I have been trying to incorporate the butterfly kick off the start and turns with my backstroke. I get 2 -4 kicks in before I come to the surface. My question is: how much faster is the butterfly kick than the flutter kick? Or do you have to have a strong fly kick to gain any benefit? ** years ago we were very content with a quick flutter to the surface (and I'm not anywhere near as fast now!)
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Former Member
Everyone are pretty much getting at the correct answer to the question, which is... there really is no answer. At the elite levels, sure you see all of the swimmers using the dolphin off the wall and most for 10-15m as long as they can sustain their speed.
Swimming must be tailored to the individual in question. Coaches have to take the time to work with the swimmer and find what is their correct combination of underwater time, which underwater kick to use, over one length and the race distance to find what works best for the particular swimmer.
Some swimmers may show potential for using the 15m underwater dolphin over a 25, but for the whole 100, they die out. These swimmers may benefit from some more extensive underwater training to improve the stamina.
I guess my take is grab the coach, get a stopwatch, and start recording data. At the level of most swimmers in this forum however, and 99% of swimmers in general, there is probably very little difference regardless of their choice. It's more an issue of what allows you to finish the race most comfortably.
Coughlin has probably been swimming underwater dolphin since her age group years and is very proficient at it. At an age group level, I would advocate teaching it, as the benefits for someone good at it are quite apparent. At the masters level, it will take far more effort as it would be a new learned behavior.
Just my 2 cents. Thanks.
-RM
Everyone are pretty much getting at the correct answer to the question, which is... there really is no answer. At the elite levels, sure you see all of the swimmers using the dolphin off the wall and most for 10-15m as long as they can sustain their speed.
Swimming must be tailored to the individual in question. Coaches have to take the time to work with the swimmer and find what is their correct combination of underwater time, which underwater kick to use, over one length and the race distance to find what works best for the particular swimmer.
Some swimmers may show potential for using the 15m underwater dolphin over a 25, but for the whole 100, they die out. These swimmers may benefit from some more extensive underwater training to improve the stamina.
I guess my take is grab the coach, get a stopwatch, and start recording data. At the level of most swimmers in this forum however, and 99% of swimmers in general, there is probably very little difference regardless of their choice. It's more an issue of what allows you to finish the race most comfortably.
Coughlin has probably been swimming underwater dolphin since her age group years and is very proficient at it. At an age group level, I would advocate teaching it, as the benefits for someone good at it are quite apparent. At the masters level, it will take far more effort as it would be a new learned behavior.
Just my 2 cents. Thanks.
-RM
