Hi, new to the board, back in the pool about 4 months.
Worked up to doing Mo Chambers workouts, but always substituting for fly in the IM's because I just never learned it.
I've always been a lousy kicker, but I bought a pair of Zoomers and quit using the board, which has helped a bunch. I do dolphins front and side and flutter on my back. I just started to dolphin kick off the flip (without the fins), which has really helped reduce stroke count (10 catchup; 13 -- 14 normally; 15 + is a failed lap). I'm 6'2" and dropped from 200+ when I started down to 190 - 195, which feels great.
Today I tried doing the fly legs in the IM's wearing the Zoomers, and I think there's some hope. Can a 44 year old lousy kicker learn to fly? Is it OK to learn with fins? Are there bad habits to watch out for when learning with or without the fins? Or should I forget about fly and just concentrate on the other three strokes?
I'm having a lot of fun swimming again, love the workouts and chat here, and am not afraid of looking like a complete dweeb.
Parents
Former Member
I'm no expert, but at Berkeley I used to swim next to a girl named Mary T., aka Madame Butterfly...
I asked her: "how do you do that?"
She replied: "NEVER think of pulling your arms out of the water - it's impossible, so if you think about it you'll never be able to do it. Forget that part. Think only of THROWING your hands back into the water for the re-entry. And, enter your head in the water leading with the crown, NOT with your face... the rest follows."
I know it's not much, but it came from a lady who knew what she was doing, and sure helped my stroke! I just love doing 50m fly!!
Mary
I'm no expert, but at Berkeley I used to swim next to a girl named Mary T., aka Madame Butterfly...
I asked her: "how do you do that?"
She replied: "NEVER think of pulling your arms out of the water - it's impossible, so if you think about it you'll never be able to do it. Forget that part. Think only of THROWING your hands back into the water for the re-entry. And, enter your head in the water leading with the crown, NOT with your face... the rest follows."
I know it's not much, but it came from a lady who knew what she was doing, and sure helped my stroke! I just love doing 50m fly!!
Mary
