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So I read this and the study did not take into account physiology, or more specifically height when measuring underwater kicking performance.
I would be curious if shorter swimmers can underwater kick as fast or faster than taller swimmers and if they should work to exploit this more than the typical effort given to underwater kicking.
I think it is less related to torso to leg length ratio, as it is to lower body power to leg length ratio.
I recently did a quick poor-man's experiment which involved wall pushed, 25 free efforts at 95% every 1:00. I alternated through SDK's, flutter kick, and no kick at all, to breakout and observed the times. The push-off glide swims were consistently faster (and use less energy) than both the flutter and SDK's (which were about equal).
My lower body strength is relatively weak (and long), which probably make me a non SDK'er, though I can glide fairly decent.
I think it is less related to torso to leg length ratio, as it is to lower body power to leg length ratio.
I recently did a quick poor-man's experiment which involved wall pushed, 25 free efforts at 95% every 1:00. I alternated through SDK's, flutter kick, and no kick at all, to breakout and observed the times. The push-off glide swims were consistently faster (and use less energy) than both the flutter and SDK's (which were about equal).
My lower body strength is relatively weak (and long), which probably make me a non SDK'er, though I can glide fairly decent.
