The Kicking Lane

I'm a sprinter with a terrible kick and I do pretty well. If I had a kick, I'd be a lot faster. In my case it is about technique, not conditioning. I kick hard and go nowhere fast. I might get some answers here! The bad news is that I'm a better breaststroker, so that may be part of the problem.

Hi, my name's C, I'm a lazy kicker and I'm here to finally get help.

I'm here to kick for at least a few weeks. We will see how working on my kick helps me recover from my shoulder injury. I'm already a fairly decent kicker (with and without zoomers) but I can always find room for improvement :)

Some of my kicking tips: 1. Kick wearing a snorkel (restricting air) 2. Streamline boards and fins 3. Underwater 25's (SDK or just streamline) with and without fins 4. Quality sets (all out 50's, 100's with lots of rest) 5. Descending kick sets (dropping interval after each distance) 6. Running/jogging 7. Other leg drylands 8. Core exercises

Just ordered my first pair of fins. What type of sets and what percentage of my kick sets would you recommend using them to get the most benefit?

nice list lump! 1. Kick wearing a snorkel (restricting air) 2. Streamline boards and fins 3. Underwater 25's (SDK or just streamline) with and without fins 4. Quality sets (all out 50's, 100's with lots of rest) 5. Descending kick sets (dropping interval after each distance) 6. Running / jogging 7. Other leg drylands (weights) 8. Core exercises Here's some comments & additions 1. Kick wearing a snorkel (restricting air) (Garrett Weber Gale uses his in practice) 2. Streamline boards and fins 3. Underwater 25's (SDK or just streamline) with and without fins, FAST with REST, timed stuff 4. Quality sets (all out 50's, 100's with lots of rest) my fave, these hurt 5. Descending kick sets (dropping interval after each distance) 6. Running / jogging (not so sure if running is necessary) 7. Other leg drylands (weights) 8. Core exercises 9. Daily FOOT & ANKLE Stretching That is a great list! But why not mix it up and have fun too. I like to do: -- standing broad jump into the pool + eggbeater kick to the other end -- in a deep pool, dolphin kick to the bottom of the pool to the 12.5 yard point with a kickboard, jump squat off the bottom and sprint to the end -- in a deep pool, do "25s" where you dolphin kick to the bottom, squat jump off the bottom in a streamline position, dolphin kick as fast and high as you can -- kick with fins (better with a snorkle) with one leg at a 90 degree angle at the knee -- combine fast swimming and hypoxic kicking, e.g. fast 25 + fast UW shooter -- plyometrics to build explosive leg strength (box jumps will help you fly off the blocks and kick fast) -- don't just do 25 shooters, do 50s+ -- use a monofin for speed work I just went over 33,000 yards kicking since Jan. 1 according to my FLOG (and I'm a low yardage sprinter). My legs can't wait to taper soon!

After how I felt like my legs failed me at my last meet I've been a little more careful to pay attention to them. Marianne, I maybe use my fins 2-3 times a week at most (based on a 5-day swim routine). I usually use them either at the end of practice doing UW 25's, fast swimming 25's/50's, or FAST kicking. But I always try to do "some" kicking every practice, sometimes its emphasized more, sometimes less (same with pulling, drills). Here are a couple sets, the first one I did yesterday: 16 x 25 @ :30 with fins -SDK = Streamline Dolphin Kick (I do on back since I'm a backstroker) 4 kick UW SDK w/ nose clip, 4 Swim IM order FAST, 3 Kick UW SDK w/ nose clip, 3 choice FAST 10-12 x 50 @ :50 Kick w/ fins & board -Try to hold :30 These sets are towards the end of practice or the last set, so you'll FEEL THE BURN! :D

Wonderful to hear from everyone let's become faster kickers I added some questions to the first post in this thread please respond nice list lump! 1. Kick wearing a snorkel (restricting air) 2. Streamline boards and fins 3. Underwater 25's (SDK or just streamline) with and without fins 4. Quality sets (all out 50's, 100's with lots of rest) 5. Descending kick sets (dropping interval after each distance) 6. Running / jogging 7. Other leg drylands (weights) 8. Core exercises Here's some comments & additions 1. Kick wearing a snorkel (restricting air) (Garrett Weber Gale uses his in practice) 2. Streamline boards and fins 3. Underwater 25's (SDK or just streamline) with and without fins, FAST with REST, timed stuff 4. Quality sets (all out 50's, 100's with lots of rest) my fave, these hurt 5. Descending kick sets (dropping interval after each distance) 6. Running / jogging (not so sure if running is necessary) 7. Other leg drylands (weights) 8. Core exercises 9. Daily FOOT & ANKLE Stretching

I have an ongoing hip replacement problem that makes my rt leg weaker than the left. KIcking up in back stroke os the hardest to do for me.

You could add this too. I don't do these now, but did in HS/College: -Vertical Kick with a variety of additions (weights, hands out of water, hands above head, etc) -Kicking with old shoes on -Kicking/swimming while straped to surgical tubing to blocks/anchor -Kicking/swimming while straped to weighted baskets or weights If you swim in a location with a USS team see what their elite team is doing for more ideas. Basically you are trying to improve strength while also improving oxygen efficiency in the legs. The more you can hold technique while REALLY feeling the burn the better you get! Its as mentally as it is physical!