I was trying to practice my kicks, i tried slow and fast, neither will move me across the lap at all without my arms.
I was using a kicking board, and i will kick from my hips, or quads, nothing. Wont' move an inch.
can someone please tell me why??
Parents
Former Member
Originally posted by Bob McAdams
Whenever I've seen a swimmer not move at all by kicking, it was because they weren't pointing their toes enough. Good swimmers will normally have their toes pointed so they're more or less in line with their shins. If you don't do that, it's even possible for your kick to move you backwards!
It may help to practice with fins for awhile. Fins have the effect of forcing your ankles to flex. Just make sure you don't become dependent on them.
I'd also suggest getting rid of the kickboard. If you're balanced in the water, you shouldn't need one to do kicking laps, and it tends to hold your body in a position that is very unlike what you will use when you're swimming.
Also, remember that most of your propulsion in swimming doesn't come from your kick. One of the dangers when you do lots of kicking laps is that your objective can become to develop a kick that's powerful rather than a kick that's streamlined. A wide, flailing kick can be very powerful, and may actually help you to go faster when you're doing kicking laps with a kickboard, but it's so unstreamlined that it can slow you down when you go to whole stroke swimming.
Bob
I second the idea of ditching the kickboard as well as focusing on a streamlined kick. The only thing I would add is that kickboards can bring on shoulder problems if used incorrectly. Any kicking I do is on my back in streamline.
Originally posted by Bob McAdams
Whenever I've seen a swimmer not move at all by kicking, it was because they weren't pointing their toes enough. Good swimmers will normally have their toes pointed so they're more or less in line with their shins. If you don't do that, it's even possible for your kick to move you backwards!
It may help to practice with fins for awhile. Fins have the effect of forcing your ankles to flex. Just make sure you don't become dependent on them.
I'd also suggest getting rid of the kickboard. If you're balanced in the water, you shouldn't need one to do kicking laps, and it tends to hold your body in a position that is very unlike what you will use when you're swimming.
Also, remember that most of your propulsion in swimming doesn't come from your kick. One of the dangers when you do lots of kicking laps is that your objective can become to develop a kick that's powerful rather than a kick that's streamlined. A wide, flailing kick can be very powerful, and may actually help you to go faster when you're doing kicking laps with a kickboard, but it's so unstreamlined that it can slow you down when you go to whole stroke swimming.
Bob
I second the idea of ditching the kickboard as well as focusing on a streamlined kick. The only thing I would add is that kickboards can bring on shoulder problems if used incorrectly. Any kicking I do is on my back in streamline.
