Improving my kick on all strokes

I tried the drill with kicking on one side -> 3 pulls -> kicking on other side. I did it over 5x100m, and currently I have really poor control over body position and the kick isn't great. But I will keep practicing, as I could feel the difference when returning to full stroke. I also did the 5x100m kick set, and I went nowhere near as quick as I hoped, so was going off about 2:30. I will have to keep working on that too.

After 5 hip operations, my kick is something I need to work on ALL the time!

This worked for me in the beginning: kickboard + the fastest kick one can muster for 25yds, or as far as possible, 15 yards, 20 yards, lots of rest for a strong start each 25. Sprinters kick their heels out of the water on a 6-stroke kick - this allows them to reach a higher speed for more propulsion in the down kick, and for me that engages the shins in the effort too. At first, it feels like a hugely exaggerated kick, but when it catches you'll feel the strong push. Work up over months to an all kick workout once in a while. When I started swimming again after 7 years off, couldn't swim any stroke fast at all. I'm 6'4" 240 lbs. Could barely kick with speed past mid pool. But practice will improve a kick, it has mine, slowly, each week a little stronger and faster. A strong kick can take seconds off of a 25 time, or just reduce arm work during sets. At some point, try to learn to time the kick and reach/catch on opposing sides just right. Nathan Adrian talked about that in a video, and it works to give a little more propulsion. For butterfly and backstroke, practicing underwater dolphin kick, just 3 strokes off of each wall, can strengthen the core over time, improving all stroke kicks.

This worked for me in the beginning: kickboard + the fastest kick one can muster for 25yds, or as far as possible, 15 yards, 20 yards, lots of rest for a strong start each 25. Sprinters kick their heels out of the water on a 6-stroke kick - this allows them to reach a higher speed for more propulsion in the down kick, and for me that engages the shins in the effort too. At first, it feels like a hugely exaggerated kick, but when it catches you'll feel the strong push. Work up over months to an all kick workout once in a while. When I started swimming again after 7 years off, couldn't swim any stroke fast at all. I'm 6'4" 240 lbs. Could barely kick with speed past mid pool. But practice will improve a kick, it has mine, slowly, each week a little stronger and faster. A strong kick can take seconds off of a 25 time, or just reduce arm work during sets. At some point, try to learn to time the kick and reach/catch on opposing sides just right. Nathan Adrian talked about that in a video, and it works to give a little more propulsion. For butterfly and backstroke, practicing underwater dolphin kick, just 3 strokes off of each wall, can strengthen the core over time, improving all stroke kicks. 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.

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.

Kicking like all of a stroke, is part learning what works best for your particular body, and part lots of practicing to make that form even stronger and faster. All parts of a stroke may need constant adjustment as muscle and strength builds over time. For instance, my ankles lock in the down stroke before they are parallel to the shins, unlike most swimmers I see that accomplish a flat shin to top-of-foot line. I unconsciously compensate for this by focusing on finding the fastest kick form: speed, amplitude, timing all adjusted constantly. Study of natural swimming creatures shows that faster smaller undulations give the highest speed, but not necessarily the fastest acceleration. This all takes lots of patience, a sense of the water with your legs, a willingness to change things up a bit just to see what happens, and practice to find the best kick for oneself. Sometimes in sets I might do a few lengths with slow large exaggerated undulating flutter kicks, which probably look bizarre to coach and others, but it works to stretch hips and legs, build core, and give a further sense of what type of leg movements give the best propulsion. Despite what others said here, zoomers occasionally can teach your body the feel of moving fast with legs, which can be remembered later without zoomers.

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. Thanks for the advice. That kick video is ridiculous. There's no way I could ever get close to going that quick (probably not even as quick as the slower kickers). I'd just be happy to go a bit quicker than I do now. Maybe around 50-55 seconds per 50m for a longer set. I'm currently doing slightly over a minute.

Work up over months to an all kick workout once in a while.What do you suggest for an all kick workout? I.e. Sticking to fast 25s with lots of rest, or extended distances to build up stamina? It sounds like something I would hate doing right now, but could be a really good goal to work towards.

I've been working on my kick when possible, using a training plan that has 2x200m, and 2x100m free kick during warmup, then 20x25m kick alt free/choice, which is supposed to be as fast as possible. Then during some IM swim sets there's a couple of 3x100m IM kick. I've made slight improvements in terms of time and endurance. I can now kick a 200m free without needing to switch strokes because of tiredness, and I can keep a reasonable rhythm, but it's still not quick at around 4 minutes/200m. For the fast 25m kick, I can do slightly over 20 seconds when fresh, and this slows by a couple of seconds when I start to tire. I'm going to keep doing the sessions with a lot of kick as they seem to help more when actually swimming, with body position and the ability to go to my legs, especially if my kick is strong for the first couple of strokes off the wall. That's great to hear! I'm glad the focused work is helping you see some improvements.

I've been working on my kick when possible, using a training plan that has 2x200m, and 2x100m free kick during warmup, then 20x25m kick alt free/choice, which is supposed to be as fast as possible. Then during some IM swim sets there's a couple of 3x100m IM kick. I've made slight improvements in terms of time and endurance. I can now kick a 200m free without needing to switch strokes because of tiredness, and I can keep a reasonable rhythm, but it's still not quick at around 4 minutes/200m. For the fast 25m kick, I can do slightly over 20 seconds when fresh, and this slows by a couple of seconds when I start to tire. I'm going to keep doing the sessions with a lot of kick as they seem to help more when actually swimming, with body position and the ability to go to my legs, especially if my kick is strong for the first couple of strokes off the wall.