Ande
You are a funny guy.
I think Geo recently watched Commando, the Arnold :weightlifter: flick from the '80s.
"You're a funny guy, Sally. I like you. That's why I am going to kill you last!"
interesting, but the study only measured the 400 free. I think increased kicking helps sprinters more. And, putting freestyle aside, I'm convinced that practicing SDKs certainly helps fly and back. If you use SDKs in races that is.
However the study seemed to conclude that neither the control (4% kicking) nor the kicking (20% kicking) groups improved their 400 meter time after six weeks of training. That alone seems sort of troubling.
"another blind-path that will not enhance competitive swimming performance"
perhaps the problem is with the study:
1) kick isn't as critical to 400 performance as it is for sprints
2) maybe this group of subjects had less low hanging fruit to pick than a person who is a poor kicker
I believe a sprint kick improvement program will
improve the kicking and swimming results for all swimmers
especially poor kickers
this inspired me to modify the
testing and training recommendations for
"Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible"
you can read them at:
www.usms.org/.../showthread.php
Can't quite believe I somehow support Geochuck here + I have won many bets by kicking faster in Free than other people can swim - but this one really threw for a loop (love the last line of the blind path):
TRAINING EMPHASIS ON KICKING DOES NOT IMPROVE FREE SWIMMING PERFORMANCE
Konstantaki, M., & Winter, E. M. (2007). The effectiveness of a leg-kicking training program on performance and physiological measure of competitive swimmers. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 2, 37-48.
This study investigated the adaptations in leg muscle metabolism and swimming function after a six-week, increased-kicking training program. Male swimmers were divided into a control group (N = 7) that followed standard training which included 4% as kicking, and an experimental group (N = 8) that performed 20% of training as kicking. Both groups covered the same total training volume per week. Kicking training included no equipment and equipment (e.g., boards and fins). Physiological measures associated with kicking were obtained from a dry-land simulation of swimming and kicking.
After the six weeks, the kicking-emphasis group improved kicking performance (200-m kicking time trial) and kicking-associated physiological measures (oxygen uptake at 60 watts, exercise intensity at ventilatory threshold). There were no changes in 400-m freestyle swimming time or peak oxygen uptake. The control group did not change in any measure.
Implication. Emphasized kicking training does not transfer training benefits to free swimming. This finding supports the implications of the Principle of Specificity. It suggests that the skills involved in kicking-alone activities are discrete activities and bear no relationship to the kicking action that occurs when performing a full swimming action.
Guess its time to ditch the 6 beat kick on my 500.....
Actually, Paul, you only THINK you used a 6 beat kick on your 500. I looked at it closely during your swim and it's really a 4-beat kick. I'm sensitive to this issue because it's the way I kick distance races. For me, it's 3 kicks on the breathing side and one when the head turns back into the water. It's also interesting that I've seen Grant Hackett use the same pattern in some videos I've watched, even though the video reviewer called it a 2-beat kick.
Can't quite believe I somehow support Geochuck here + I have won many bets by kicking faster in Free than other people can swim - but this one really threw for a loop (love the last line of the blind path):
TRAINING EMPHASIS ON KICKING DOES NOT IMPROVE FREE SWIMMING PERFORMANCE
Konstantaki, M., & Winter, E. M. (2007). The effectiveness of a leg-kicking training program on performance and physiological measure of competitive swimmers. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 2, 37-48.
This study investigated the adaptations in leg muscle metabolism and swimming function after a six-week, increased-kicking training program. Male swimmers were divided into a control group (N = 7) that followed standard training which included 4% as kicking, and an experimental group (N = 8) that performed 20% of training as kicking. Both groups covered the same total training volume per week. Kicking training included no equipment and equipment (e.g., boards and fins). Physiological measures associated with kicking were obtained from a dry-land simulation of swimming and kicking.
After the six weeks, the kicking-emphasis group improved kicking performance (200-m kicking time trial) and kicking-associated physiological measures (oxygen uptake at 60 watts, exercise intensity at ventilatory threshold). There were no changes in 400-m freestyle swimming time or peak oxygen uptake. The control group did not change in any measure.
Implication. Emphasized kicking training does not transfer training benefits to free swimming. This finding supports the implications of the Principle of Specificity. It suggests that the skills involved in kicking-alone activities are discrete activities and bear no relationship to the kicking action that occurs when performing a full swimming action.
I agree Nelson! Maybe the best would be not to practice at all?
There are many different ways follow in order to swim faster, and I do not think one way fits all. But if we do not have too much time to spend in the pool, I think it is important to spend it wisely. In the end - we do not compete in 50m Kick (even though I know that also is an event, but not for us swimmers!) or 50m with huge paddles, but in 50m plain swimming. So this is for me the most important part to practice. I can still focus more on hands, stroke or kick. All other things are nice extras to create variety, add some extra focus training on weak details etc, sometimes necessary.
Do I do Kicking? Yes I do. Do I use paddles? Yes I do. Do I have a good dry-land program? Yes I do. But most part is still swimming is without tools. That is the only time I have the correct balance in the water and use the muscles in the same way as when I compete. By focusing on different aspects of your swimming you can probably get a lot of results without any tools. But sometimes we maybe need that extra tool in order just to get that focus. To be honest - all of us who believe that kicking is important, do we always use our kick during practice as we should? For me it is soooo easy to let it go and use a sloppy 2beat kick during endurance swimming. Maybe THAT is where I should start to focus? Put on that powerful 6 beat and let my legs work. Puuh... just the thought gets me tired!
Another interesting thing I sometimes try is to test what works best for me:
a) start with a strong kick and let the arms follow
b) start with a strong stroke and let the kick follow
Today, alternative a works best for me. Swimming fast is a mix af strong stroke and kick. How to find your optimal mix is up to you (and your coach)!
Good luck!
Most studies are flawed. But I am inclined to almost believe this one, it may be OK but maybe it is bad info.
Everyone is an individual and what one person says does not mean it is true.
I will not put major effort into kicking other then during full stroke..
I will kick hard in a 50 or 100. I will kick off turns , SDK or just kick, what ever feels good to me at the time. I will probably never do a 200 or a 400.
I will certainly dolphin kick off my turns when I do Butterfly. I may not do it off the turns swimming front crawl.
I do prefer LC since the knee job. But can do a pretty good turn.
