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.
had another big kicking break through today
Sun Dec 20th
100 fast flutter kick for time
wore b70 legs
dove
use jon's big yellow board
went 1:02.1
this is close be my liftetime best 100 flutter kick with a board from college
Fr Dec 18th
50 flutter kick with a board
went 27
Tue Dec 15th, 2009
100 scy flutter kick with board
dive start with board
wore: briefs
Todd & Tyler timed with the pace clock
went 1:07
with or without a board?
helps to pace 50's & up
one armstroke is fine
try putting more rest between efforts
kicking times
25 / 50 / 75 / 100 scy
12/22/09 :17, :39, 1:04, 1:30, push, pace clock
12/16/09 :18, :40, 1:03, 1:30, push, pace clock
12/09/09 :18, :40, 1:04, 1:33, push, pace clock
paced the 50 this time.
25 @ 90%, 25 blast. think i need to pace more at 75 & 100.
did flip turns on the 100.
should i do one armstroke into the wall when i flip turn?
more improvement
you've significantly improved your kicking. It should transfer into faster swimming speed
flip the list put your most recent times at the top and oldest times at the bottom
ande
0:34 11/18/09 (SCM)
0:27 11/23/09 (SCM)
0:25 12/1/09 (SCM)
0:24 12/3/09 (SCM)
0:23 12/5/09 (SCM)
0:21.96 12/12/09 (SCM)
0:19 12/16/09 25 (SCY, timed by pool timer)
0:17.34 12/22/09 (SCY, timed by stopwatch)
Anyone else want to work on improving your flutter kick?
LINKS to Speed Training Programs:
Try them out, report your results.
Help My flutter Kick is Horrible
U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums - View Single Post - Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible!
my original advice
Help my SDK is Horrible
Help! My SDK is Horrible! - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
Help my Speed is Horrible
Help My Speed is Horrible! - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
kicking times
25 / 50 / 75 / 100 scy
12/22/09 :17, :39, 1:04, 1:30, push, pace clock
12/16/09 :18, :40, 1:03, 1:30, push, pace clock
12/09/09 :18, :40, 1:04, 1:33, push, pace clock
paced the 50 this time. 25 @90%, 25 blast. think i need to pace more at 75 & 100.
did flip turns on the 100.
should i do one armstroke into the wall when i flip turn?
with or without a board?
helps to pace 50's & up
one armstroke is fine
try putting more rest between efforts
no board. streamlined with snorkle.
ok. more rest next time.
thanks
I have been doing this kick program for a couple of weeks with two masters buddies, and have started to get really bad leg and foot cramps. I think all of the rest in the 25 m kick sets is letting my muscles cool down too much. Should I just cut back on the rest, or do an easy 50 swim instead of resting at the wall?
Hey Redbird,
depends how floaty the board is.
In college I preferred to use a longer thicker board that floated better than the small skinny ones I usually use.
I think it might be faster to kick with your head down, face in water, lift it up to breathe. I'm also a fan of kicking without a board, flutter on belly or on back streamlined. find how it feels best and do it that way.
Ande
Ande -
A question about the board... (or maybe two)
You said you hold the board at the top, palms down (so I am assuming your forearms are on top of the board?). Is the board on top of the water or submerged?
I have been practicing with the same relative arm position as you, only keeping the board submerged a few inches so my forearms are about an inch below the surface, more aligned with where they would be if I was kicking sans board. It helps prevent shoulder strain for me on long kick sets, and it is easier to get my head neutral when not breathing.
I would be interested in yourt thoughts on this practice.
Matt
I use the same board in the same manner for this challenge just to keep my times standardized.
Using a stopwatch to 0.00 seconds now that I hit a 18-19 second wall and quit improving. But the kicking has already paid off, I did 25y in 12.XX seconds from a push last night following two workouts the same day (tired).
