Can anyone suggest drills to help me swim as fast without a pull buoy as I do with one?
I work hard at practice 5 days a week and make incremental gains every so often. But my improvement over the past year can't compare to the amount I improve when I grab a pull buoy.
So - I need to be working on my body alignment? Keeping my legs high in the water? Strengthening my abs? I try to work on all of those things but I would really appreciate any drill or workout ideas.
Thanks!
Swam with the buoy and strap last night and found my feet fish-tailing back and forth. It was interesting, and definitely drove home the fact that I use my feet to stabilize. I am going to keep up with that drill and work on stabilizing from my core. I also thought a lot about rotating on an axle (and taking my legs with me) which felt helpful. Thanks for that suggestion!
This thread lead to an actual in person conversation last night after practice, and the main question we all had was this:
Do those of you with strong kicks feel a connection between the timing of your kick and the timing of your stroke, or are they independent?
Glad to hear you found the strap helpful (other than a kickboard, it's my one and only training device). Some of that fish-tailing is probably due to hand placement and possible crossover in your stroke. Straighten that out and you'll be golden!
I am a goes-faster-pulling person. With the pull-buoy I don't have to use much energy to maintain body position so it's more energy for getting propulsion. I probably get a little body dolphining with the pull-buoy on to help me finish the arm-pull, which is all that my kick normally accomplishes anyhow. I don't use the ankle strap - my feet would rather just go along for the ride instead of working.
The biggest difference is that I get to wear my great big paddles when I pull. I make a high-elbow, deep catch and they don't seem to bother my shoulder joints (but do tire the muscles). I have a much higher turnover rate with the paddles and pull-buoy than I ever get with a 6-beat or 4-beat kick.
When coming up w/ seed times for my occasional meets, I can typically just use my practice times for intervals done with paddles/pull-buoy.
I'm in agreement with what has been said so far i.e. if the kick isn't within the streamline created by the upper body it can be an issue. In addition to this, a pull buoy acts like a wetsuit and or tech-suit etc. It creates an improved body position floating the legs towards the surface allowing the swimmer to feel like there going downhill so to speak (more horizontal to the surface) A drill to try to compensate for lack of a pull buoy is to do kicks and swims trying to engage your core muscles so that it gives you the feeling of trying to pull your belly button up through the small of your back. This help raise your hips which in turn helps the legs follow along closer to the water surface.
Where can you get a band for your feet? My Masters Team doesn't use them? I don't get to remember how they tailor them. Rubber material, maybe one of those tubes kids like to play with in the pool? The black ones?
Otherwise, anything works I guess. I use whatever straps I may find on the deck usually. Sometimes borrow them from some safety jackets stored in a depot.
Where can you get a band for your feet? My Masters Team doesn't use them?
Anything will work. I would avoid the old fashion innertube twisted around your ankles - too much drag and bouyancy. But I have seen plenty of people use an old, deflated bike tire innertube (ask a triathlete for one).
I use the nylon strap found on your backpack. You know - the one that is supposed to go around your waist (who uses that?). Cut it off, and use the handy plastic clasp on it. It's a perfect "belt" for your feet.
I have been doing the band drill regularly and have been finding it really helpful. Tonight at practice, at the end of a 200 sprint, the coach said "that was really fast." I have never gotten that reaction before :bliss:
Thanks so much for all of your tips!
Do those of you with strong kicks feel a connection between the timing of your kick and the timing of your stroke, or are they independent?
Arms and legs are coordinated. When I first started to work seriously on a six-beat kick, though, I felt as if my legs were just flailing around. To feel as if I had the right arm/leg timing, I had to go pretty slowly and think. My snorkel helped. Eventually after months of just making myself do it I started to feel more organized.
