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.
12/1/11: 19.08 flutter w/ board, 24.20 flutter on back, 13.24 sprint free, 14.48 sprint fly
12/17/11: 19.30 flutter w/ board, 25.12 flutter on back
1/8/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.23; 25Y Flutter K on back: 24.05; 25Y fly swim: 13.90
1/18/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.78; 25Y Flutter K on back: 25.63
I'll be working on ankle flexibility and leg strength and endurance. My endurance ability is lagging (I struggle with 10x50 kick in 55s on 1:10), though this isn't as much a factor in a 25.
This week I did a shorter set of 10x50 swim on 1:00 in 32-33s, so the last one was about all out. I'd love to get that under 30s average.
12/1/11: 19.08 flutter w/ board, 24.20 flutter on back, 13.24 sprint free, 14.48 sprint fly
12/17/11: 19.30 flutter w/ board, 25.12 flutter on back
1/8/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.23; 25Y Flutter K on back: 24.05; 25Y fly swim: 13.90
1/18/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.78; 25Y Flutter K on back: 25.63
1/25/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.38; 25Y Flutter K on back: 24.11; 25Y fly swim: 14.45(*) 25Y Free swim: 13.60(*)
*both of these were horribly timed.
18.38 was a near-PB. To be honest, I've been doing only 1-2 hard kicking sets a week outside of the testing day and they are with intervals 50m+. I might try adding more all out 25s, although my sprinting is relatively better.
by horribly timed I mean I try to awkwardly time the finish so that my left hand touches the wall as my right hand stops the watch on my left hand. sometimes I get it right, but regardless it involves slowing down at the finish. the only case where this isn't a problem so much is 25 flutter kick.
Have you thought about not stopping your watch and just giving it a quick look, right after you touch? On 25's, I wear my watch and do this, remembering my time for when I return to the other end. At the starting end, I keep a Promate dive slate and write down my times between intervals.
For 50's and 100's, I keep my watch by the edge of the pool and just look up after I touch. I write down those times, as well.
12/1/11: 19.08 flutter w/ board, 24.20 flutter on back, 13.24 sprint free, 14.48 sprint fly
12/17/11: 19.30 flutter w/ board, 25.12 flutter on back
1/8/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.23; 25Y Flutter K on back: 24.05; 25Y fly swim: 13.90
1/18/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.78; 25Y Flutter K on back: 25.63
1/25/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.38; 25Y Flutter K on back: 24.11; 25Y fly swim: 14.45(*) 25Y Free swim: 13.60(*)
2/2/12: 25Y Flutter K WB: 18.39; 25 Flutter K on back: 25.x
by horribly timed I mean I try to awkwardly time the finish so that my left hand touches the wall as my right hand stops the watch on my left hand. sometimes I get it right, but regardless it involves slowing down at the finish. the only case where this isn't a problem so much is 25 flutter kick.
one foolproof method would be video footage filmed from below the surface.
But guessing it would probably be one or more of the following:
- too wide of kick
- improper approach
- excessive drag (sinking legs)
- stiff ankles
- inaccurate stopwatch (I'm convinced all my slow times I accomplish consistantry are because of this )
p
Today I did two 25 M test kicks
25 meters SFK 14.1
25 meters SDK 12.4
Test your times and post 'em
Ande
Tonight I did 10 x 25 m freestyle kicking. Times varieing from 28 sec to 23 sec. with a normal push off from the wall. (no SDK) I noticed that my first 12 meters are faster then the last. The closer I get to the wall, the slower it seems to go. Is there an explanation for?
Tonight I did 10 x 25 m freestyle kicking. Times varieing from 28 sec to 23 sec. with a normal push off from the wall. (no SDK) I noticed that my first 12 meters are faster then the last. The closer I get to the wall, the slower it seems to go. Is there an explanation for?
its because the "push" takes care of much of the first 12m plus you are using a different energy system for approx the first 10sec ATP-PC
