Hi there, new-ish swimmers!
My name is Barb and I was a lurker. Then I registered and lurked some more. I heard all sorts of terms (long-axis/short-axis, SDKs, slippage - to name a few) that the more seasoned swimmers were tossing around and had no clue what they referred to, much less meant. I was a little shy about asking for clarification on some basic issues within a thread where something was being discussed or debated.
I would like to create a space here for swimmers who are either new-ish to swimming, fitness swimming, or maybe competitive swimming to ask basic questions, the ones you're embarrassed to ask. If you don't want to ask them yourself, register and send me a private message, and I'll ask it for you.
I don't have the answers, but many of the posters here have been and are helpful and supportive of me and probably will be the same for you.
Former Member
You have to know your PDQs, VSSRs and PICs as well then many others.
Some of us know all of the termonology and can't swim very well.
I'll go first.
I swam in my first race recently. When it was time for my heat to swim, I heard the whistle blow at least twice. The last time I think was to step onto the blocks. What did the other whistle mean?
(I pretty much did what everyone else in my heat was doing.)
I'll go first.
I swam in my first race recently. When it was time for my heat to swim, I heard the whistle blow at least twice. The last time I think was to step onto the blocks. What did the other whistle mean?
(I pretty much did what everyone else in my heat was doing.)
I had that same issue, luckily they explained it at the second meet I went too!
The first whistle is just basically a warning whistle to say get behind the blocks, like a "If you're not here, you're not swimming." And yea, the second is to actually get on the blocks.
Good thread Barb. When I joined, not so long ago, I had no idea what an SDK was!:blush: I am sure this thread is going to prove to be a valuable resource.
Syd
SDK is Streamline Dolphin Kick (without a board)
you can SDK on your back, side, or belly.
Swimmers use it when they push off the wall in FreeStyle, Butterfly and backstroke. I coined SDK because I didn't want to write out
Streamline Dolphin Kick everytime I mentioned it in my blog. Thus the SDK acronym.
In practice, people can dolphin kick with a board. So I try to be specific. I college we did way more kicking with boards than without. I know Eddie now has the team do a lot of SDK sets.
People dolphin kick when they swim fly. The more you do it the better sense of technique and timing you develop.
For many people SDK is the 2nd fastest way to move through the water.
Streamline dolphin kicking is a critical skill that's transformed swimming over the last 20 years. In 1986 the Berkoff Blastoff debuted, when David Berkoff broke the American Record in the 100 yard backstroke, then he broke the world record. There were other swimmers who used SDK before that, but none had the kind of success he did. Surprisingly SDK didn't translate to butterfly and freestyle till a few years later.
Then Fina implemented a rule that swimmers could only kick 15 meters off each wall.
Swimmers need to learn how to SDK and improve their conditioning. Then they need to test their ability to see if they should use it or not. Also if they should use it, they need to figure out how much. Most swimmers have a cross over point, they point where they should transition from SDK to swimming
Some swimmers have a very fast SDK. They can SDK faster or just as fast as they can swim. Fatigue and the need to breathe also determines the zone where swimmers should transition from SDK to swimming.
In years past when swimmers pushed off the wall they'd streamline and flutter kick, many swimmers SDK way faster than they SFK
If a swimmer doesn't have a fast SDK, they shouldn't use it, they should dive in streamlined flutter kick then start swimming
Feel free to ask questions in Ask Ande too.
www.usms.org/.../showthread.php
Superb thread idea; thanks to originator.
My dumb question of the day: Is there a difference between streamlined dolphin kick and "regular" dolphin kick?
Thanks,
VB
Thanks to Ande for details on the streamlined dolphin kick.
I am just beginning the dolphin kick in four positions, with Zoomers, no board. This might, in fact, be fun! :cool:
Regards,
VB
I am just beginning the dolphin kick in four positions, with Zoomers, no board. This might, in fact, be fun!
I rather enjoy kicking with my Zoomers as well, even the occasional bit of dolphin kick.
Skip Montanaro
My question is what the heck is an FAF Sista and should I want to be one someday when I grow up?
Well of course! The acronym FAF is from the superhero quiz thread,
forums.usms.org/showthread.php.
FAF is the "Flash," deemed to be "fast, athletic and flirtatious," as my baby sistah Kyra pointed out. But you don't have to be a growed up to be one! It's OK to be something else. As I recall, we had a lot of "Superman" and "Spiderman" types on the forum. The Spiderman types are all keeping track of their workouts on excel, right Aquafeisty? :thhbbb:
On another note, four position dolphin kick is the way to go IMHO. Makes you better at fly, improves balance in the water. Even more fun with an MF. Of course, you can do them without one, as ande (Superman/Spiderman) will tell you.
And if you're wondering about the "Draculina," that is really my "twin sistah," Swimr4Life/Beth McGee and me, who are are periodic insomniacs and nightowls. FlyQueen too. We've owned up. There is a suspected correlation between nightowl syndrome and FAF status.
P.S. Quicksilver is an FAF too!
I have an old video of Phelps vs. Piersol in the 2004 trials, 200 back. Phelps was catching him after every turn because his SDK was faster than Piersol's remarkable backstroke. And not just a little faster. It'll be interesting to see whether it plays any role in the longer freestyle events, an efficient SDK might require less energy than free.
