Question on SDKs

My coach says SDK on your side uses less energy than on your front or back because you aren't fighting gravity. I disagree. I think side vs front vs back is choice for each individual swimmer to make based on what's legal, what feels best and what's fastest. In training, all swimmers should SDK on their back, belly, sides, & even corkscrew to figure things out. They should test and retest. ie if a swimmer has an awesome SDK on their back for freestyle sprint turns it might be better for them to come off the wall on their backs, then do some SDKs then later transition to one side for their breakout For some strange reason, in practice on long kicks where breathing is essential, it feels best for me to kick on my side with my left arm down & my right arm up. The other way feels funny. for many swimmers, especially masters, I don't think gravity plays of the role in SDK because gravity is offset by the swimmers float factor.

My coach says SDK on your side uses less energy than on your front or back because you aren't fighting gravity. I disagree. I think side vs front vs back is choice for each individual swimmer to make based on what's legal, what feels best and what's fastest. In training, all swimmers should SDK on their back, belly, sides, & even corkscrew to figure things out. They should test and retest. ie if a swimmer has an awesome SDK on their back for freestyle sprint turns it might be better for them to come off the wall on their backs, then do some SDKs then later transition to one side for their breakout For some strange reason, in practice on long kicks where breathing is essential, it feels best for me to kick on my side with my left arm down & my right arm up. The other way feels funny. for many swimmers, especially masters, I don't think gravity plays of the role in SDK because gravity is offset by the swimmers float factor.