Now that I've finally managed to get my 2-beat freestyle kick timing more or less corrected (left leg kicking down on right hand entry, etc.), I'm wondering if the same principle applies to the backstroke kick?
Most backstroke kicking advice I've seen seems to be of the "just kick continuously" variety.
Does it make sense to work on kicking up with the opposite foot at hand entry in backstroke?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Parents
Former Member
If you are going for speed then you have to kick all out and gradually add in arms and arm speed in practice. For a 200 back the kick should still be at the same pace just not as hard. I kick maybe 8-10 times per stroke, and, like any other stroke, the kick is probably 70-80% of your propulsive force if done properly at a high speed. Make it work for you. Don't lose even one moment of kicking time in a race.
That is why fast kickers in practice are always the fastest swimmers in meets, whereas fast pullers are often workout warriors who don't go any faster in meets than in practice.
Backstroke, like freestyle, is not a rhythm stroke. It is all out kick combined with arm speed and they are independent of each other. There is no timing issue, except in a 800 or 1500 free. Even then, the top distance swimmers are using a 6 beat kick in those races. The 400 is more or less a sprint with a full kick now.
If you are going for speed then you have to kick all out and gradually add in arms and arm speed in practice. For a 200 back the kick should still be at the same pace just not as hard. I kick maybe 8-10 times per stroke, and, like any other stroke, the kick is probably 70-80% of your propulsive force if done properly at a high speed. Make it work for you. Don't lose even one moment of kicking time in a race.
That is why fast kickers in practice are always the fastest swimmers in meets, whereas fast pullers are often workout warriors who don't go any faster in meets than in practice.
Backstroke, like freestyle, is not a rhythm stroke. It is all out kick combined with arm speed and they are independent of each other. There is no timing issue, except in a 800 or 1500 free. Even then, the top distance swimmers are using a 6 beat kick in those races. The 400 is more or less a sprint with a full kick now.
