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
I believe an efficient kick is more important that a strong kick. Developing a strong kick just for the case of a strong kick needs to be balanced against what it might take away from your stroke overall.
Then again, don't listen to me, kicking is for the birds.
I've noticed the best flyers and backstrokers are strong kickers. It might be the underwaters.
You can have a weak (but efficient) kick and be a top freestyler though. See: Janet Evans. Maybe less so with sprinting, but hey, I'm a terrible kicker and the 50 is my best event.
I believe an efficient kick is more important that a strong kick. Developing a strong kick just for the case of a strong kick needs to be balanced against what it might take away from your stroke overall.
Then again, don't listen to me, kicking is for the birds.
I've noticed the best flyers and backstrokers are strong kickers. It might be the underwaters.
You can have a weak (but efficient) kick and be a top freestyler though. See: Janet Evans. Maybe less so with sprinting, but hey, I'm a terrible kicker and the 50 is my best event.
