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 Beach,
congratulations you've established your starting points &
already improved your 50 k from 2:30 to 1:35
that's huge but as you know kicking a 50 in 1:35 is slow
I know you can improve even more.
Focus on improving your 12.5 & 25 yard kicking speed
Here's your next assignment.
do another all out 25 k for time where you:
1) PUSH OFF HARD / glide further then
2) Do small fast SPLASHY kicks (splash a lot)
3) have a friend video you while you kick fast
then report your results in
Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible
and put the video on youtube and give us the link
work for 6 weeks on improving your 25 kicking speed then
retest your 50 kick & 100 free
Kicking fast will improve your efficiency
Ande,
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
His name is Ande.
If you need ankle flexibility and like pain, you might want to look into The Rack. It's more effective than simply sitting on your ankles, which also works somewhat.
I've also found that long, stiff fins do a good job of loosening up the ankles while simultaneously strengthening the legs. Just make sure to kick hard, just as if you had no fins on.
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
beachwolverine,
That is much faster and makes much more sense.
Follow Ande's advice, and focus on your kicking during practice. It took me about 4 weeks of serious focus on my kick to build up decent kick endurance (I did 4x200 kick no fins yesterday). Before that, I would kick a 50 for every 100 everyone else could do. I am not fast yet, but I no longer get lapped during kick sets.
