Hello, I'm new here.
I'm 59 and getting back into swimming. I've always had a poor kick. Right now some times are as follows - 25 yd pool, start in water.
100 free 1:20,
100 free, pull only with pull buoy 1:25
50 yd kick with kick board 2:30
I've read on improving my kick and I know several things to work on like ankle flexibility. I'm not really looking for advice (although I'll happily accept it), just an idea if this is really as bad as I think or if it is more common that I think. Do those times look like a REALLY BAD kick? Is it common to get almost no help from your kick?
Thanks,
bw
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)
Hello, I'm new here.
I'm 59 and getting back into swimming. I've always had a poor kick. Right now some times are as follows - 25 yd pool, start in water.
100 free 1:20,
100 free, pull only with pull buoy 1:25
50 yd kick with kick board 2:30
I've read on improving my kick and I know several things to work on like ankle flexibility. I'm not really looking for advice (although I'll happily accept it), just an idea if this is really as bad as I think or if it is more common that I think. Do those times look like a REALLY BAD kick? Is it common to get almost no help from your kick?
Thanks,
bw
I wouldn't spend a lot of effort worrying about my kick if I was you. Work on it occasionally, do the dryland ankle flexibility exercises, but concentrate on getting in better overall shape. Maybe you're a distance freestyle swimmer so kicking isn't all that important. The great thing is - you only have around 40 more years to work on it all. :D
Hello, I'm new here.
I'm 59 and getting back into swimming. I've always had a poor kick. Right now some times are as follows - 25 yd pool, start in water.
100 free 1:20,
100 free, pull only with pull buoy 1:25
50 yd kick with kick board 2:30
I've read on improving my kick and I know several things to work on like ankle flexibility. I'm not really looking for advice (although I'll happily accept it), just an idea if this is really as bad as I think or if it is more common that I think. Do those times look like a REALLY BAD kick? Is it common to get almost no help from your kick?
Thanks,
bw
I've not still the endurance to even finish a 100m free without very very "slow" open turn, yes it's pretty pathetic.
I've a very pathetic kick, but I can kick 50m with a board in 1:00...
2:30 for 50y well it's way too slow... a lot of people on this boar can kick 50y close to 0:30.
So you technique must to be pretty bad, maybe very inflexible ankles slow you down but something else is wrong.
Hey beachwolverine,
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?
Check out the "Help my flutter kick is horrible" thread.
Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible! - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
From what I have picked up and improved my kick with try the following set that Ande put up.
12 x 25 on :45 Do 3 moderate feel the water...distance per kick. Then go all out on 4th and repeat the whole thing twice more. Do it 3 or 4 times a week.
Secondly from what I've seen as a coach and instructor of non-swimmers, make sure you're not overly kicking at the knees as this can cause you to basically "idle" in place.
Kick with equal power UP and DOWN. Many bad kickers only kick powerfully in one of these directions.
Now that is a good piece of advice! That really helped me improve my SDK tremendously. I need to focus more on that with my flutter kick, though.
Some more advice from Ande:
Kick from the hip, not the knees.
and,
Keep the legs long and toes pointed. (Don't overstrain, though. They should be naturally pointed in a relaxed way).
If the top of you foot and shin are at 90 degrees you need to work on ankle flexibility. Improving ankle flexibility takes a long time. ( I have been working on it for over a year now but I would say that it has only been recently that I have noticed significant benefits).
Do you go to the gym? A workout including quad extensions & hamstring curls will add to muscle ,that will help in the kick phase. Good luck & don't stop swimming!
It sounds like your ankles lack flexibility and that can detract from kick speed.
My times are similar to yours, a little slower on the swim, my pull is slightly faster than swimming (could be that my turn is better or that my paddles are larger), and my kick is slow although it got a lot faster with compression shorts and some cross-training to increase general leg conditioning. Possibly about 1:30 for 50y now. It used to be more like 2:30. Most of the time I wear fins just to keep from being a lane speed bump.
I have a hard time believing this is true. I'm also not sure this is a sincere question. I don't know anyone who kicks a 50 in 2:30. But to answer your question, it is the worst kick I have ever heard of. Since you are not seeking advice, I won't offer any. I don't mean to sound rude, but your kick time is implausible to me.
abc,
While I guess I understand how you could come to that conclusion, the time is real and I am serious.
One purpose was to get an idea of just how bad my kick is and you've certainly provided some of the best feedback on that and I appreciate it.
It may further surprise you that I am athletic, and not overweight. At 6' 4", 185lbs there are not too many in my general age group that are in better shape than me - although I'm sure this board is not a representative sample.
If you've ever seen the ReMax Long Drive Championships on ESPN, 3 years ago, I was one of 28 qualifiers in the Super Senior Division that competed in the World Championships. An while that has nothing to do with swimming, I am trying to retain some dignity here.
Regards,
bw
