Is it possible to develop a great kick later in "life"?
Former Member
I'm 37. I've been swimming for 2.5 years. I'm a triathlete and was told for the longest time that kick wasn't important so I didn't do any kick sets and focused primary on my upper body form.
I've completely turned my thinking around on kicking and I'd like to develop my kick. I've been told/read that it is difficult to develop a great kick if #1 - you didn't start young and incorporate it #2 - if you developed a stroke like I did and then tried to incorporate good kicking.
In others opinions is it possible to develop a strong kick given what I've outlined above? I have a good coach right now and we've started a plan to do lots of kick sets (of different types) and weight my workouts over the next several months towards kick sets and other drills given my next A race isn't until mid-Sept.
Parents
Former Member
Good point, and this is especially true for triathletes, I would think. The one thing you don't want to do in that first leg of the triathlon is burn out your legs.
I imagine you would want a 2-beat kick for most of the OW swim in a triathlon, though a more vigorous 6-beat kick might be good early on to get to clear water.
I think that the key will be to develop ankle flexibility. Increasing it just a little bit makes a huge difference in forward propulsion for the same kicking effort.
Many lifelong runners (and others who didn't swim when young) have pretty poor ankle flexibility which might be the cause of statement #1 in the OP. On the other hand, not being a runner, I have no idea how developing better ankle flexibility will impact one's running (especially susceptibility to injuries such as turning an ankle).
I am a runner - and have poor ankle flexibility :) My coach wants to develop the 6-beat first and then work on the 2-beat when I become more powerful.
Triathletes or not - the best swimmers have a good strong kick. Some 2-beat and some 6-beat. The coach I have is also a triathlete (and ex-college swimmer) and he has a powerful 2-beat kick... and he is usually first out of the water.
Good point, and this is especially true for triathletes, I would think. The one thing you don't want to do in that first leg of the triathlon is burn out your legs.
I imagine you would want a 2-beat kick for most of the OW swim in a triathlon, though a more vigorous 6-beat kick might be good early on to get to clear water.
I think that the key will be to develop ankle flexibility. Increasing it just a little bit makes a huge difference in forward propulsion for the same kicking effort.
Many lifelong runners (and others who didn't swim when young) have pretty poor ankle flexibility which might be the cause of statement #1 in the OP. On the other hand, not being a runner, I have no idea how developing better ankle flexibility will impact one's running (especially susceptibility to injuries such as turning an ankle).
I am a runner - and have poor ankle flexibility :) My coach wants to develop the 6-beat first and then work on the 2-beat when I become more powerful.
Triathletes or not - the best swimmers have a good strong kick. Some 2-beat and some 6-beat. The coach I have is also a triathlete (and ex-college swimmer) and he has a powerful 2-beat kick... and he is usually first out of the water.
