Not sure if this goes in this forum or not, but I could really use some help on this. I finally have got my freestyle times to be below 40 sec. consistenly for 50 yds (i know it's slow but it's the fastest I've ever been personally), and now I would like my backstroke times to come down. I feel like I've tried everything I know to make them faster and I'm feeling kind of stuck. I do some interval training but they still seem to be in the mid-40's for 50 yds. I think I roll enough (I show my shoulder on every stroke) and my kick is decent, but when I kick hard, I feel like I sink. I've tried everything that I can think of and all kinds of combinations of kicking and arm speed to get myself to go faster and no matter what I do, I still can't get my times to come down. So anyway, now that I'm done complaining (sorry)I was wondering if anyone had any tips to help me out? Thanx a bunch!!
~Kyra
Parents
Former Member
Here is a secret too...
Backstroke, like butterfly, has a tempo, rhythm. You can't just speed up one part of the stroke, kick, or turnover, it all must flow together. It cannot be rushed. This is where backstroke stops being technical and becomes and art form.
Beside the other input that is all true, power comes from finishing the stroke past the hips, the kick is a constant "figure 8" (of sorts) in three distinct quadrants, the right side as your right hand enters, the midline kick as you are rolling on the plane and then the left side as your left hand catches the water over your head. The kicking NEVER STOPS! Backstroke can be quite tiresome.
Backstroke is a weird stroke because you are moving forward (OK backward) on one plane of water and side to side simultaneously on the same plane!
Are you totally confused yet?
Here is a secret too...
Backstroke, like butterfly, has a tempo, rhythm. You can't just speed up one part of the stroke, kick, or turnover, it all must flow together. It cannot be rushed. This is where backstroke stops being technical and becomes and art form.
Beside the other input that is all true, power comes from finishing the stroke past the hips, the kick is a constant "figure 8" (of sorts) in three distinct quadrants, the right side as your right hand enters, the midline kick as you are rolling on the plane and then the left side as your left hand catches the water over your head. The kicking NEVER STOPS! Backstroke can be quite tiresome.
Backstroke is a weird stroke because you are moving forward (OK backward) on one plane of water and side to side simultaneously on the same plane!
Are you totally confused yet?
