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
Parents
Former Member
:2cents:
The past two weekends, I have swum the 100 free in meets. Last weekend, last event (of three) in a deep pool w/ bulkhead, warm air, wore aquablade jammers, and ride the wake of a guy who went 47.82, and went 53.54 myself.
This weekend, in a deep pool, but shallow lane, concrete/metal wall, warm air, speedo and racing the guy next to me, I went a 53.8.
BOTH times, I felt like the SDK on my dive and subsequent transition kicking were AWESOME, catching a lot of water, very efficient and very effective. I was able to maintain a strong kick throughout, nailing all turns w/ at least 1 SDK, and then bringing it home hard.
My 100 free history shows that I do not often make it to 53.99 or under outside of a Zone or National Championship meet, and to do it two weekends in a row. I'd say the kicking has something to do with this.
Just 1 SDK?
I normally get 3 good ones off the dive then 2 a turn after that...once I feel I'm losing the snap I flutter...
:2cents:
The past two weekends, I have swum the 100 free in meets. Last weekend, last event (of three) in a deep pool w/ bulkhead, warm air, wore aquablade jammers, and ride the wake of a guy who went 47.82, and went 53.54 myself.
This weekend, in a deep pool, but shallow lane, concrete/metal wall, warm air, speedo and racing the guy next to me, I went a 53.8.
BOTH times, I felt like the SDK on my dive and subsequent transition kicking were AWESOME, catching a lot of water, very efficient and very effective. I was able to maintain a strong kick throughout, nailing all turns w/ at least 1 SDK, and then bringing it home hard.
My 100 free history shows that I do not often make it to 53.99 or under outside of a Zone or National Championship meet, and to do it two weekends in a row. I'd say the kicking has something to do with this.
Just 1 SDK?
I normally get 3 good ones off the dive then 2 a turn after that...once I feel I'm losing the snap I flutter...
