So earlier at practice I experimented with flat feet coming off every wall. There was a very noticeable difference. I could surface with ease past the flags, without any DKs. In my first two years of swimming, I have used just the balls (and toes) of my feet in coming off the walls.
Flat feet (that is, both ball and heel) feels a little awkward right now, like any technique change, but I think I'm going to start adjusting to it for permanent use.
Thanks to Jim Thornton who suggested I make this a poll!
Can I ask members here to try pushing off the walls with flat feet, then report back? It is clear to me that many posters in this thread haven't even tried it...
I tried in my workout yesterday. I found that collapsing my foot just enough to let the heels touch really engages a lot more leg muscles, like Coach T is saying. It was not faster for me, but I can see how it could be if I work on it.
The feeling was the same as doing squats. If you start on your toes a little, for balance, and slowly rock back toward your heels, there is a sweet spot where your leg muscles feel like they're all perfectly aligned.
Can I ask members here to try pushing off the walls with flat feet, then report back? It is clear to me that many posters in this thread haven't even tried it...
I tried in my workout yesterday. I found that collapsing my foot just enough to let the heels touch really engages a lot more leg muscles, like Coach T is saying. It was not faster for me, but I can see how it could be if I work on it.
The feeling was the same as doing squats. If you start on your toes a little, for balance, and slowly rock back toward your heels, there is a sweet spot where your leg muscles feel like they're all perfectly aligned.
