Originally posted by Paul Smith
Here's the deal folks...forget about weights...if you REALLY want to make a significant break through in your swimming relative to competition stop swimming for 4-8 weeks and go to kick only workouts...as you ease back into swimming you will have the opportunity to "learn" how to integrate a new and powerful element to your stroke...something that 90% of the swimmers I see competing do not do well....
This really caught my attention. I seem to have been hearing this a lot lately: people coming back after a shoulder op, doing kick only workouts and then having their best seasons ever.
I don't doubt the authenticity of it either. I am just interested on what is actually going on. Why should this be the case?
Has anyone ever scientifically measured the amount the kick contributes to forward propulsion? I mean ratio wise, compared to the arms, what would it be? 80% arms : 20% legs?
What about the swimmers who are great kickers in workouts but can't translate it into faster swimming?
How do we actually integrate the kick into our swimming so that it becomes a new and powerful element to our stroke as Paul suggests?
Would it be fair to say that a big part of the improvement these (post op/ focus on kicking )swimmers achieve can be attributed to the strengthened core which is a result of the additional kicking. In other words more credit given to the strengthened core than increased forward propulsion.
I don't know. I just throw out these ideas for discussion.
Syd
There is no doubt what so ever that having a very strong "integrated" kick can dramtatically help achieve faster times....and not just in sprints. Go back and look at Ian Thorpe when he first started swimming mind blowing WR's in the 200 AND the 400 using an insanely powerful 6 beat kick...Phelps has taken it to a new level with his use of SDK's layered in on his already powerful freestyle kick and it led to his 200 freestyle breakthrough this past summer...he was outswam between the walls by PVH.
I emphasis "integrated" above because as many of you have seen/experienaced a lot of strong "kickers" can't coordiante that strength with their arm/core movements....Quicksilver....I will tell you that for me my turnover slows down slightly when I engage my kick (6-8 beat)
So how do you "integrate" I suggest applying the Fartlec concept to your kicking...no board...and varying distances....change it up between a 6 x 6 switch, 3 x 3 and straight swim, something like:
400 (freetstyle position) rotating 25-6 x 6, 25-3 x 3, 25-easy swim with 2 beat kick building to 6 beat kick, 25 going as far on the push off as you can with a constantly increasing kick speed.
Also...the worst thing i see peple doing to supposedly try and build a stronger kick is the use long fins with a bid whale type dolfin kick or low tempo kicking. If you want to use fins for this put on a small pair of hand paddles and do power 25's/50's (easy to fast, fast to easy, all easy all fast) with lots of recovery.
There is no doubt what so ever that having a very strong "integrated" kick can dramtatically help achieve faster times....and not just in sprints. Go back and look at Ian Thorpe when he first started swimming mind blowing WR's in the 200 AND the 400 using an insanely powerful 6 beat kick...Phelps has taken it to a new level with his use of SDK's layered in on his already powerful freestyle kick and it led to his 200 freestyle breakthrough this past summer...he was outswam between the walls by PVH.
I emphasis "integrated" above because as many of you have seen/experienaced a lot of strong "kickers" can't coordiante that strength with their arm/core movements....Quicksilver....I will tell you that for me my turnover slows down slightly when I engage my kick (6-8 beat)
So how do you "integrate" I suggest applying the Fartlec concept to your kicking...no board...and varying distances....change it up between a 6 x 6 switch, 3 x 3 and straight swim, something like:
400 (freetstyle position) rotating 25-6 x 6, 25-3 x 3, 25-easy swim with 2 beat kick building to 6 beat kick, 25 going as far on the push off as you can with a constantly increasing kick speed.
Also...the worst thing i see peple doing to supposedly try and build a stronger kick is the use long fins with a bid whale type dolfin kick or low tempo kicking. If you want to use fins for this put on a small pair of hand paddles and do power 25's/50's (easy to fast, fast to easy, all easy all fast) with lots of recovery.
