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
hey there,
you really are a slow kicker and a prime candidate for
Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible
obviously the sets need to be modified to accomodate your needs
probably just do 2 rounds of 4 x 25 kick
on the easy ones:
rest 30 - 45 seconds on the wall
before doing the next easy one
before the fast ones:
rest 1:00 - 2:00 before doing it
Not sure why your kick is so slow
Just Guessing it could be a combination of:
1) poor technique,
2) poor ankle foot flexibility,
3) poor conditioning,
4) you firmly believe that you are a slow kicker
5) a poor push off
6) less than ideal body proportions, small feet, &
7) the suit you wore
It might help you to have someone watch you underwater
while you kick and offer you suggestions on how to improve
I also suggest you add to your Faster Kicking Training:
4 x 25 k
where you push off hard & kick all out for half a length then kick easy with perfect form to the wall rest 45 seconds on the wall then do the next one
you need to do more very fast kicking
If you're ever in Austin Texas,
come to a Longhorn masters work out
I'll watch you kick and offer you specific suggestions on how to improve your kick.
I KNOW you can kick way faster than you ever have before.
Work on your kick and you will see dramatic improvement.
Do the "Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible" program for 6 weeks then
retest your 25 & 50 kick you should go way way faster
Report your results in the
"Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible"
Thread
Hope this helps,
Ande
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
an ideal toe point should be 180 degrees from the shin
like this gymnast or this swimmer
toes should be pointed without forcing them to point
www.clevelandleader.com/.../michael-phelps-marfans.JPG
when you're standing your foot is 90 degrees to your shin
fast kickers pointing their toes/feet to 180 degrees or more
swimmers turn their feet inward create an even better angle.
watch phelps feet in this video
YouTube - Michael Phelps turn
if you can point your toes
you'd probably kick faster on your back
kicking with fins will help you too.
Thanks Andre, I was just reading the "Help my flutter kick is horrible" and the progress that many have made are very encouraging. I start on it immediately.
Unfortunately, I'm in Memphis or I would love to have you look at my kick. We don't have too much going on here with Masters swimming, so I don't have a coach to watch me.
One quick question on ankle flexibility - do you have any idea what the average range of motion is? i.e. angle change from toe pointed to toes pulled back. I haven't used a protractor, but guessing, I'm around 50 - 55 degrees and I suspect that is really inflexible, but I would like some reference to understand where I am. I'm rather analytical as you may have guessed.
Thanks again.
You and I are in the same boat, dude. I'm in pretty good shape - slower than your 100 but faster on the kicking, though still a slow kicker. I post a lot on the "horrible" thread. Most people probably laugh at my times, but the hell with them.
Your ankles sound really tight, and that makes a big difference. Little kids are great kickers, and it's because their ankles are so loose. Stretch your ankles, and work on making them floppy. It's painful, but it helps.
I ditched the board - too depressing. If you need the air, kick on your back. If you have the time to devote to it, you will get better.
You can do it, my friend. If I could get a little better, you can get a lot better.
notsofast,
Thanks for the encouragement. I have several things to try out and have more confidence that I can improve my kick after hearing stories like yours.
Thanks,
bw
Thank you all for your replies. They are very helpful and I will try some of the advice. Since I'm not out to be competitive, I really appreciate Jim's take - BUT I do want to improve.
To answer a few questions. No, I'm not doing the tombstone - my times just look that way - and yes, it is an all out 50 yd kick at 2:30.
I do believe I only get power on the down kick with nothing on the up kick. I'll find some drills to work on that. Seems like it would have a lot to do with ankle flexibility. Speaking of which - if I'm lying down and point my toes out as much as possible, the angle between the floor and my feet would be somewhat greater than 45 degrees; pulling my toes back as far as possible would be a little past perpendicular (90*). So a range of motion not much more than 45*. I'm sure that is bad, but is it REALLY bad?
Lastly, I appreciate the workouts i.e. 12 x 25 on :45 - but that is tough when the best 25 I can do is more than 1:00 (remember this is pathetic).
but 12 x 25 at my best pace can be done and hopefully I will be able to do the :45 in the future - as Jim says; I've got 40 years to practice.
Again, thanks to all of you for taking the time to help and advise. Maybe I can post back in a few months with great improvement.
Regards,
bw
If I could drive the ball 300 yards I wouldn't care about my 50 kick time. Heck, I don't care about my 50 kick time anyway.
Your athletic skills are impressive. Keep kicking away, you'll improve.
I wonder if ankle flexability is detrimental to smacking the heck out of the ball. Maybe that's my problem.
Thanks Andre, I was just reading the "Help my flutter kick is horrible" and the progress that many have made are very encouraging. I start on it immediately.
Unfortunately, I'm in Memphis or I would love to have you look at my kick. We don't have too much going on here with Masters swimming, so I don't have a coach to watch me.
One quick question on ankle flexibility - do you have any idea what the average range of motion is? i.e. angle change from toe pointed to toes pulled back. I haven't used a protractor, but guessing, I'm around 50 - 55 degrees and I suspect that is really inflexible, but I would like some reference to understand where I am. I'm rather analytical as you may have guessed.
Thanks again.
Andre,
OK - turns out I'm not REALLY pathetic, just mostly so. I did an all out 25 yd kick as if my life depended on it. Starting in the water, kick off the wall as hard as I could (I didn't do this before), no kickboard, tried to keep a streamline position. My 25 yard time was 43 seconds. I did a 50yd the next day at 1:35.
I think the main difference is that when I was timing myself before, it was more of a training exercise/pace and I didn't go all out.
I know 43 is still pathetic, but it was nice to actually see the lane tiles go by, instead of thinking I could count them one by one.
I've read a lot in the "horrible flutter kick" thread and will certainly be doing several 25's all out in my workouts. I can also tell I've got some leg strength issues and some conditioning issues as I cannot hold the pace, such that it is, for very long.
Thanks!
bw
Thanks Andre - will do.
I woudn't say I "improved" as much as the first time was not measured correctly. That said, I certainly do look forward to improving on the 43/1:35.
Regards,
bw
