What would you consider as the most important reason to include kicking in your workouts?
Also, what do you see as the main difference and purpose between the exercises kicking with a board and kicking without a board?
I feel that fast intense kicking sets are very effective as well as a great cardio w/o.
I do both short and long fin kicking. The short fins simulate swimming better and the long fins are best for ankle flexibility.
As to building leg strength in the gym - this addresses the question of carry over effect of strength training on land to water. I love strength training but have found that there is very little relation between my squat or deadlift numbers and my swimming. I also don't really buy the swim specific stretch cord type training. The movement patterns in swimming are so unique that they can't be duplicated on dry land. The goal of land based strength training, IMHO, should be GPP. Simply strengthening your muscles in general to allow them to be effectively recruited in swimming (like flexibility training). Or as many have said before, if you want to get good at swimming - swim.
Many women find strength training more important than men - I think we tend to carry less muscle in general and so find it helpful to get stronger. However, I am a huge proponent of training in a manner that most suits you. Weight training seems to be helping Fort and although I've not seen huge time drops of late, it I feel it definitely helps me. And I have to kick in practice....
--mj
I feel that fast intense kicking sets are very effective as well as a great cardio w/o.
I do both short and long fin kicking. The short fins simulate swimming better and the long fins are best for ankle flexibility.
As to building leg strength in the gym - this addresses the question of carry over effect of strength training on land to water. I love strength training but have found that there is very little relation between my squat or deadlift numbers and my swimming. I also don't really buy the swim specific stretch cord type training. The movement patterns in swimming are so unique that they can't be duplicated on dry land. The goal of land based strength training, IMHO, should be GPP. Simply strengthening your muscles in general to allow them to be effectively recruited in swimming (like flexibility training). Or as many have said before, if you want to get good at swimming - swim.
Many women find strength training more important than men - I think we tend to carry less muscle in general and so find it helpful to get stronger. However, I am a huge proponent of training in a manner that most suits you. Weight training seems to be helping Fort and although I've not seen huge time drops of late, it I feel it definitely helps me. And I have to kick in practice....
--mj
