Pathetic kick. Is this normal?

Something doesn't add up. If you kick really is as horrible as you say, it should actually slow you down and your pull time should be faster than your swim time. It is possible that you are really horrible at kicking with a board. 2:30 for a 50k is too slow if you can swim a 1:20 and pull a 1:25. Are you any faster kicking on your back instead of with a board? All the board does is help you keep your head out of the water while you kick. Ditch it if it is slowing you down. You are kicking an all out 50 right?quote] If you ARE kicking with a kick board, are you doing the infamous Tombstone drill? Try flattening the board out in front, hold it steady on the sides or at the bottom. Face down low or better yet, in the water looking down. Kick with equal power UP and DOWN. Many bad kickers only kick powerfully in one of these directions. Try getting a FINIS swim snorkle to add on an even better piece of "kicking equipment" and creating a beneficial kicking position. Think about the most streamline, powerful kick you can create. Tight, small to start, and UNDERWATER. Then a KICK BUNCH OF 25s Man! With REST! Try 10 repeats with a 15 second rest interval a few times. When that feels easy, add 2 more 25s and drop the interval to a 10 second rest interval. 10 X 25 on 30 seconds 12 X 25 on 25 seconds Add more as you get more fit to kick faster. You can add on repeats and possibly drop the interval you are swimming the set on as you get stronger. I am doing something similar. I can definitely kick on a kick board but have not "trained kicking" in years. Around here the powers that be feel "kicking is a poor use of time for masters swimmers who train 1-hour practices". I stayed over for a second practice to work on my kicking yesterday. (I've got a 200 freestyle goal and need to be able to kick again) Thanks for the advice from coach/swimmers who know, like Nancy, Ande, Paul, and Erik. (most are FINA top 3 ranked but don't talk smak)

Something doesn't add up. If you kick really is as horrible as you say, it should actually slow you down and your pull time should be faster than your swim time. It is possible that you are really horrible at kicking with a board. 2:30 for a 50k is too slow if you can swim a 1:20 and pull a 1:25. Are you any faster kicking on your back instead of with a board? All the board does is help you keep your head out of the water while you kick. Ditch it if it is slowing you down. You are kicking an all out 50 right?quote] If you ARE kicking with a kick board, are you doing the infamous Tombstone drill? Try flattening the board out in front, hold it steady on the sides or at the bottom. Face down low or better yet, in the water looking down. Kick with equal power UP and DOWN. Many bad kickers only kick powerfully in one of these directions. Try getting a FINIS swim snorkle to add on an even better piece of "kicking equipment" and creating a beneficial kicking position. Think about the most streamline, powerful kick you can create. Tight, small to start, and UNDERWATER. Then a KICK BUNCH OF 25s Man! With REST! Try 10 repeats with a 15 second rest interval a few times. When that feels easy, add 2 more 25s and drop the interval to a 10 second rest interval. 10 X 25 on 30 seconds 12 X 25 on 25 seconds Add more as you get more fit to kick faster. You can add on repeats and possibly drop the interval you are swimming the set on as you get stronger. I am doing something similar. I can definitely kick on a kick board but have not "trained kicking" in years. Around here the powers that be feel "kicking is a poor use of time for masters swimmers who train 1-hour practices". I stayed over for a second practice to work on my kicking yesterday. (I've got a 200 freestyle goal and need to be able to kick again) Thanks for the advice from coach/swimmers who know, like Nancy, Ande, Paul, and Erik. (most are FINA top 3 ranked but don't talk smak)