The dolphin kick will be allowed in breaststroke races soon. This will make Japan happy, as will it make a certain university in California vindicated that all of its breaststrokers have been doing that kick for at least 15 years.
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../9740.asp
Personally, I don't want to do it. But of course I'll have to if I want to win against those who have total freedom to do it.
This is the worst rule change ever.
We’re only talking about one (1) dolphin off the start and turns, not changing for the entire race.
It’s not the end of breaststroking as we know it, it’s not the worst rule change ever, it will not cause all the records to be meaningless, and it won’t add to global warming. However, it will most probably be adopted by USMS. But again it’s only 1 kick.
I read what Jeff said and I am kinda of confused. Not being very good at breastroke and of course Jeff being excellent at it I will listen to his analysis. I went to the FINA Technical Conference link on the USA swimming website after reading what Phil Whitten said on Swim Info. My interpretation was that it can only be used at the start of the race after the dive and at every turn. Now I could be completely wrong thinking this way.
Basically I thought all they were doing is saying that what Kasuko Kitijimi did in Athens would be legal in the future and there would be less controversey. That swimming with the dolphin kick the whole race would not be permitted just one kick thrust like what was done in Athens.
Here is the quote. "During starts and turns while the swimmer is totally submerged, a single downward dolphin kick followed by a breastroke kick will be permitted. The new rule ends decades of controversies." From this I think you still have to swim regular breastroke like now for the the major portions of the race. I can see how in especially in Short Course that this will take the records down to another level.
Frank, I don't think anyone ever implied that you could dolphin kick between the walls. Just the one time off the start and turns. While the effect may be miniscule (about five tenths to a full second depending on ability and course), it has a larger meaning in swimming.
The cheaters got what they wanted. But maybe, as I think on it some more, we're leveling the playing field. The cheaters can't use it to get away with a few tenths on the turn. Now, of course, they'll have to find something else.
I just think that instead of changing the rule to allow a dolphin kick, FINA should train their judges on how to spot an illegal kick. Do clinics at major meets where they saw the bright lights affect their vision. Maybe put two judges on the end of the pool in each lane. Hold the swimmer accountable. Don't throw your hands up in frustration and say "I give up. Kitajima wins."
When I was an age group coach, I always told my kids who would do the dolhin kick that they think it's small, but there would always be a very observant official who would see it.
My observation of stroke judges these days is that the only things they need to look for anymore is whether two hands touch the wall on fly and ***, the turn is continuous on back, and the roll turn on back to *** is done without breaking the plane.
In conclusion, this ruling is making the officials' jobs easier.
So I'm assuming that we can still do things the 'old' way if we want to, or do we have to use this new way? My fly kick is very bad, which is one of the reasons I swim ***. I get far more distance from a *** kick than a fly kick, so I'd rather just leave things the way they are.
How do you jump off the bottom? Must be a shallow pool is all I could think. Do you mean instead of pushing off a wall, or between the walls?
I really don't see all that much in this anyway. When I swim 200 *** at state meets there are usually just a few guys in my age group, sometimes just me, especially for LCM. I mean we're doing masters swimming to stay fit and to relieve stress, aren't we?? Certainly not to create more stress.
Originally posted by aquageek
A few big dolphin kicks coming off the wall over the course of a race will increase speed I would think. Anyone else agree?
I bet it 's going shave at least somewhere around a second off the walls. It won't be long until we see times in the :55 second range for 100 short course meters. (I think the scm record is mid :57 at the moment.)
Originally posted by Rob Copeland
We’re only talking about one (1) dolphin off the start and turns, not changing for the entire race.
That's alot different than being allowed to pound out fifteen meters of dolphin kick as they do in the backstrokes races.
Still it's going to be relished as the new speed enhancer for the breastroke events.
ah, but watch what will happen...Kitajima & his like will test the boundaries if the new rules esp. off the start (adding little shudder motions, half-kicks etc) & ten years from now they'll be adding a second dolphin kick. A staunch breastroke traditionalist, I feel the proper place for practitioners of dolphin kick is at Marineland being thrown fish
Originally posted by Jeff Commings
The dolphin kick will be allowed in breaststroke races soon. This will make Japan happy, as will it make a certain university in California vindicated that all of its breaststrokers have been doing that kick for at least 15 years.
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../9740.asp
Personally, I don't want to do it. But of course I'll have to if I want to win against those who have total freedom to do it.
This is the worst rule change ever. Jeff I think many are going to rejoice over the new fina ruling. I was dq'd in breaststroke twice, once for jumping off the bottom, once in a 200 sc im for only swimming one breaststroke instead of two.
