Does anyone know if submerged dolphin kicks are always better than submerged freestyle (or backstroke) kicks?
I find fly kicks very tiring and slow for my particular body. It seems I can go as fast if not faster off the walls kicking free or back underwater--and these take much less energy.
If SDK is the obviously preferred approach, can anybody provide actual evidence--swimming science studies, for instance--that compare the same person's speed doing both? Similarly, is there some physical cause for why split-leg kicking should be intrinsically slower than legs-together kicking?
Obviously, you have to do SDK on fly and *** pullouts (if you are going to do any kick at all.) But for free and back, you still have a choice, and I'd like to know if the SDK choice is always (or almost always) a better one.
I am wondering if it is sufficient to conclude that because most of the world's fastest swimmers do this, it necessarily means it's an optimal technique. Dara Torres, for her part, does not use SDK in her sprints. Is this just a case of old dogs having trouble with new tricks? Or could it be that SDKs work great for some--but not so great for other body types?
swimmmers shouldn't SDK because Ian, Michael, Natalie and Ryan do
they should only SDK if it's faster and better for them
the issues to address are:
speed vs the need to breathe vs fatigue
It takes some training to figure out if you should use SDK or not
It takes a lot of training to use SDK well, especially for 100s and 200's
the end result is having a kick count strategy for each race.
If a swimmer has a fast SDK, they can SDK under the surface turbulence and currents till they get to calmer water
If you flutter kick faster than you SDK then use your flutter kick.
If neither are that great, push off hard, pop up and start swimming.
Ande
As Dennis wrote...just because the pros do it...doesn't mean it's for everyone.
As a part time parent coach, I have had my doubts about our younger age groupers doing them.
Often times they get blown away in a sprint race by the other kids who get up and swim while they're still farting around under the surface.
Until it (your SDK) gets faster than your swimming...why use it in a race?
Many freestylers still favor flutter kicks of fury in short course pools.
However...sooner or later when the rhythm is mastered...then it (SDK) becomes the 5th stroke. This is most evident in backstroke racing...where the dolphin kick seems to work very naturally. I don't agree that it's not worthwhile for a masters swimmer to try developing this new skill. Yes it takes up air...but consistent training will make it easier over time.
swimmmers shouldn't SDK because Ian, Michael, Natalie and Ryan do
they should only SDK if it's faster and better for them
the issues to address are:
speed vs the need to breathe vs fatigue
It takes some training to figure out if you should use SDK or not
It takes a lot of training to use SDK well, especially for 100s and 200's
the end result is having a kick count strategy for each race.
If a swimmer has a fast SDK, they can SDK under the surface turbulence and currents till they get to calmer water
If you flutter kick faster than you SDK then use your flutter kick.
If neither are that great, push off hard, pop up and start swimming.
Ande
As Dennis wrote...just because the pros do it...doesn't mean it's for everyone.
As a part time parent coach, I have had my doubts about our younger age groupers doing them.
Often times they get blown away in a sprint race by the other kids who get up and swim while they're still farting around under the surface.
Until it (your SDK) gets faster than your swimming...why use it in a race?
Many freestylers still favor flutter kicks of fury in short course pools.
However...sooner or later when the rhythm is mastered...then it (SDK) becomes the 5th stroke. This is most evident in backstroke racing...where the dolphin kick seems to work very naturally. I don't agree that it's not worthwhile for a masters swimmer to try developing this new skill. Yes it takes up air...but consistent training will make it easier over time.
