I've never asked this since becoming more active in these forums. Maybe someone can explain it. Why don't I have a kick? I'm 54, been swimming for about 30 years. Never on a team, nor even coached. I got into it for two reasons...so that I could compete in triathlons and other long-distance open water swims, and to improve my times for my fitness tests when I was on active duty in the Navy. And I'm pretty much just a crawl-stroker. Not much of a need for swimming the other strokes. I like to think that for never being coached that I've done OK for myself. I can still swim 500 free in around 6:30 or less, and if conditions are just right I can do a (statute mile/1600meters) in 25:00 and change (in my 20s and 30s I was a little faster). I said "never coached" but throughout my Navy career at various duty stations I occasionally encountered other military swimmers who were significantly accomplished swimmers...including a few NCAA Div I All Americans...whose brain I'd pick and they'd give me pointers. Without fail, they would always say that for never being coached I had a pretty good (crawl) stroke. But the one thing that no one could ever figure out is why my kick doesn't work. I've tried to improve it over the years to no avail. But I mean it takes me 50-55 seconds to go 25 meters and it's pretty tiring. It's so weak that at one pool I swan in until a few years ago...the filtration system return nozzles were strong enough to push me sideways into the lane line when using a kickboard (embarrassing!). So I only kick enough to keep good body position in the water. For what it's worth...same thing happens on backstroke, and those occasions I swim butterfly. I have size 13 feet -- natural fins/flippers. Still, the little kids in the swim lesson lane have a better kick than I do. So...does this phenomenon happen to anyone else? Can anyone say why?
Dan
I would expect that it could be done in a bit over an hour once one built up the requisite endurance. I can do a 1000 yd kick set in 20 mins. - given the right kick set.
I would expect that it could be done in a bit over an hour once one built up the requisite endurance. I can do a 1000 yd kick set in 20 mins. - given the right kick set.
Yeah, it would take me about 70 minutes or so to do my 3000 yard kick set.
Yes - me too:)
Over the years my kick has got stronger though. I use diving fins once a week in the pool to help me go body surfing in the summer. This probably helps ankle flexibility and leg strength, both valuable developments to help improve kicking for swim racing. The diving fins are very long and require a much reduced cadence.
Without really trying my kick is now almost good.
OK, you proponents of improved (flutter/crawl) kicking are making some sense to me. In my last few pool sessions I have incorporate more of the sprint kick sets mentioned above. And, my times have improved a bit...down from 55 second per 25 meters to around 45-50 seconds per 25 meters. Still slow (I'm still getting passed up by little kids messing around in the play lane) but improvement. But the bigger question still exists for me. I'm really only a longer distance crawl stroke swimmer. Will all this work to attain some sort of propulsion from kicking actually improve my times in those longer swims? Part of me thinks that I should just leave well enough alone because I have no desire to ever be a short-distance sprint swimmer.
And here's another issue I've realized: When I do employ a more rapid flutter kick while swimming...my legs get all twisted when I rotate to breathe (I'm a bi-lateral breather), my knees and ankles are knocking together. It seems counterproductive. I have to make a conscious effort to keep that twisting from happening, but then I feel all stiff and uncoordinated. So again...is it all worth the effort?
Dan
Same age and kicking was the bane of my existence until someone suggested I get a snorkel for streamline kicking and also mix in streamlined kicking on back. Voila. Suddenly made sense and my neck and back stopped hurting which is what ultimately led me to not want to kick: the kickboard. Plus actually practicing the kick in an orientation I use it with full stroke swimming really helped me integrate it well. I like kicking so much now it gets a ton of attention and the payoff keeps me coming back. Have had the most significant time gains in years as my kick improves a teeny bit every workout. Incidentally I have very marginal flexibility I can't come close to touching my toes on the floor with legs flat like the freaks can. Maybe 3" off the floor at best.
