I have always been terrible at kick, and I believe it holds me back, so I want to make some improvements. As an age group swimmer, we would train lots of 50m kick on 60 secs, and I would struggle at that pace, and now I am older and heavier than I was then.
Physically I am 6'2" and about 225#, but my feet don't measure up at all at size 8, with a high arch and hammer toes. I don't want to make excuses, but this may be why my feet struggle to catch the water properly. I know this means I'm going to struggle, but I am looking to do the best with what I have.
What should I do in training to:
Improve feel for the water and effectiveness of kick?
Greatly improve kicking endurance?
Keep my kick "switched on" when doing full stroke?
Are there other factors I should consider?
I always try to do some dolphin kicks off the wall. I don't think it's any quicker for me than just gliding because my kick is so poor, but I try it anyway.
When you say heels out of the water, I assume you mean just heels? I had a habit of lifting my foot out and thumping it back into the water, which creates a lot of splash, but probably makes the foot just slip straight through the water, rather than 'catching' the water and pushing me forwards. Doing more kick has made me more conscious of that, and I try not to lift my feet too high now. My times doing kick have improved a little too.
Feet all the way out of water if you it helps, thump thump thump - 24.6 second 50 yd kick only: www.youtube.com/watch
I've heard getting the feet out of the water some helps to accelerate them faster on entry, and hence more propulsion force, and more splash.
Underwater dolphins won't accelerate you much with a strong wall push off, but it will maintain a higher speed than glide alone. 3 or 4 kicks takes me out a few extra yards more than just gliding before I do a breakout at swim speed.
I always try to do some dolphin kicks off the wall. I don't think it's any quicker for me than just gliding because my kick is so poor, but I try it anyway.
When you say heels out of the water, I assume you mean just heels? I had a habit of lifting my foot out and thumping it back into the water, which creates a lot of splash, but probably makes the foot just slip straight through the water, rather than 'catching' the water and pushing me forwards. Doing more kick has made me more conscious of that, and I try not to lift my feet too high now. My times doing kick have improved a little too.
Feet all the way out of water if you it helps, thump thump thump - 24.6 second 50 yd kick only: www.youtube.com/watch
I've heard getting the feet out of the water some helps to accelerate them faster on entry, and hence more propulsion force, and more splash.
Underwater dolphins won't accelerate you much with a strong wall push off, but it will maintain a higher speed than glide alone. 3 or 4 kicks takes me out a few extra yards more than just gliding before I do a breakout at swim speed.
