"What do YOU need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?"

How are you dropping your elbow? Is it during the catch, as you breath you let your left arm drift down straightenend instead of setting up a vertical forearm catch? Actually I believe I was allowing my forearm to sweep under me rather than staying vertical. My coach did in fact suggest leaving my arm extended before the catch just a bit longer.

200's, 400's 500's ... it can also be sets in practice on shorter stuff where you're not getting much rest ande By "longer stuff" you mean anything longer than 100M?

The one major area I must do is to stop thinking a long set of fast cruising is a suitable substitution for a shorter speed set.

you're a man on a mission consider these: Get stronger with weight training develop a faster kick I don't know if pushing off on your side on turns is a bad thing what races? Looking ahead to 2008, when I age up. I need to: Lift more weights Fix my stroke--I'm dropping my left elbow Fix my turns--too much splash, pushing off on my side Develop a stronger kick (without fins) Maintain bilateral breathing, esp. on tougher sets

Looking ahead to 2008, when I age up. I need to: Lift more weights Fix my stroke--I'm dropping my left elbow Fix my turns--too much splash, pushing off on my side Develop a stronger kick (without fins) Maintain bilateral breathing, esp. on tougher sets

...what races? The 500 and the 1000.

Maintain bilateral breathing, esp. on tougher sets Bilateral in practice only or in your races as well?

Well, I had a case of the terrible freestyle kick. Nothing worked in my age group/high school/college years but I was so far behind the rest of my teammates I became depressed and hopeless rather than doing something about it. Last spring (a year and a half ago) I had an appendectomy with complications and all I was allowed to do after the first two months after recovering from the complications was walk. At first very slowly, for very short distances and eventually up to a couple mile power walk. I noticed when I got back into the pool my kick felt a bit stronger than usual but went back to plain swimming and was still as slow as usual despite trying various kick drills, etc. My kick was holding steady and slow showing no signs of improvement even though all my other swimming was getting faster and comparably much faster than my kicking. In March I decided I didn't have much time to spend in the pool, so I would need to make the most of cross training to get my aerobic base and concentrate on technique and sprints in the pool. So I literally LEARNED to run (something never before attempted) and starting enjoying cycling more over the spring and summer. I was hoping through all this that it would improve my kicking but also overall endurance. I also spent most of my summer practices in open water, so haven't really been able to measure small individual progresses well. Well, 3 weeks ago I started getting back in the pool and HOLY COW!!!! My very, very sad 25 yard sprint flutter kick with board making my legs scream for mercy has turned from 45 seconds at best into 28 seconds! My kicking over longer distances averaging about 50 seconds per 25 is now averging 35 seconds per 25. So, what do I need to have a major swimming breakthrough? Buck all conventions and dare to do something totally different because I had a hunch it would work for me.

I think I mainly do it when I breathe to the right. I'm wondering if this has something to do with the fact that my left shoulder is the one that I had problems with. It is very helpful having a coach on the deck. I think it's a safe bet that the shoulder has something to do with it. No matter how much I rehab mine, it's still compromised and not as strong as the other. I could definitely use more coaching. Way to go Michelle! I was a runner previously. I have a strong kick (at least partially) as a result, although I often forget to use it. :shakeshead: However, guru Ande will tell you to forget the running and focus on your kicking in the pool.

Dear Lucky Bucker, congratulations on improving your kick this thread contains more info on the how to improve kicks www.usms.org/.../showthread.php I think for many people, kicking fast is a mental thing. Ande Well, I had a case of the terrible freestyle kick. Nothing worked in my age group/high school/college years but I was so far behind the rest of my teammates I became depressed and hopeless rather than doing something about it. Last spring (a year and a half ago) I had an appendectomy with complications and all I was allowed to do after the first two months after recovering from the complications was walk. At first very slowly, for very short distances and eventually up to a couple mile power walk. I noticed when I got back into the pool my kick felt a bit stronger than usual but went back to plain swimming and was still as slow as usual despite trying various kick drills, etc. My kick was holding steady and slow showing no signs of improvement even though all my other swimming was getting faster and comparably much faster than my kicking. In March I decided I didn't have much time to spend in the pool, so I would need to make the most of cross training to get my aerobic base and concentrate on technique and sprints in the pool. So I literally LEARNED to run (something never before attempted) and starting enjoying cycling more over the spring and summer. I was hoping through all this that it would improve my kicking but also overall endurance. I also spent most of my summer practices in open water, so haven't really been able to measure small individual progresses well. Well, 3 weeks ago I started getting back in the pool and HOLY COW!!!! My very, very sad 25 yard sprint flutter kick with board making my legs scream for mercy has turned from 45 seconds at best into 28 seconds! My kicking over longer distances averaging about 50 seconds per 25 is now averging 35 seconds per 25. So, what do I need to have a major swimming breakthrough? Buck all conventions and dare to do something totally different because I had a hunch it would work for me.