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.
I haven't recommended flutter kicking with a pull bouy though brendan does sometimes when he kicks ***
I suggest doing the sets the way I explaind them them
you need to get used to blasting your legs all out and kicking as fast as you can
do some 15 meter sprints too
make a video of you kicking and put it up on youtube for us to view
you need to break through and get back on the improvement track
be warmed up but fresh when you do your test kick
get psyched just before you go
push off hard and blast our legs
congratulations on your progress and keep after it
ande
Till now:
3/1: 30.2
3/8: 28.0
3/15: 27.12
3/22: 27.62
3/29: 26.27
This week
4/4: 27.18
Lately I've done drills kicking on my back with a pull-buoy. (I found a video of it on goswim.tv but can't find it again, so can't provide a link.) I guess the idea is to generate power from the hips and transfer it to the lower legs, which I suppose translates into better technique. It gives a good burn to the leg muscles, but does this sound like a good drill to improve technique? If not, any other ideas?
Till now:
3/1: 30.2
3/8: 28.0
3/15: 27.12
3/22: 27.62
3/29: 26.27
This week
4/4: 27.18
Lately I've done drills kicking on my back with a pull-buoy. (I found a video of it on goswim.tv but can't find it again, so can't provide a link.) I guess the idea is to generate power from the hips and transfer it to the lower legs, which I suppose translates into better technique. It gives a good burn to the leg muscles, but does this sound like a good drill to improve technique? If not, any other ideas?
THANK YOU ANDE!
You are right on needing to learn how to kick and SDK.
I've been kicking and doing kick sets with and without a board.
Went from 1:00.3 to 58.5 in the 100 fly (in literally a few months); 55.19 to 54.5 (in 1 month); 1:59 in the 200 free (best as a 17 year old was 2:02.8). I'm still a slow kicker but at least I am swimming more w/ my legs. You are so right on with your advice. I am not worthy of your advice. :bow::bow:
Next I'm focusing on becoming a fast kicker. Pigs may fly first, but I'm working on it.
congratulations
4/11: 25.15 is a breakthrough!
Till now:
3/1: 30.2
3/8: 28.0
3/15: 27.12
3/22: 27.62
3/29: 26.27
4/4: 27.18
This week:
4/11: 25.15
Smaller kicks, more of 'em.
NYT Article on Ryan Lochte, with a section on the importance of kicking.
Thanks for the link. I bet most swimmers could probably handle even more kicking than swimming in a workout. Might be one way to extend the lifespan of one's shoulders...I should put more of it into my workout.
congratulations
4/11: 25.15 is a breakthrough!
Felt like it. Kind of odd kicking and actually moving.
Thanks for the encouragement, Ande. It makes a big difference.
I've seen a girl here dolphin kick with board & no fins, 100m repeated sets in 1:10 in a 50m pool (Fremont HS in Sunnyvale, CA)!
Are you 100% sure of that sendoff? If so, that is truly remarkable.
aqualung my friend,
you poor old sod
i suggest you stop
eyeing little girls with bad intent
who are kicking way faster than you
have you been
Feeling like a dead duck
you need your
Leg hurting bad
screaming agony
when you finish a fast 25
you snatch your rattling last breaths
I suggest you read and apply the tips in this thread and before you know it
flowers bloom like madness in the spring
please start doing the
fast 25 kick sets each day then
test your kicking speed once a week
then report your results here
don't start away uneasy
start
Taking time the only way he knows
soon you should be making remarkable improvements
good luck and I look forward to reading your results
Ande
READERS:
If you're a slow kicker, You can improve your kick
Here's how
and when you do you'll swim faster
TRY IT, APPLY IT and post your progress
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I'm brand new to this forum and this is my first post because this thread is quite interesting.
Have you all been talking meters or yards?
When I go all out flutter with board & no fins, I can do 50y in 0:45 in a 25y pool.
If I mosey along, it takes 0:55 or so. My best 50y free is 0:56 in a 25y pool. Is the kicking helping anything else properly? Am I doing something wrong?
What do you do for the next level?
I've seen a girl here dolphin kick with board & no fins, 100m sets in 1:10 in a 50m pool (Fremont HS in Sunnyvale, CA)! What the hell?!!
