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
You can measure leg stamina and effectiveness of kicking by vertical kicking. Just make it more difficult--take your arms out of the water and see how long you can kick and keep your head above. Get that diving brick that is being used as a doorstop and hold on to it and kick away. Use it on all kicks for the stroke. I think you can socialize while vertical kicking. The true test of leg stamina is to do vertical kicking with your arms in an overhead streamline AND carry on a conversation with someone.
We who don't use kickboards kick in a side lying position and have no problem breathing.
You can measure leg stamina and effectiveness of kicking by vertical kicking. Just make it more difficult--take your arms out of the water and see how long you can kick and keep your head above. Get that diving brick that is being used as a doorstop and hold on to it and kick away. Use it on all kicks for the stroke. I think you can socialize while vertical kicking. The true test of leg stamina is to do vertical kicking with your arms in an overhead streamline AND carry on a conversation with someone.
We who don't use kickboards kick in a side lying position and have no problem breathing.
