As I got older and kept swimming, I eventually had the good fortune to train with great coaches, teammates, and pools. These resources reached a peak for me in college. We learned to train and develop our SDK, which was still fairly new at the time. One of the big differences for me as a masters swimmer now is the actual pool itself. The facilities I train in now tend to be older and non-competition based. There’s a shallow end and deep end, often with the pool depth being so shallow that it greatly inhibits SDK training. You have to be able to obtain a specific depth to engage maximum benefit from your SDK. This is one of the reasons why I think many masters swimmers are weak in this area, aside from not developing the skill as a youngster because it simply did not exist. Have any of you encountered the same problem? Also, it’s difficult for younger swimmers who train in the same kind of environment to develop their SDK. I wonder if other countries have more competition-based pools in which their swimmers can learn the necessary skills to compete globally.
... You have to be able to obtain a specific depth to engage maximum benefit from your SDK. ...
Dear "abc"
What do you consider this specific depth?
I practice in a pool that only has a 3.5 ft shallow end, and have found that I have to really think about my SDK (especially backstroke) on turns at this end. However, in other thread discussions on this site, no-one has ever said that you need to go much deeper than just below the top turbulence.
Why would you practice dolphin/butterfly kick to train for backstroke? I thought the backstroke kick was the same as freestyle, except on your back.
Chuckster -
SDK is legal and very efficient off the walls for a backstroker, if they know how to apply it. You can also use flutter kick.
But I thought backstroke had to be done on your back, minus the turn? Or has that rule changed recently?
You can do SDKs on your back. I am actually faster at SDKs on my back than I am on my stomach. I'm not very fast at either, but I'm just offering the information!:-)
So you move both your arms together on backstroke like you do on fly?
NOooooo....:shakeshead:
Check Ande's thread on the topic....
Help! My SDK is Horrible!
There are video clips and stuff to get you familiar.
Former Member
Dear "abc"
What do you consider this specific depth?
I practice in a pool that only has a 3.5 ft shallow end, and have found that I have to really think about my SDK (especially backstroke) on turns at this end. However, in other thread discussions on this site, no-one has ever said that you need to go much deeper than just below the top turbulence.
Why would you practice dolphin/butterfly kick to train for backstroke? I thought the backstroke kick was the same as freestyle, except on your back.
I agree with Paul Wolf. This is the worst thread ever. Give it a rest.
Former Member
Chuckster -
SDK is legal and very efficient off the walls for a backstroker, if they know how to apply it. You can also use flutter kick.
But I thought backstroke had to be done on your back, minus the turn? Or has that rule changed recently?
Former Member
You can do SDKs on your back. I am actually faster at SDKs on my back than I am on my stomach. I'm not very fast at either, but I'm just offering the information!:-)
So you move both your arms together on backstroke like you do on fly?
Former Member
I just don't understand why you would do butterfly kick unless you are doing the butterfly stroke. Don't each arm/leg movements have to match up together? Am I missing something?
Former Member
I just don't understand why you would do butterfly kick unless you are doing the butterfly stroke. Don't each arm/leg movements have to match up together? Am I missing something?
Because streamlined dolphin kicking underwater off the wall can be faster than back crawl on the surface. Backstroke only requires that you be on your back (except during turns), as long as you stay on your back you can use any kick and any pull pattern you like. Here's video of the 200 backstroke event in the Athens Olympics that clearly shows the underwater dolphin kicking after the start and turns:
youtube.com/watch
