I'm devoting a few weeks to a lot of kicking. Is that beneficial to my whole stroke? Of course I'll be doing whole strokes, but I'm focusing a lot on my kicks this week and the next.
So, my question is: is using a kickboard okay for *** kick? I've heard that some say that it makse your butt sink, which is NOT okay, and yes, I actually take more kicks to cover one length on a kickboard than on a kickboard with a pull buoy to make my butt float to the surface, despite the less power.
Which brings me to my second question: how about kicking on a kickboard with a pull buoy between my legs? I know it helps me keep my legs close when I kick, but if I keep on doing this will I be too dependent on the pull buoy to make my butt get near the surface, so that if the buoy is removed my butt will sink? Or is a pull buoy okay?
Lemme know your views on this! Thanks!
Former Member
Doing the kick with a pull buoy is good for feel, but it can be hard on the knees if done to much. I would also warm up very well before doing it. I like to kick in streamline with a snorkle or in streamline on my back. The snorkle allows you to get into a good rythmic undulation and helps you to work on your glide. Kicking on your back helps with bringing your heels to your butt instead of bringing your knees up. If you bring your knees up instead of bringing your heels back you will not get a good push because your legs will partially come out of the water.
Hope this helps.
I am don't mean to sound lame but how do you have a pull buoy in between your legs when doing *** stroke?
Former Member
Nkace,
Using a pull buoy to practice breastroke kick is a good way to work on a bad habit that many people have, that is: bringing the knees too far apart. The knees should be inside of the feet and not much wider than the hips. It's hard to do. I have attached a picture of a good look at the right way to do it.
upload.wikimedia.org/.../Hansen_breaststroke.jpg
Former Member
Well, if the swimmer in the picture had a pull buoy between his legs, it would fall out!
Bob
Former Member
Well, if the swimmer in the picture had a pull buoy between his legs, it would fall out!
Hmmm, maybe I wasn't clear... the swimmer is Brendan Hansen swimming breastroke, not doing a pull buoy drill. The start of the breastroke kick does not require your knees to be together tight enough to keep a pull buoy between your legs.
But to get technique like his where the knees are inside the feet and just a little outside the hips, using the pull buoy is a good drill to force yourself to hold your knees in. It's an exaggerated position, but as I mentioned, it helps to correct the problem of having the knees too wide.
Former Member
Elite breaststrokers kick wider than they would with a kickboard because it allows them to get a more powerful kick. I think the drill was designed to help you remember to keep your knees together, but not necessarily that close together. That drill puts a lot of pressure on the knees, and I got a few knee twinges yesterday doing it.
Which brings me to my question: how do you get rid of knee twinges? any stretches?
Former Member
Warm up with a *** stroke kick for atleast 200 yards at a nice and easy pace. This will help a lot. I cannot over recomend doing the kick with a snorkle. It really allows you to do the kick with undulation and streamlining like you do in full stroke. Plus, it really allows you to completly focus on the bottom half of your stroke without the complication of breathing.
Former Member
Alright! Thanks Wayne and Bluehorn.
Well, I'm getting an annoying sore knee now probably from kicking with a pull buoy between my legs everyday this week, each day kicking for a loooong time. It started hurting sharply just below the knee cap, only when I straighten my knee to the maximum, almost with a curvature towards the back. The rest of the knee is dully sore. The pain isn't severe at all nor does it stop me from moving, it's just noticeable. What can I do to get rid of it?
Also any good stretches to do if I get knee twinges while swimming?
I find that the kickboards put a lot of pressure on my neck and shoulders too, and my shoulders will be sore the next day after a long kickboard set.
I feel that I decelerate VERY rapidly during recovery of the legs and would almost stop. I have very long legs, is that detrimental? Like the part of my leg above my knee is very long, so I think it's causing a lot of resistance during the recovery.
I agree with Bluehorn about the snorkle and with Wayne about the slow warm up. I think if your knee is hurting like that you should cut back on your breaststroke kicking until it's better. Also putting ice on your knees after swimming helps. I find the eggbeater drills put less strain on my knees so you might try them instead of regular breaststroke. If you are stopping on the recovery it may be from bending your leg at the hip. The length of your leg from hip to knee should not effect your drag as it should be streamlined at all times.
Former Member
Kicking is the heart of breaststroke, and kicking drills are how to get a great kick.
Kicking too wide and too hard at the start causes groin pulls.
Kicking too narrow causes knee problems and is less propulsive.
You must warm up the kick SLOWLY, doing several hundred yards or meters easy!!! This is the time to also kick on your back, to see if the knees are coming up which will cause MAJOR resistance when swimming breaststroke.
It is far better to kick without a kick board when you are trying to get the main kick set going. And kick with the head down.
Kick by pushing off underwater. Then kick to the surface, but don't breath on that kick. Then breathe on every other kick, trying to keep the head underwater at least one inch during the entire kick.
And always count the kicks, how else to find out if you are getting better?
