I am slow, and when I mean slow, I mean slow. I can do a 26 sec 50 with fins, but without I come in just under 1:20! I think a big part of it is just taking the fins off and doing a lot of kick sets to learn to feel the water better with my feet. I have a good breaststroke kick so I don't think my problem is an overly weak pair of legs, although they could be in better shape. Also, myankles are fairly flexible as I can point my toes and make my feet bend backwards past an even position with my shins. However, I do think that I need to loosen up my ankles when I kick. I feel like I get more out of my kick for those brief moments when I allow my ankles to snap back and forth with my kick. I think I actually need to relax more to kick faster as weird as that sounds.
I suppose the answer to my question is that I simply need to take of the fins and do kick set after kick set until I learn to feel the water better with my feet and become more efficient.
no do NOT kick with your legs perfectly straight
when flutter kicking, in one part of the kick cycle
there is a slight knee bend
here's my attempt of describing what happens with one leg during a flutter kick cycle
the upper leg goes down from the hip (slightly) and the knee bends up (slightly)
then the upper leg reverses direction as lower leg fully extends downward then quickly pops back up for the next kick
(the other leg is doing the opposite, toes should be pointed, but you're not straining to hold the point, it's just set in point position)
your legs should be relaxed, and moving up and down rapidly
you should feel water pressure on the top of your foot and your shins.
(it's way better to watch and copy a good kicker than to follow this)
work on improving feel for the water with your feet
improve your distance per kick
count how many kicks it takes you to kick a 25
the more flexible your feet and ankles are the better kicker you are likely to be, it helps to have big floppy feet.
you can also do the
"slap tap kick drill"
to improve your kicking speed
you do it by kicking with your feet out of the water, as soon as you feel your foot hit the water
immediately reverse it
you do this in 5 or 10 second bursts attempting to move your feet as fast you can
hope this helps
ande
Thanks. Muppet. I need to work on this KICK FROM HIP thing. Not sure what exactly it is. But really straight legs? no knee bending at all?
no do NOT kick with your legs perfectly straight
when flutter kicking, in one part of the kick cycle
there is a slight knee bend
here's my attempt of describing what happens with one leg during a flutter kick cycle
the upper leg goes down from the hip (slightly) and the knee bends up (slightly)
then the upper leg reverses direction as lower leg fully extends downward then quickly pops back up for the next kick
(the other leg is doing the opposite, toes should be pointed, but you're not straining to hold the point, it's just set in point position)
your legs should be relaxed, and moving up and down rapidly
you should feel water pressure on the top of your foot and your shins.
(it's way better to watch and copy a good kicker than to follow this)
work on improving feel for the water with your feet
improve your distance per kick
count how many kicks it takes you to kick a 25
the more flexible your feet and ankles are the better kicker you are likely to be, it helps to have big floppy feet.
you can also do the
"slap tap kick drill"
to improve your kicking speed
you do it by kicking with your feet out of the water, as soon as you feel your foot hit the water
immediately reverse it
you do this in 5 or 10 second bursts attempting to move your feet as fast you can
hope this helps
ande
Thanks. Muppet. I need to work on this KICK FROM HIP thing. Not sure what exactly it is. But really straight legs? no knee bending at all?
