PURPOSE:To assess the effect of adding a dolphin kick to a breaststroke pullout.
METHODS:Eleven (20.9±2.3 yrs, 1.86±0.05 m, 79.6±5.5 kg) swimmers experienced with performing traditional and dolphin kick breaststroke pullouts participated in the study. Underwater video analysis was used to track whole body center of mass kinematics during a pullout. Time for the center of mass to travel distances ranging from 2.5-4 m from the initiation of the pullout were computed. Hand force data were derived from differential pressure measurements during the pulling phase of the pullout.
RESULTS:Use of a dolphin kick in a breaststroke pullout significantly (p=0.016) improved performance. Time for the center of mass to travel 4m after the initiation of the pull was reduced by 0.19 s. This performance improvement was not attributable to enhanced force production from the pull. Hand force was not significantly different between pullout techniques for the right hand (p=0.142) nor left hand (p=0.303). Total impulse produced by the pull was reduced by 3.6% (p=0.039, ES=0.34) when using the dolphin kick pullout.
CONCLUSIONS:These data suggest that the use of a dolphin kick during a breaststroke pullout provides a significant advantage over the traditional no-dolphin kick pullout. Furthermore, this advantage comes from enhanced propulsion from the kick but not the pull.
Former Member
Did this really need a study to confirm the benefits? :dunno:
Correct, never have and never will. I consider it cheating. But I don't do meets anyway. If I do a 200 br 1.5 sec faster in practice (our practice clock doesn't even measure lower than a second), and it is because of doing something I don't believe in, what did I gain?
Occasionally when I'm doing ***, the coach will ask me about this, and I just ignore him. Eventually he works with me elsewhere in my stroke. He recently helped me with a change to my arm sweep during pushoff which had a pretty immediate impact.
I must comment that I don't understand your position. A legal turn is part of the stroke. So do you consciously make no attempt to improve your turns? Do you only try to improve the swimming portion? The single dolphin kick has been legal for over two years.
No one has to do the dolphin kick - or even an underwater pull and kick. But why not try it since it is in the rules and the evidence shows it is faster?
Did this really need a study to confirm the benefits? :dunno:
Necessary: no.
But its good science to confirm and measure things, even if they seem obvious. You never know what you might learn.
I really don't understand the big deal with doing or not doing this kick. As I've indicated, I don't swim in meets. As long as I'm not disrupting the workout, what's the big deal if I don't do it? Truthfully, I've never seen anyone else do this kick during workouts either.
We have swimmers who don't do flipturns, don't do assigned strokes, etc. As long as they don't disrupt the lane, it all works fine.
Did your first post get deleted?I only see it from other quotes.If you don't race I am not clear what your point is.
As to why do the study,it is important to quantify things.What if the study showed no improvement? You can't be sure until you test.
The first meet I swam in after the rule change was SCM and in the 200 BR I was really out of air the last 50 because I wasn't used to the extra time underwater.IF you swim meets you need to do in practice what you do in a meet and if something is legal and faster why not use it.
By USMS rules the dolphin kick can't be done before beginning the pulldown.
Ok, question to make sure I don't get DQ'd this Sunday...can I dive in, do an SDK, then underwater pull, then breaststroke kick to the surface?
Here is the section of the rules that apply:
Kick—After the start and after each turn, a single butterfly (dolphin) kick,
which must be followed by a breaststroke kick, is permitted during or at
the completion of the first arm pull. .....
As an official, if I see the dolphin kick before the start of the arm pull I would disqualify the swimmer.
If you have any doubts or questions, ask the meet referee how they are interpreting this rule before the meet begins.
Here is the section of the rules that apply:
Kick—
After the start and after each turn, a single butterfly (dolphin) kick,
which must be followed by a breaststroke kick, is permitted during or at
the completion of the first arm pull. .....
As an official, if I see the dolphin kick before the start of the arm pull I would disqualify the swimmer.
If you have any doubts or questions, ask the meet referee how they are interpreting this rule before the meet begins.
Sadly, this is the current rule. Given that the Olympians do their butterfly kick first under a similarly worded rule, I would hope that USMS officials, of all officials, would honor this in the breach. Clearly not all will, so it's a risk.
By the way, no offense meant to Poolrat or other officials. This is just a touchy subject for me. He is obviously making the "right" call based on the rule as worded. I just hate that Olympians can do this and I can't. :mad:
I start my dolphin kick smack in the middle of my pull so that it coincides with the finish of my pull. (am I alone in this?) I also allow my upper body to drop slightly (like going over a barrel)to set up a powerful kick. The feeling I get is that it increases propulsion and keeps me from coming to a complete stop as I raise my ankles to kick. This feeling is so strong that I would do it regardless of the results of the study.
Exactly what I *try* to do...a very slight pike to set it all up.
I start my dolphin kick smack in the middle of my pull so that it coincides with the finish of my pull. (am I alone in this?) I also allow my upper body to drop slightly (like going over a barrel)to set up a powerful kick. The feeling I get is that it increases propulsion and keeps me from coming to a complete stop as I raise my ankles to kick. This feeling is so strong that I would do it regardless of the results of the study.
