I'm something of a newbie to masters, though I've been swimming a long time. I have no kick, zero, nada. I have tried at masters swim workouts, but if I attempt to move down the lane using kick only, I float absolutely still in the water. If I kick a lot, I get cramps in feet and calfs. What to do???
I don't move much when kicking w/ a kickboard either. I swim relatively quick otherwise...considering the absence of a kick. It takes me at least a couple of minutes to complete one length of a 25m pool. If I happen to be in one of the outside lanes...the filter water return jet pushes me into the laneline. Embarrassing. I say don't fret over the non-kick, Jack. Swim on!!!
Dan
I think I actually go backwards when I "kick" only!! Looking forward to the discussion on this. :)
(There is a great thread about kicking somewhere, but I'm not sure how it applies to people like you and I.)
But I wonder.....I'm newbie-ish, able to swim 39sec 50m. If I actually moved when kicking only, would this make a significant difference in my 50m? Or does my "kick" simply stabilize me, somewhat?
Flutter kicking is more for stabilization and to keep your body in line and your hips up rather than for propulsion. It is estimated that kicking provides only about 10% of your propulsion in freestyle. If that is true, and I believe it is, then kicking with a kickboard is a questionable exercise. I stopped doing flutter kick drills a loooong time ago. To improve your speed you are better off improving your technique.
Until I watch someone in a modern NCAA or Olympic championship final swim a 50, 100, 200, 400/500 with a dragging kick, I will continue to maintain that a strong kick should be the base of swimming fast for most people.
I’ll co-sign that sentiment.
EDIT: former breaststroker/butterflyer here and those strokes are definitely leg driven and the best way to strengthen legs is FR kick (with a board if you want more punishment, and LCM if you like doing laps around the 5th legs of Hell).
(But I don’t doubt your math on the FR kick for freestyle and it’s % of your propulsion, Glenn)
No kick? Peep this:
www.youtube.com/watch
As far as technique goes if you are cramping from the kick I would suggest doing some foot and calf stretching exercise to get your foot used to pointing and keep up on your electrolytes. Adding some fins will also help with getting the feel of where you generate the power for the kick and prove that you can propel yourself with your legs.
The very act of putting on fins makes my feet cramp. I need not even enter the water and the workout is effectively over. I have been a runner for 40+ years and at 71 now, improving ankle flexibility is a very remote possibility. I keep trying though.
