Given the new FINA/NCAA/ USA/USMS rule changes related to the breaststroke pullouts/turns have people out there figured out WHEN to introduce the now allowed dolphin kick for maximum advantage.
My only input, and not a very detailed one at that, is from daughter who is freshman at a DIV III swimming power. She told them they are introducing the dolphin during the pulldown phase "at about the point" when people were formerly DQ'd for illegal dolphin. She claimed it was "hard to explain", this by the way from an English major, and so I'm not taking this description at 100% of face value. I presume though she meant at the finish of the pull phase when the body can go into a natural dolphin.
What is the current practice?
BTW, I did notice that the Div III A times for the breaststroke events are significantly faster this year but the B times are just about unchanged. I guess they are worried that the new kick might result in much faster times.
Parents
Former Member
The way I read the FINA rule there are sevaral ways to insert the dolphin kick
1- immediately after pushing off, before any downwards arm pull
2- At the start of the arm pull, like Kitajima and others
3- at the middle of the arm pull, we used to call this a pike:p
4- As the arms reach the hips
5- slightly after the end of the pulldown
6- After the arms have recovered forwards again, but before the breaststroke kick to the surface.
The way I read the FINA rule there are sevaral ways to insert the dolphin kick
1- immediately after pushing off, before any downwards arm pull
2- At the start of the arm pull, like Kitajima and others
3- at the middle of the arm pull, we used to call this a pike:p
4- As the arms reach the hips
5- slightly after the end of the pulldown
6- After the arms have recovered forwards again, but before the breaststroke kick to the surface.
