Does anyone else here NOT kick when they swim freestyle?
When I was 19, a coach told me that a lot of "real" freestylers don't kick, which was a surprise to me because every other coach I'd had would yell at me to kick during my events. I grew up thinking I was the odd one out, but maybe someone on here knows what I'm talking about...
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Former Member
Sometimes that advice departs from the prevailing paradigms, which prompts some to repeat cliched criticisms of TI.
Earlier in this thread you posted (in part):
"The kick really shouldn't be used for balance as redistributing weight and mass above the waist is a far more efficient way to accomplish that. In short sprints it may contribute something to propulsion, but that is probably neglible."
You also used the analogy of a car with front and rear wheels turning at different speeds. My response was:
"There is a problem with this analogy. The wheels of the car are turning at a constant speed, but a swimmer has periods of acceleration and deceleration during each stroke cycle.
Clearly there are many swimmers with a very propulsive kick, Popov being a good example (able to kick 50m in 28 seconds). As for distance swimmers, Bill Rose has stated that a six beat kick was an essential part of Lars Jensen's success in the 1500 in Athens.
Many coaches (Maglischo among them) believe that the primary function of a nonpropulsive kick is to provide balance. Supporting this view is the example of a swimmer with a relatively weak kick who is faster with a pull buoy than full stroke swimming. Presumably hip rotation is no better (and possibly worse) with a pull buoy than without.
I have heard it said (Rick DeMont?) that you should build your stroke around your strengths; specifically, if you have a propulsive kick, by all means build the stroke around it."
No criticism of TI here, so perhaps you would care to address these points?
Sometimes that advice departs from the prevailing paradigms, which prompts some to repeat cliched criticisms of TI.
Earlier in this thread you posted (in part):
"The kick really shouldn't be used for balance as redistributing weight and mass above the waist is a far more efficient way to accomplish that. In short sprints it may contribute something to propulsion, but that is probably neglible."
You also used the analogy of a car with front and rear wheels turning at different speeds. My response was:
"There is a problem with this analogy. The wheels of the car are turning at a constant speed, but a swimmer has periods of acceleration and deceleration during each stroke cycle.
Clearly there are many swimmers with a very propulsive kick, Popov being a good example (able to kick 50m in 28 seconds). As for distance swimmers, Bill Rose has stated that a six beat kick was an essential part of Lars Jensen's success in the 1500 in Athens.
Many coaches (Maglischo among them) believe that the primary function of a nonpropulsive kick is to provide balance. Supporting this view is the example of a swimmer with a relatively weak kick who is faster with a pull buoy than full stroke swimming. Presumably hip rotation is no better (and possibly worse) with a pull buoy than without.
I have heard it said (Rick DeMont?) that you should build your stroke around your strengths; specifically, if you have a propulsive kick, by all means build the stroke around it."
No criticism of TI here, so perhaps you would care to address these points?
