Look at the time improvement, also 1+ seconds.

Summer doesn't even look strong in the arms and shoulders like Katie, so the IM is all in core strength and drag reducing style, much as Fares points out.

[yihongli]

Once you see the claw, you cannot unsee it… 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[TraditionalToolworks]

One thing to note on the "claw" is if you look at both the left and right it seems it has the wrist bent, keeping the claw straight. As if he locks in the claw when he grabs water. It's like a shovel. Unlike the vertical arm, the shovel is on the end of the arm...it's a smaller shovel, but accelerates the body faster possibly. See 11:56

[mindywolfrom]

I’m confused— you mentioned in his butterfly that his body is riding high, and how we want our body riding out of the water during butterfly to go faster… but don’t we travel faster when our body is in the water more instead of swimming breaking the surface of the water?

[davidmac]

In the first few minutes of the video showing his butterfly - is it me or are his feet coming apart during the kick? Isn't this a no no? I'd be worried with all the emphasis on underwater cameras at big swim meets.

[Nsurob]

He's swimming out of his lane at 439...DQ

[sahilvighne]

This guy can still swim 40.28, 100y freestyle with that claw . I mean 🥴

[nancytripp]

He is very positively childlike, no fear and just play..