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.
Ande, 3 questions!:
1) what are the limiting factors determining kick power that have some kids kicking circles around others ...each with little training??!
~~~> i've written about this in
Swim Fast Faster
many factors come into play
foot size, flexibility of foot and ankles, hyper extended knees, body shape, kicking technique, feel for the water with feet and legs / DPK,
but improving boils down to self image and work ethic on kicking sets,
If a swimmer believes "I'm a horrible kicker." then they don't try on kicking sets and because they don't try they don't improve.
If you want to improve your kick you have to push your limits on kicking sets.
2) you have folks on your program with impressive kicking improvements....could we get some kind of data indicating how well these kicking times translated into swim times ?????!
~~ ~ ~> if you read through this thread some people have posted their kicking and swimming times
I also think it is helpful to do the speed swimming sets too
3) I have a new pair of 'positive drive' fins ... is there any value to using them to 'recruit and condition the freestyle kicking muscles exactly as the finless kick would' as they espouse?!
~ ~ ~~ ~> I don't use much equipment other than suits, googles and caps, I do sit on kick boards between sets. I do think that kicking sets with fins can be helpful for swimmers.
Dive into this kicking program and start posting your times
I also stress the kick integration process
As you get faster do further kicking sets
These sets will help swimmers get speed first
so eventually the kick challenged can make 50's on 1:00
ande
Ande, 3 questions!:
1) what are the limiting factors determining kick power that have some kids kicking circles around others ...each with little training??!
~~~> i've written about this in
Swim Fast Faster
many factors come into play
foot size, flexibility of foot and ankles, hyper extended knees, body shape, kicking technique, feel for the water with feet and legs / DPK,
but improving boils down to self image and work ethic on kicking sets,
If a swimmer believes "I'm a horrible kicker." then they don't try on kicking sets and because they don't try they don't improve.
If you want to improve your kick you have to push your limits on kicking sets.
2) you have folks on your program with impressive kicking improvements....could we get some kind of data indicating how well these kicking times translated into swim times ?????!
~~ ~ ~> if you read through this thread some people have posted their kicking and swimming times
I also think it is helpful to do the speed swimming sets too
3) I have a new pair of 'positive drive' fins ... is there any value to using them to 'recruit and condition the freestyle kicking muscles exactly as the finless kick would' as they espouse?!
~ ~ ~~ ~> I don't use much equipment other than suits, googles and caps, I do sit on kick boards between sets. I do think that kicking sets with fins can be helpful for swimmers.
Dive into this kicking program and start posting your times
I also stress the kick integration process
As you get faster do further kicking sets
These sets will help swimmers get speed first
so eventually the kick challenged can make 50's on 1:00
ande
