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.
Moving this over from "swim fast faster"
I've been working on developing speed for a single length (to me that is 33 yds)
Like Ande suggests I am doing 2 rounds of 4x33 with a minute rest, evens fast. I am kicking with a board, but also with a snorkle so I don't loose body position when breathing. The snorkle is making a big difference.
I am kicking the fast ones 32-35. That would be a 1:36 pace for a 100. I am encouraged by this!
Hey Rtodd,
you train 5 - 6x/wk & ave 2500 per practice
How long are you in the pool for each practice?
consider ramping up your yardage
from 2.5k to
3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 or 5k per practice
Do you train alone or with a team or partner/s?
your 500 time is 6:10 & you'd like to go under 6:00
Train to do that and go way under 6:00
you wrote your kick is "The worst"
you flutter kicked 100 with a board in 2:42. (ave 40.5 per 25)
Rtodd, for now, ONLY focus on improving your kicking speed for 15m, 25's, & 33's, forget 50's, 66's, 75's & 100's kick, you need more speed.
Wear fins for 1/2 to 3/4ths of your kick sets
Do 2 to 4 rounds of this flutter kick set per practice:
4 x (15 or 25 or 33) kick
odds: easy Rest 30 - 45 sec
evens: FAST BLAST rest 5 - 10,
pay attention to your times
ASK a friend to video you kicking from the side and youtube it
You really want to get to that next level & think kicking might be the answer. YES get kick baselines and post.
What percentage of my workout should be kick?
not much
just 200 to 400 or 2 x (4 x 25) or 4 x (4 x 25)
The key is KICK really FAST when it's time to kick fast
when you're kicking easy concentrate on efficiency
Wear fins for half of your kick sets
also work on your SDK
do 2 x (4 x 25) SDK in practice
1 round with fins, 1 round NO fins
on FAST just kick half way across the pool then swim easy free or kick on your side or back
currently you kick 200 in warmup and that's it.
No in practice kick sets ever. Is this a huge mistake?
YES, kick fast in every practice
TEST once a week:
Do a VERY fast 25 or 33 flutter kick and SDK
Then REPORT YOUR RESULTS in Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible.
I hope over time it will become less horrible and maybe even decent
__________________
Happy Laps to you,
A n d e
Texas
A n d e R a s m u s s e n @ aol.com
512 217 2728 cell
www.usms.org/.../toptenin...wimmerID=02P06
Ande's Swimming Blog
www.usms.org/.../showthread.php
Swim Faster Faster
www.usms.org/.../showthread.php
Ask Ande
www.usms.org/.../showthread.phpwww.SwimFasterFaster.com
I write songs, you can hear 'em at:
http://songramp.com/andehttp://www.myspace.com/anders
Moving this over from "swim fast faster"
I've been working on developing speed for a single length (to me that is 33 yds)
Like Ande suggests I am doing 2 rounds of 4x33 with a minute rest, evens fast. I am kicking with a board, but also with a snorkle so I don't loose body position when breathing. The snorkle is making a big difference.
I am kicking the fast ones 32-35. That would be a 1:36 pace for a 100. I am encouraged by this!
Hey Rtodd,
you train 5 - 6x/wk & ave 2500 per practice
How long are you in the pool for each practice?
consider ramping up your yardage
from 2.5k to
3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 or 5k per practice
Do you train alone or with a team or partner/s?
your 500 time is 6:10 & you'd like to go under 6:00
Train to do that and go way under 6:00
you wrote your kick is "The worst"
you flutter kicked 100 with a board in 2:42. (ave 40.5 per 25)
Rtodd, for now, ONLY focus on improving your kicking speed for 15m, 25's, & 33's, forget 50's, 66's, 75's & 100's kick, you need more speed.
Wear fins for 1/2 to 3/4ths of your kick sets
Do 2 to 4 rounds of this flutter kick set per practice:
4 x (15 or 25 or 33) kick
odds: easy Rest 30 - 45 sec
evens: FAST BLAST rest 5 - 10,
pay attention to your times
ASK a friend to video you kicking from the side and youtube it
You really want to get to that next level & think kicking might be the answer. YES get kick baselines and post.
What percentage of my workout should be kick?
not much
just 200 to 400 or 2 x (4 x 25) or 4 x (4 x 25)
The key is KICK really FAST when it's time to kick fast
when you're kicking easy concentrate on efficiency
Wear fins for half of your kick sets
also work on your SDK
do 2 x (4 x 25) SDK in practice
1 round with fins, 1 round NO fins
on FAST just kick half way across the pool then swim easy free or kick on your side or back
currently you kick 200 in warmup and that's it.
No in practice kick sets ever. Is this a huge mistake?
YES, kick fast in every practice
TEST once a week:
Do a VERY fast 25 or 33 flutter kick and SDK
Then REPORT YOUR RESULTS in Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible.
I hope over time it will become less horrible and maybe even decent
__________________
Happy Laps to you,
A n d e
Texas
A n d e R a s m u s s e n @ aol.com
512 217 2728 cell
www.usms.org/.../toptenin...wimmerID=02P06
Ande's Swimming Blog
www.usms.org/.../showthread.php
Swim Faster Faster
www.usms.org/.../showthread.php
Ask Ande
www.usms.org/.../showthread.phpwww.SwimFasterFaster.com
I write songs, you can hear 'em at:
http://songramp.com/andehttp://www.myspace.com/anders
