How Can I Make My Body Dolphin Better?

Just my :2cents: I found that I get a better feel for what the whole dolphin motion is about when I do it with my arms by my side, a la "Man from Atlantis". I actually go faster, farther with less effort, than with with the arms extended to the front (upper arms over ears, so to speak). 3strokes, I like the method you describe: my rhythm is better and I am faster, too. However, I never practice this way because it would just be impractical for the breakout stroke. Or are there other advantages that I don't know about? Syd

Syd that is the way you will learn your kick motion hands at side. When you swim the body motion you use is the same motion you will use when swimming fly. When you dive in you do your arms out front kick. After you break out the body motion is as above. I am sure others will tell you to do it with the hands out front, I think that is wrong.

I too have a weak dolphin kick but it has improved immensely since I started doing kicking with a monofin. I am finally geeting a feel for the whole body motion instead of just kicking from the hips down. Just recently the time and number of kicks to go across the pool underwater dropped significantly. And apparently it is having a crossover effect on my flutter kicking, both free and back as my time for kicking a 100 y has dropped about 10 seconds in the past month or so. Now if I could just figure out that breaststroke kick.....

From a dead man's float???? I like to feel motion. i like to feel and teach the generation of motion. this is easily missed if one starts from a push off.

I think if you searh you will get lots of help. Here is a very recent topic forums.usms.org/showthread.php

Syd that is the way you will learn your kick motion hands at side. When you swim the body motion you use is the same motion you will use when swimming fly. When you dive in you do your arms out front kick. After you break out the body motion is as above. I am sure others will tell you to do it with the hands out front, I think that is wrong. I see. I will try your method. Thanks George. Syd

I just do not like to see anything done from a complete stop it is hard to get a continuous fluid motion. i like to feel and teach the generation of motion. this is easily missed if one starts from a push off.

Try underwater dolphin kick with fins....When you are ready, push off the wall and try to do the wave with speed and power OK. I bought a pair of blue Zoomers, primarily for helping with the body dolphin, but I've been practicing on the surface. I'll try some underwater. I purposely haven't tried doing it with a push off the wall either, as I had this idea to do a standing start and see if I could generate motion just from the dolphin. But I'll try that now too.

Just my :2cents: I found that I get a better feel for what the whole dolphin motion is about when I do it with my arms by my side, a la "Man from Atlantis". I actually go faster, farther with less effort, than with with the arms extended to the front (upper arms over ears, so to speak).

I never use anything false. 3strokes way is the way i do it. When the hands are there i use them in an up and down motion for balance.