The Butterfly Lane

To work on the "kick up," do you think it's helpful to kick while on your back (so that the "kick up" is a "kick down")? Do you think in general dolphin kicking on your back is a good way to train for fly kicking? I ask because a lot of people on my team kick on their back for fly kick, but it always seems a bit strange to me. So, I'm wondering now if there is a good reason for it, other than wanting more access to oxygen. I agree that kicking on your back can help with the up kick. It is also a practical issue - I typically do either a reverse catch up drill on my tummy (free drill) or I kick on my back with fins during pull sets. I can do the set less one 50 per 200 (so a 150 to their 200) and it's a good interval for me without disrupting the lane or getting lapped. I am not a very strong fly kicker. Solid free kicker, but never have been for fly. But there is my own answer - lowest hanging fruit!! Pick something really do-able and don't worry that it's too little or different. Here's what I did last Monday on my own! 400 warm up 200 easy kick with board 100 kick without board 8 x 25 with shoes, snorkel, board in front and/or no board 4 free 2 fly 2 on back 8 x 25 fast feet freestyle board in front - fast as you can go (timewise) and faster feet than you can count (ie, imagine watching yourself kick. if you can see your feet, you are moving them too slow) true 50 race pace feet. 8 x 25 with fins free and fly underwater no breath 8 x 25 with fins back and fly underwater at least to the opposite flag 3 x 150 100 kick on all sides/50 free easy swim 50 easy Passed on my 4 x vertical kicks due to slightly overtired core from shoes on back today. Better to pass on it than throw out my back. Lots of rest; this took me 1 hour 10 minutes. So you see, I don't do much! But I do this type of kicking EVERY WEEK, ONCE a week. It's sustainable. Not being a gifted fly kicker, the 2 things I work on most is to get lift and to not initiate the kick from the knees when I am tired. You can do it! Just set some sets down on paper, and go do them! Yeah!

To work on the "kick up," do you think it's helpful to kick while on your back (so that the "kick up" is a "kick down")? Do you think in general dolphin kicking on your back is a good way to train for fly kicking? I ask because a lot of people on my team kick on their back for fly kick, but it always seems a bit strange to me. So, I'm wondering now if there is a good reason for it, other than wanting more access to oxygen. I agree that kicking on your back can help with the up kick. It is also a practical issue - I typically do either a reverse catch up drill on my tummy (free drill) or I kick on my back with fins during pull sets. I can do the set less one 50 per 200 (so a 150 to their 200) and it's a good interval for me without disrupting the lane or getting lapped. I am not a very strong fly kicker. Solid free kicker, but never have been for fly. But there is my own answer - lowest hanging fruit!! Pick something really do-able and don't worry that it's too little or different. Here's what I did last Monday on my own! 400 warm up 200 easy kick with board 100 kick without board 8 x 25 with shoes, snorkel, board in front and/or no board 4 free 2 fly 2 on back 8 x 25 fast feet freestyle board in front - fast as you can go (timewise) and faster feet than you can count (ie, imagine watching yourself kick. if you can see your feet, you are moving them too slow) true 50 race pace feet. 8 x 25 with fins free and fly underwater no breath 8 x 25 with fins back and fly underwater at least to the opposite flag 3 x 150 100 kick on all sides/50 free easy swim 50 easy Passed on my 4 x vertical kicks due to slightly overtired core from shoes on back today. Better to pass on it than throw out my back. Lots of rest; this took me 1 hour 10 minutes. So you see, I don't do much! But I do this type of kicking EVERY WEEK, ONCE a week. It's sustainable. Not being a gifted fly kicker, the 2 things I work on most is to get lift and to not initiate the kick from the knees when I am tired. You can do it! Just set some sets down on paper, and go do them! Yeah!