Hey..
whats the best exercises of dolphin kick (backstroke and fly)?
Which muscles you need to do be the best in it?..
Thanks
Practice ... lots of streamlined dolphin kicks under and on top of the water ... search Ande's blog or Ask Ande thread
I'm sure doing various core work out of the pool will help, but I'm not sure there's a single exercise that gets the full experience more than doing it
Improving your dolphin kick does take practice. Here are some tips to improve...
1) Keep your legs long and springy
2) don't only kick with the front of your legs but also the back of them
3) feel the water moving over your legs and then try to make it feel "thicker"
Hopefully this will help.
Coach Ty
swimworkoutsonline.com/blog
Here's a nice long thread on SDK (streamlined dolphin kick) that Ande started:
"Help! My SDK is horrible!"
forums.usms.org/showthread.php
Maybe you'll find something in there that will help.
Regards, VB
you asked
whats the best exercises of dolphin kick (backstroke and fly)?
i assume you meant
whats the best exercises TO IMPROVE MY dolphin kick (backstroke and fly)?
first of all I assume you want to improve your SDK
Streamline Dolphin Kick
in the pool
actual SDKing
a) AFAP for time while wearing a racing suit with plenty of rest before starting
b) against a stretch cord
c) while wearing a drag suit &
d) in training off every wall
Exercises AND STRETCHES:
1) leg press / dead lift / squats
2) leg extension
3) leg curl
4) jumps
5) core work like crunches
6) stretching to improve your toe point and streamline
read and participate on
help my SDK is horrible www.usms.org/.../showpost.php
other tips:
1) TEST yourself for a 25 SDK
SDK = Streamline Dolphin Kick
note how you started and the suit you wore
2) work to master SDK technique first,
your greatest gains will come from improving your SDK technique
SDK speed begins with a great push off and an excellent streamline
the key to SDK is to get propulsion from both kicking directions
watch videos of excellent SDKers
have someone video you underwater
3) do speed sets to improve your SDK
begin with 10, 15, & 25's
work up to 37.5's & 50's
work up to 62.5's, 75's, 87.5, & 100's
4) get in the habit of taking 3 or 4 SDKs off every wall in freestyle
5) compare your SDK speed to your
freestyle, butterfly and backstroke speed
develop a kick count strategy for each race
How many SDKs will you take in each race
6) exercise to strengthen your legs and your jump
7) how's your body shaped
the larger your body is the more drag it creates
8) hows your foot flexibility?
FAST sdker's tend to have big flexible feet
stretch your feet and ankles to improve your toe point
work on your toe point with your feet pointing inward
at about a 20 - 30 degree angle
9) retest your SDK speed
if you're faster
reconsider how many SDK's you'll use in each race.
10) Don't SDK to your detriment
I've seen swimmers try to SDK in races but they were going slower than if they just popped up and started swimming
11) figure out what works best for you and do it
Hey..
whats the best exercises of dolphin kick (backstroke and fly)?
Which muscles you need to do be the best in it?..
Thanks
Besides everything that Ande listed here is an exercise I really like for SDK.
Pick a deep pool about 10-12 feet - let yourself float to the bottom and do an explosive push off the bottom and start your kicks - get in as many kicks as possible before you reach your highest point (hips or further out of the water). Let yourself glide to the bottom again without rest and repeat -- after 4-5 go the wall and do one regular pushing off the wall. I like this drill because you can get in 5 of these very quickly and it teaches you to kick quicker than going of a regular wall.
excellent drill
Erik don't we sink to the bottom and float to the surface
It allows swimmers to experiment with the amplitude and frequency of their SDK
is it better to take
many small SDKs (like crocker) or fewer larger SDKs (like phelps)
Besides everything that Ande listed here is an exercise I really like for SDK.
Pick a deep pool about 10-12 feet - let yourself float to the bottom and do an explosive push off the bottom and start your kicks - get in as many kicks as possible before you reach your highest point (hips or further out of the water). Let yourself glide to the bottom again without rest and repeat -- after 4 - 5 go the wall and do one regular pushing off the wall. I like this drill because you can get in 5 of these very quickly and it teaches you to kick quicker than going of a regular wall.
