Improving Dolphin Kick

RE: Improving Dolphin Kick

Former Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:02:29 GMT

Even when I was in great shape, swimming 5000+ yards a day every day I could barely make it through a 100 butterfly (Now at 3000 yards 2 or 3 times a week just imagine). Last summer when swimming at the Y a young lady mentioned that it looked like I had no upbeat to my butterfly kick just a downbeat with an extra little kick that was throwing my rhythm off. She was right and I started concentrating on putting some power behind the upbeat which slowed my kick and helped even out the stroke a little. I still feel like I am not quite hitting it right though--or maybe I am just not in very good shape! No steigen lately. Did several trips in the Andes in my college days but at most manage a couple of trips a year to the Smokies for some light hiking. I still have the spirit though :)

RE: Improving Dolphin Kick

ViveBene — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:59:44 GMT

Aconcagua?! I'm afraid I'll never get there, being able to count the likely years remaining and what I am likely to do with them. Small bits of timing, well sub-second, can make a huge difference. This is a very worthy question, and if Ande doesn't get to it here, perhaps he will if you post a query on the SDK thread or "Ask Ande," or "What do you need to do to improve?" I'd be interested, as I just did my first 100 fly (Ok, I died), and would like to know more about timing, finessing the kick, and keeping on going.

RE: Improving Dolphin Kick

Former Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:43:36 GMT

Ha ha. No. I was on the "lesser" Venezuelan peaks. Pico Bolivar, Pico Humboldt, Pico Pan de Azucar. Played water polo on the ULA team while I was there too :) YouTube - Phelps Rallies Past Crocker in 100-fly I know this one was already posted but it shows some underwater shots along with above water. I probably need some more conditioning as well as someone taking a closer look at my stroke. Congrats on finishing the 100 Fly! Can you believe people actually swim 200 of that stroke ;)

RE: Improving Dolphin Kick

ande — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:32:56 GMT

work on your technique concentrate on kicking with perfect technique make a video and post it on you tube dolphin kick with a board dolphin kick with no board SDK sprints on your back side & belly I do longer kicks on my side breathing to the side my most recent 100 fly in a meet felt way better on the last length I took more SDKs off each wall lift weights to get stronger if someones timing & kick is way off and getting in the way / slowing them down when they swim fly I tell them to barely kick & move their arms as fast as they can I was reading Ande's tips for faster swimming and noticed the one about practicing the dolphin kick. My butterfly has always been pretty bad and a function of this is my timing between the kick and the stroke. However, my dolphin kick alone is very weak. Anyone have any tips for improving my kick?

RE: Improving Dolphin Kick

Former Member — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 09:07:11 GMT

Thank you, Vive Bene. Sorry to have posted on an already estbalished topic!

RE: Improving Dolphin Kick

ViveBene — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:49:58 GMT

Thank you, Vive Bene. ... Quite welcome! I'm not sure your specific timing question is addressed in detail, but it is a good one. So why not add it to the thread? I am discovering that my timing is off by a tick (or more) in just about everything I do. :confused: Where do you steigen in the Bergen? (A terrific activity to increase speed.)

RE: Improving Dolphin Kick

gigi — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:17:12 GMT

THanks for asking the question Bergsteiner - it turned me onto the gread SDK thread, which I don't think I would have gone to without the link in the answer here. I am definitely going to get on this - it was one of my goals in Ande's "What do you need to do to have a breakthrough" post. Here we go...

RE: Improving Dolphin Kick

ViveBene — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 02:34:51 GMT

Long-running thread here (SDK = streamlined dolphin kick): Help! My SDK is Horrible! - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums