The swim smooth guys have a new site at www.swimtypes.com that attempts to classify swimmers into six types. I found it interesting to try, and to see how the classification changed when I played around with the input values.
One of the things I found interesting was that they said their data show that people are somewhat polarized between sub 1:25/100m continuous pace for "smooth"/ideal swimmers and plus 1:25/100m "overgliders" and that fitness doesn't seem to be a big factor in dividing people across that time. Most people with good technique will be under 1:25 pace and very few swimmers with overglider technique problems will be able to get under 1:25. They use your 400m time as the input so if your time is under 5:40 you will be classified as smooth, much over that and you'll be classified as an overglider or swinger.
In any case I would be interested in seeing how other people classify and whether you agree with the classification.
I think that a kicker would distinguish herself primarily by being faster full stroke over longish distances than with a pull buoy. Like making it more easily on reps of 100 on relatively tight intervals done at relatively slow speed. If this feels easier full stroke than with a pull then you're a kicker of whatever the name given to strong kickers. It's a good thing for a fly specialist to be a kicker. Might explain in part why you can get away without swimming too much fly in practice.
If my informal survey is at all representative (see Speed with pull buoy compared to speed without? - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums), then helluva lot of masters are kicktastic by this definition. And that just doesn't seem right. (Although I myself am likely kicktastic).
I think that a kicker would distinguish herself primarily by being faster full stroke over longish distances than with a pull buoy. Like making it more easily on reps of 100 on relatively tight intervals done at relatively slow speed. If this feels easier full stroke than with a pull then you're a kicker of whatever the name given to strong kickers. It's a good thing for a fly specialist to be a kicker. Might explain in part why you can get away without swimming too much fly in practice.
If my informal survey is at all representative (see Speed with pull buoy compared to speed without? - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums), then helluva lot of masters are kicktastic by this definition. And that just doesn't seem right. (Although I myself am likely kicktastic).
