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.
8/16/11: 23.5 SFK, 25.0 flutter w/ board, 13.5 sprint free
8/26/11: 23.5 SFK, 22.low flutter w/board, 13.mid sprint free
9/4/11: 22.mid SFK, 20.hi flutter w/board, 13.mid sprint free
9/14/11: 21.low flutter w/board, 28.hi flutter on back
No improvement in 25yd flutter with board since last time, but I've been working on a lot of 50s and have improved my endurance.
I feel like I a have a high power output, lots of splash, feet not coming too much out of water, but it just doesn't translate to much speed.
work on your kick for various distances:
15's, 25's, 50's 75's 100's
start testing 50's, 75's & 100's
I suggested 25's because some really horrible kickers must improve their 25's before they even bother with 50's & up.
do some kick sets where you focus improving your
DPK distance per kick and
KPL kicks per length ( count one leg then double double it)
being a runner you might not have good ankle / foot flexibility
Looks like k on your bk is the weakest
consider having a friend with an underwater camera video you kicking from the side underwater, then youtube it
At some point you need to get accurate times to the tenth instead of guesstimations you eye on the pace clock,
get a waterproof stopwatch, many iron man type watches are WP
ask someone to time you
give them instructions of what to do
What sort of board are you using?
What sort of suit are you wearing?
you wrote:
I a have a high power output, lots of splash, feet not coming too much out of water, but it just doesn't translate to much speed
Ultimately you want to improve your kicking technique, speed, and conditioning. You want to develop a better kick when you swim and a sense of kicking gears, which is how and how hard to kick for various events.
I have a fairly fast kick and a strong kick but if I kick too hard or too soon then I won't perform as well in a race. I've had trouble with the 100 free and feel like I haven't had a good 100 fr since 1996.
8/16/11: 23.5 SFK, 25.0 flutter w/ board, 13.5 sprint free
8/26/11: 23.5 SFK, 22.low flutter w/board, 13.mid sprint free
9/4/11: 22.mid SFK, 20.hi flutter w/board, 13.mid sprint free
9/14/11: 21.low flutter w/board, 28.hi flutter on back
No improvement in 25yd flutter with board since last time, but I've been working on a lot of 50s and have improved my endurance.
I feel like I a have a high power output, lots of splash, feet not coming too much out of water, but it just doesn't translate to much speed.
work on your kick for various distances:
15's, 25's, 50's 75's 100's
start testing 50's, 75's & 100's
I suggested 25's because some really horrible kickers must improve their 25's before they even bother with 50's & up.
do some kick sets where you focus improving your
DPK distance per kick and
KPL kicks per length ( count one leg then double double it)
being a runner you might not have good ankle / foot flexibility
Looks like k on your bk is the weakest
consider having a friend with an underwater camera video you kicking from the side underwater, then youtube it
At some point you need to get accurate times to the tenth instead of guesstimations you eye on the pace clock,
get a waterproof stopwatch, many iron man type watches are WP
ask someone to time you
give them instructions of what to do
What sort of board are you using?
What sort of suit are you wearing?
you wrote:
I a have a high power output, lots of splash, feet not coming too much out of water, but it just doesn't translate to much speed
Ultimately you want to improve your kicking technique, speed, and conditioning. You want to develop a better kick when you swim and a sense of kicking gears, which is how and how hard to kick for various events.
I have a fairly fast kick and a strong kick but if I kick too hard or too soon then I won't perform as well in a race. I've had trouble with the 100 free and feel like I haven't had a good 100 fr since 1996.
