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
Former Member
I can tell you that I am not happy unless I do at least one hard kick set in each practice.
To paraphrase golfer Bobby Locke, a great putter and 5 time British Open winner, who said "All putts are straight putts" - except pull-buoy sets, all sets are (or can be) kick sets.
the amazing kicking speed of those athletes is having an
incredible effect on their speed / forward propulsion,
I heard popov was very fast as was Gary Hall.
include Lochte in the list,
Cullen Jones swim coach from NC told me he saw Ryan SDKed 50 LCM from a push in 24.3
It's undeniable, these athletes are able to swim fast fast because they kicked fast,
Years ago Bruce Hayes(1984 olympics) used a 2 beat kick but he'd use a fierce flutter blast off each turn in his mid distance races, 200's, 400's 500's
phelps has remarkable kicking speed endurance
I've heard he can kick 500 yards with a board around 5:00
Can you really say that the kick of Natalie, Phelps, Crocker, Grevers, Misty, etc. etc. etc. are not having an incedible effect on speed/forward propulsion?
Terry, intersting article. I am however skeptical because I simply can't dismiss the incredible kicking ability we are seeing today vs. in the 20's and 30's (granted I wasn't there).
Can you really say that the kick of; Natalie, Phelps, Crocker, Grevers, Misty, etc. etc. etc. are not having an incedible effect on speed/forward propulsion?
My thoughts as well.
What percentage of their workout do these athletes kick do you think?
How'd it go today?
Hey Glider,
Went well.
27.30 in fly. No competition so considering that, it's decent.
2:16.9 in 200 IM. Dropped 1.5 seconds. No competition. Was tired.
5:12 in the 500 free (down 11 seconds from my previous best of 5:23). DID have competition (the men.) Got second overall. The guy I got in the 1000 got me in the 500. Happy with the swim. Know I can go much faster. Caught myself gliding (resting!) through parts of it. Arg!
The good news is that I feel back to normal now. Headaches are gone (day after the meet - but I'll take it!) No pain - yippee! Hope to see you at Auburn!
Wow, you did Georgia mighty proud in your away meet:applaud: 5:12 indeed from a sprinter.:notworthy:
Dara wannabe...;)
Congrats
Hey Glider,
Went well.
27.30 in fly. No competition so considering that, it's decent.
2:16.9 in 200 IM. Dropped 1.5 seconds. No competition. Was tired.
5:12 in the 500 free (down 11 seconds from my previous best of 5:23). DID have competition (the men.) Got second overall. The guy I got in the 1000 got me in the 500. Happy with the swim. Know I can go much faster. Caught myself gliding (resting!) through parts of it. Arg!
The good news is that I feel back to normal now. Headaches are gone (day after the meet - but I'll take it!) No pain - yippee! Hope to see you at Auburn!
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...
yeah, I lose energy as the race goes on. I think the first two turns I did three. I get the same distance off a wall sdk or strong flutter, but I think the SDK gets me better momentum - to a point. I start to lose efficiency quickly after the 2nd one.
No, they reseeded the 500 after positive check-in and well after the heat sheets were created on Friday night. I'm 40. So, yes, that was me beside you in the 500.
Here are the results:
www.ncmasters.org/138-01res.pdf
So I guess Kristina will have to take back everything she said about what a manly-man geek is :)
I guess I'm easily entertained, but I found this humorous in the results. Someone in the women's 25-29 age group listed as: Queen, Mary.
Kirk, you are so out of my league I have to ask if you have been hitting the :drink::drink: 5:01?! :bow: What's your 1650 or 1000 time? I'm still thinking that you're out of my league here too. What does the winner get? Loser suffers public humiliation?
Think of it this way, if I lose I face the humiliation of being "beaten by a girl."
My fastest 1650 is a 17:48. That was at last year's Nationals and not the greatest swim. I haven't really swam a 1000, but my fastest 800 long course is a 9:24.
I could give you five seconds or something for the 500, but then it would be really embarrassing if I lost straight-up!
I was actually in lane 2 to your lane 3 in the 500.
Yo Geek! Just want to make sure I have the right guy here. It says in my heat sheets that the guy in lane 2 for the 500 was 30. Was that you?
