I have a two beat crossover kick. I am not sure why I even do the crossover thing. Perhaps I do it to maintain flotation while using two beats. I have noticed that if I stop kicking altogether my legs sink. Or perhaps it is happening when I am rotating to breathe.
There is another thread on this forum titled: Two beat crossover kick - is it bad? but this thread ended up talking about a two beat kick as opposed to a 4 or 6 beat kick and never discussed the crossover aspect of it at all. In that thread George mentioned that Rowdy Gaines had a crossover kick but I couldn't find any of Rowdy's videos on the web at all. Does anyone have this peculiarity or know of someone else who does?
My other question and my main intention of starting a new thread about this: is this a bad habit I should get rid of?
The thing is that I consider myself a sprinter and I feel this way of kicking is holding me back from improving my times. Because of the crossover thing I can't increase the tempo of my kick. My legs crossover while they should be doing the third of the fourth beat. My kick is weak and ineffectual and when I watch videos of the top sprinters, all of them are kicking like motorboats. Do you have to be a six beat kicker to be a good sprinter?
Finally, when I try to kick with my legs side by side, not only does it mess up my rhythm, but it also exhausts me. I can barely do a fifty with a six beat kick without wanting to collapse. But I feel it is something I could train myself to do. Yesterday I went to the pool for an hour and just practiced six beat, regular flutter kick. It was painful and required tremendous concentration and effort on my part but by the end of the hour, I did manage to go 28.72 for a 50m free. It didn't feel that good (it is hard to explain but it feels like my arms and legs are out of sync).
If this is a bad habit I should get rid of what is the best way of going about it? Should I just be doing tons of kicking sets? My flutter kick with a board (and without but just no arms) has improved quite a bit lately (thanks to the advice of Ande) but I just can't seem to fit it together with the arms. It is like there is no connection between the upper and lower half of the body. I have a weak lower back and this could be part of the problem. Another thing: I have noticed from watching myself on video that I have a higher head position than I thought I had. Could this higher head position be instrumental in forcing my hips down and thus making it more difficult to kick?
Sincerely Syd
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How does your time compare to other post workout times? Be careful and not use "Oh, it's about the same or slower" as justification to not give it a shot! One good attempt is not enough information to base your decision on. What harm can it do? You can always change back.
Well, yesterday I did a set of 10 x 100m free and I was consistently coming in 3 seconds slower than I usually do with my two beat kick. Moreover, I was more out of breath than I usually am. But I get your point. I certainly won't give up at this early stage because, as you say, it won't do any damage. If anything it will add some much needed strength to my legs.
i believe the most important aspects of efficient swimming are good streamlining and balance (which usually delivers the best speed). if changes you make throw off your streamlining and balance, then maybe those are not the right changes for you.
HTH
Point taken, too. I shall give it some time and see where the changes are taking me. I think the crossover part, while its function may be to maintain flotation, might be causing some drag and affecting streamlining.
Thanks for all your links Bud. I look forward to checking those out.
The second thing I noticed was the additional demand on my core body muscles - especially my stomach. My stomach muscles were already in good shape but I decided to introduce extra exercises in my land workouts for this and I feel it made a difference. I especially think the exercises for my obliques are helping. I now feel like I am able to hold a fairly steady body position without wagging back and forth and without getting exhausted in my core.
The net result of the 6-beat kick on sprints is a feeling that you are planing a little higher in the water.
Good luck with it.
This is interesting because this is exactly where I feel I am lacking strength: in my stomach and lower back. It is just so much effort and so tiring that I just want to give up and go back to my two beat crossover. I feel as if there is no connection between my upper and lower halves. It is like the arms and legs are just windmilling away independently, and I have this quick, sinking feeling in my core.
Thanks for all the input everyone. I really appreciate it.
sincerely Syd
How does your time compare to other post workout times? Be careful and not use "Oh, it's about the same or slower" as justification to not give it a shot! One good attempt is not enough information to base your decision on. What harm can it do? You can always change back.
Well, yesterday I did a set of 10 x 100m free and I was consistently coming in 3 seconds slower than I usually do with my two beat kick. Moreover, I was more out of breath than I usually am. But I get your point. I certainly won't give up at this early stage because, as you say, it won't do any damage. If anything it will add some much needed strength to my legs.
i believe the most important aspects of efficient swimming are good streamlining and balance (which usually delivers the best speed). if changes you make throw off your streamlining and balance, then maybe those are not the right changes for you.
HTH
Point taken, too. I shall give it some time and see where the changes are taking me. I think the crossover part, while its function may be to maintain flotation, might be causing some drag and affecting streamlining.
Thanks for all your links Bud. I look forward to checking those out.
The second thing I noticed was the additional demand on my core body muscles - especially my stomach. My stomach muscles were already in good shape but I decided to introduce extra exercises in my land workouts for this and I feel it made a difference. I especially think the exercises for my obliques are helping. I now feel like I am able to hold a fairly steady body position without wagging back and forth and without getting exhausted in my core.
The net result of the 6-beat kick on sprints is a feeling that you are planing a little higher in the water.
Good luck with it.
This is interesting because this is exactly where I feel I am lacking strength: in my stomach and lower back. It is just so much effort and so tiring that I just want to give up and go back to my two beat crossover. I feel as if there is no connection between my upper and lower halves. It is like the arms and legs are just windmilling away independently, and I have this quick, sinking feeling in my core.
Thanks for all the input everyone. I really appreciate it.
sincerely Syd
