I've been swimming all my life, but never proper strokes. Recently I've begun learning the correct strokes but I'm having trouble with my crawl stroke. I watch other swimmers go back and forth flip turning as they come to end. I can't do more than 50 yards before I'm completely out of breath. I know I'm in better shape than that because I can swim breaststroke back and forth just fine, so I assume I'm not breathing correctly. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can breathe better and how to have enough air after the flip turn to continue?
Also, I feel like I don't go anywhere when I kick unless I have fins (I have the blue zoomers). Any suggestions for improving the crawl kick? I kick across the pool, but I go v e r y slow.
Feeling a little discouraged... :(
Thanks for any advice you guys have got!
Lisa
Parents
Former Member
This is what these forums are good for; so that talking about these things gets help to where it's needed. Susan and Emmett, you may have nailed my problem and maybe Lisa's as well.
Knowing that I have this lousy kick, I've tried to pay attention to my body to notice what I do and why.
1) I've noticed that when I do force myself to kick on our swim sets, the effect is mostly to "keep my body aligned" in the water, and not so much resulting in propulsion. It seems as if I can only manage a two beat kick for a two stroke cycle.
2) On kick sets, I have noticed that I seem to be a little more efficient if I kick on my back. Maybe this lessens the amount of knee-bend I normally get when on my stomach.
3) Yes, Emmett, my blue and white styro pull buoy is my favorite toy in my swim bag, and when I use it I lose no time compared to our straight swim sets. (Repeat 100's around 1:15 to 1:20, with or without the buoy).
So, armed with this new information that my kick may still be salvagable, I assume that there is an article somewhere on Emmet's website that will explain to me the proper way to institute an effective kick (?).
If so, I might actually become more than the one-dimensional butterflyer that I have resigned myself to be.
This is what these forums are good for; so that talking about these things gets help to where it's needed. Susan and Emmett, you may have nailed my problem and maybe Lisa's as well.
Knowing that I have this lousy kick, I've tried to pay attention to my body to notice what I do and why.
1) I've noticed that when I do force myself to kick on our swim sets, the effect is mostly to "keep my body aligned" in the water, and not so much resulting in propulsion. It seems as if I can only manage a two beat kick for a two stroke cycle.
2) On kick sets, I have noticed that I seem to be a little more efficient if I kick on my back. Maybe this lessens the amount of knee-bend I normally get when on my stomach.
3) Yes, Emmett, my blue and white styro pull buoy is my favorite toy in my swim bag, and when I use it I lose no time compared to our straight swim sets. (Repeat 100's around 1:15 to 1:20, with or without the buoy).
So, armed with this new information that my kick may still be salvagable, I assume that there is an article somewhere on Emmet's website that will explain to me the proper way to institute an effective kick (?).
If so, I might actually become more than the one-dimensional butterflyer that I have resigned myself to be.
