A serious question (I know, how unlikely is that?): I've been on the shelf most of the year since Nov., and I'm really curious as to how the new allowance of the single dolphin kick is being called. Not the official interpretation, but the actual experience of fellow breastrokers in meets, whether Open or Masters, local, zone or nats. At the time we originally discussed the new rule, there was the sentiment that some would push the envelope towards the second half-kick- is this happening, or are some calling it super-tight to avoid that?
I wouldn't be surprised to find out that those who cheated under the old rule are trying to get away with two kicks, now that they are allowed to do one.
But I tried to do that once, just to see how and when it could be done, and I didn't find a place in the pullout that allows for a second tiny kick.
But for years people got away with one dolphin kick. I'm sure some will get away with two.
A teammate got DQ'd last weekend for doing the dolphin kick before starting the pull, so the officials are watching.
The real bummer is that it was in the 200. That's a long way to swim for no result.
That guy shouldn't have been disqualified. The rules say you only have to do the dolphin kick before the first breaststroke kick. There is no rule saying it must be done "simultaneous" to the arm pull. That's just when the majority of people do it. I've seen top-notch swimmer do it right before the pull, as this guy did. No DQ.
If I were that guy I'd appeal. But it probably wasn't that big a deal in the end.
I agree with Jeff. Here's the actual wording from the USMS rule book:
"After the start and after each turn, a single downward butterfl y (dolphin) kick followed by a breaststroke kick is permitted while wholly submerged, following which, all movements of the legs shall be simultaneous and in the same horizontal plane without
alternating movement."
Unless I'm missing something, I disagree with Erik. The amplitude of the dolphin kick isn't at issue. As long as there's only one dolphin kick, and it is followed by a breaststroke kick everything's copacetic. There's nothing that says it has to be "natural." In fact, I think that's why they chose to change the rule in the first place. It was just too difficult to determine whether some swimmer's legs were just doing a natural undulation or whether they were doing a conscious dolphin kick. Now there's no guess work. A dolphin kick is allowed.
I've brought up the nebulousness of the "downward kick" wording before. Unless you can hyperextend your knees I don't see how you can kick down without kicking up first.
I clarified with our team rep that "that guy," who is a woman, was DQ'd for taking the dolphin before the pull. Is part of the problem the rule that says "Throughout the race the stroke cycle must be one arm stroke and one leg kick in that order"? And then the interpretation is that the dolphin must be simultaneous with or after the pull in order to be before the kick? I was taught that we had to do it that way (which doesn't make it right), and I think there was a comment or interpretation of the new rule floating around at one time which said just that.
The breastroke rule expressly allows the feet to clear the surface, as long as it is not part of the dolphin kick.
I've tried to do this kick several times when doing ***, but it just didn't seem to come naturally (my coach even tried working with me). I just couldn't get my timing right. Now with the possibility of getting DQ'd, it is something I'm not about to even try in a race. The extra few seconds I could save would be in vain, especially for a 200.
For some reason, we've been doing a bit of 'non-free' lately. The other day we had something like 100 free, 100 nonfree, 200, 300, 400, 300, 200, 100 all of each, and I did all the nonfree as ***. A 400 *** really takes alot out of you!!! Maybe I'll do a meet this year so I can see if I've improved any.
In the last swim meet I participated in, the referee announced the rule prior to the first *** stroke event. A single dolphin kick is allowed when done simultaneously when pulling your arms down in the breastroke breakout.
IMHO, the rule change is no worse than when the rules changed to allow your head to go underwater in the *** stroke.
Or allowing swimmers to turn over on their stomach for the backstroke turn.
Or allowing dolphin kicks at the start and turns of backstroke and freestyle.
I was trying the kick in the fall (and as all who know me realize, I have a pathetic dolphin kick) & found that there was a very natural position for this kick, just after an agressive pulldown & was rewarded with a sudden surge, so I think it is worthwhile for a breastroker to cultivate. Equally, I can't conceive of doing it off the last turn of a 200 as I find it tiring.
What I find alarming is if those that find this kick easy are able to 'get away' with even more than now allowed, hence my concern. If any of you practitioners of the beautiful stroke are going to nats, it would be good to get feedback after that meet.
