Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible!

Long time no write. I ended up getting a craniotomy and taking a 2-1/2 week unscheduled break from the pool. The surgeon removed a large benign growth that was smushing my brainstem and causing physical problems. Surprise! Then I did dry-head kickboard workouts for another 2+ weeks. I was kicking about 2000y total with fins with solid effort -- burning quads and high heart rate. I had significant atrophy and some anemia but kicking with fins built my legs back up very quickly. 5 weeks post-op I was allowed to swim/dip my head in pool water. I still do not kick any faster than I did before surgery. I still mostly drag my legs when I swim. Yet I dropped a lot of time on my swims almost immediately - 15 seconds on a 200y free. I'm swimming faster than I have for years. I believe this is a result of the surgery and effects on my brainstem. I thought for sure all the kicking would make me faster at it, but it didn't. The other night during warmdown I did a little kicking while hanging on the laneropes so I could watch my feet kick. My feet don't travel in a straight path - they wobble and feather even though the legs travel where I want them to. I think this might be an important clue. The feet seem to dump water rather than catching it. When I kick barefoot it feels kind of like fist swimming. Has anyone else felt like this, or seen others who kick like this ? Our team's coaches hadn't heard of this. Ande, I have your recommendations from earlier but haven't had the opportunity to try them out. I still am not diving and we're very constrained on pool space so I don't get to call the shots on what we do at practice.

Hey Mazzy, congratulations you've made some excellent progress you're still dropping by chunks work on integrating your kick with your swim Test your swimming times if you have a fast suit, consider wearing it when you test your kick also how much rest are you taking before you test 1 minute? 3 minutes? 5 minutes? or more think about the factors that effect your performance good luck Ande (Push off the wall, kickboard, Timing Myself, SCM pool, 25m ) - Early October 45.0 - Early january 30.5s - 2/9 28.1 secs - 3/1 27.4 secs - 5/10 26.8 secs - 5/28 25.4 secs

Today I've a little breakthrough on my Kick. I've stopped to go at gym since april, so no more lifting weight due a lack of time in last 2 months. Last Week I've restarted to workout a little in my house using some light weights. I use the Ankle Weights for my legs, with some classical exercise on the ground or from stand up position. Well, today, after 3 light home workouts, the legs feel surprising a little bit better in the water. Nearly at the start of workouts I've tried 2 all-out 25m going 26.5 - 26.7 secs Later, feeling that the legs was still fresh I've tried againg, this time going out just like a 15m blast, surprising the legs keep going, going...until the end for a new PB 25.4 secs.:banana: Surprise from the results, some minutes later, I've tried again for a nearly match at 25.5 secs:woot: Maybe it's due at some luckly coincidence, but 1.2 secs is a notable drop, maybe it's working out with the ankle weight Vs Leg press/extensions/curls that conditioning my legs better. Looking at world class swimmers I don't see overly imposing legs, but they look more on the slender style. some work with elastic band, ankle weights look promising, for the next few weeks I'll pay more attentions about this. My previous goal of under 25 Secs before the end of July, look nearly a walk in the park at this time..... Time to raise the bar ? :) Recap : (Push off the wall, kickboard, Timing Myself, SCM pool, 25m ) - Early October 45.0 - Early january 30.5s - 2/9 28.1 secs - 3/1 27.4 secs - 5/10 26.8 secs - 5/28 25.4 secs

Hey Mazzy, congratulations you've made some excellent progress you're still dropping by chunks work on integrating your kick with your swim Test your swimming times if you have a fast suit, consider wearing it when you test your kick also how much rest are you taking before you test 1 minute? 3 minutes? 5 minutes? or more think about the factors that effect your performance good luck Ande Thanks. I've a very long way ahead before I'll ever think about fast suite, I'm improving but I'm still a mediocre swimmer by any very low standard, after a setback 2 months ago, the kicking times are starting again to drop and this's great. I try to be as consistent as possible in all the aspect of the timing. I'll take as much rest as I need, 2-3 minutes on average, until I feel well rested before to go. I'm still working to integrate a 6-beat kick, but still I struggle with the correct timing big time. My freestyle is still a working in progress (I've re-started last september after 24-years out), I think that I need at least a more full season before my entire stroke come around at least in a decent form, after I'll look more and more at the my swim time, for now I can swim for 50m only , any longer distance I need a little rest in between.

nancy, I'm not sure what to tell you I've purposely avoided commenting on injuries and post surgery stuff because that's the realm for doctors and physical therapists. I'd really need to see what you mean by "My feet don't go travel in a straight path - they wobble and feather even though the legs travel where I want them to. I think this might be an important clue. The feet seem to dump water rather than catching it. When I kick barefoot it feels kind of like fist swimming. Has anyone else felt like this, or seen others who kick like this ? Our team's coaches hadn't heard of this." I've never heard of it either, could you make a video and put it on youtube? Ande Long time no write. I ended up getting a craniotomy and taking a 2-1/2 week unscheduled break from the pool. The surgeon removed a large benign growth that was smushing my brainstem and causing physical problems. Surprise! Then I did dry-head kickboard workouts for another 2+ weeks. I was kicking about 2000y total with fins with solid effort -- burning quads and high heart rate. I had significant atrophy and some anemia but kicking with fins built my legs back up very quickly. 5 weeks post-op I was allowed to swim/dip my head in pool water. I still do not kick any faster than I did before surgery. I still mostly drag my legs when I swim. Yet I dropped a lot of time on my swims almost immediately - 15 seconds on a 200y free. I'm swimming faster than I have for years. I believe this is a result of the surgery and effects on my brainstem. I thought for sure all the kicking would make me faster at it, but it didn't. The other night during warmdown I did a little kicking while hanging on the laneropes so I could watch my feet kick. My feet don't go travel in a straight path - they wobble and feather even though the legs travel where I want them to. I think this might be an important clue. The feet seem to dump water rather than catching it. When I kick barefoot it feels kind of like fist swimming. Has anyone else felt like this, or seen others who kick like this ? Our team's coaches hadn't heard of this. Ande, I have your recommendations from earlier but haven't had the opportunity to try them out. I still am not diving and we're very constrained on pool space so I don't get to call the shots on what we do at practice.

any updates don't let up with your training and testing stay focused consistency is the only way to kick faster ande

notsofast thanks for reporting pretty soon you may need to change your name to sortafast or WannaBeSpeedy That was five weeks ago. Today: 1) 33.20 2) 25.01 3) 17.04 I'll add a 50 free time in the next day or so, when I swim one. For 2), today was the first time I made it across the pool face down without coming up for a breath. That alone probably shaved a second off my time. A better contrast comes from an old log book I found. Last September, my 25 yard kick was 33 seconds. My 50 free was 40.

1) 25 yds kick with board: 32.17 (Not my favorite activity) 2) 25 yds kick no board: 25.55 3) 25 free: 17.38 4) 50 free: 38.88 That was five weeks ago. Today: 1) 33.20 2) 25.01 3) 17.04 I'll add a 50 free time in the next day or so, when I swim one. For 2), today was the first time I made it across the pool face down without coming up for a breath. That alone probably shaved a second off my time. A better contrast comes from an old log book I found. Last September, my 25 yard kick was 33 seconds. My 50 free was 40.

I have goals. I will reach them.

hey mazzy way to go you're still chopping down that time in chunks ande (Push off the wall, kickboard, Timing Myself, SCM pool, 25m ) - Early October 45.0 - Early january 30.5s - 2/9 28.1 secs - 3/1 27.4 secs - 5/10 26.8 secs - 5/28 25.4 secs - 7/2 24.3 secs