Found this video on youtube while researching breaststroke drills:
YouTube- Swimming - Breaststroke - Underwater Pull, Power Phase
For those not able to see the video, the gist is: The dolphin kick can start with any parallel or downward motion of the hands (per the video).
Does this rule interpretation apply to USMS? Hopefully someone with authoritative knowledge can give their .02... As I am setting up my drill/practice routines I'd like to do it the right way : ).
Thanks :bow: to any or all guru's who reply!
Chris
My take? FINA screwed the pooch on creating this mess. This rule was intended to take the 'interpretation' out of if a swimmer's feet actually kicked or just undulated very strongly as a result of finishing the pullout arm stroke aka the Kitijima Rule. Fine, I'm OK with that. But then the Rules Lawyers(tm) got into it and so then FINA seemed to feel that they needed to state WHEN the kick could occur vis a vis the pullout which gave us the 'can coincide with or immediately follow the arm pull' definition.
Anf then, in true human fashion, folks started to game the system and try and put the dolphin kick as early as possible to the point that some folks actually start the kick before the pull even starts, leading to FINA's brilliant interpretation that the pull 'commences with any outward movement of the hands' but didn't state that once the movement has commenced it shall be continuous. So pop those hands 2 inches apart, dolphin kick and THEN 'finish' your pull as hard as you can, and while your at it, try and sneak a 2nd kick in as your feet will naturally undulate if you have a strong snap at the end of your pull. Putting us right back in the mess than FINA thought they were clarifying.
I would like to Deek every person who does that for taking a 2nd dolphin kick but can't because, thanks to FINA, this is a rule than can not be enforced by humans as the order of judging is supposed to be check the hands THEN check the feet. So if they kick before the hands move, it's impossible to call from the deck.
My take? FINA screwed the pooch on creating this mess. This rule was intended to take the 'interpretation' out of if a swimmer's feet actually kicked or just undulated very strongly as a result of finishing the pullout arm stroke aka the Kitijima Rule. Fine, I'm OK with that. But then the Rules Lawyers(tm) got into it and so then FINA seemed to feel that they needed to state WHEN the kick could occur vis a vis the pullout which gave us the 'can coincide with or immediately follow the arm pull' definition.
Anf then, in true human fashion, folks started to game the system and try and put the dolphin kick as early as possible to the point that some folks actually start the kick before the pull even starts, leading to FINA's brilliant interpretation that the pull 'commences with any outward movement of the hands' but didn't state that once the movement has commenced it shall be continuous. So pop those hands 2 inches apart, dolphin kick and THEN 'finish' your pull as hard as you can, and while your at it, try and sneak a 2nd kick in as your feet will naturally undulate if you have a strong snap at the end of your pull. Putting us right back in the mess than FINA thought they were clarifying.
I would like to Deek every person who does that for taking a 2nd dolphin kick but can't because, thanks to FINA, this is a rule than can not be enforced by humans as the order of judging is supposed to be check the hands THEN check the feet. So if they kick before the hands move, it's impossible to call from the deck.
