phog wrote:
What I love about entrenched wisdom is how it becomes necessary for people defending it to infer other things from a few simple sentences.
My little rant had nothing about pull buoys or paddles, which I seldom if ever use and never oversized. No mention of using a band (have never used one in my life, maybe I should?). Although I must admit, I love my Roka Sims (ya missed a shot there) and do half my sets in them, I am old and lazy.
But as I watch the same people (in Triathlon) doing the same things over a period of years and getting the same results, while coaches go on and on about the kick being the most important thing to making your stroke work. Forgive me if I laugh occasionally.
I have swum since being given a free membership in my local swim club at the age of seven, competitively at various ages, with emphasis on Breast stroke and IM. So I am familiar with all the drills (ok not all, just most) and all the strokes (with variations).
Almost no late learning swimmers ever get that level of water comfort that a child develops.
Few if any of late learners will ever get a kick worthy of mention (whatever way up they face), but they will slog away dutifully following some first class, State or National level swimmer, turned coach (I will assume you are at least that) who just doesn't get it they they will never get it. Instead of using that precious time to get them quiet and confident in the water, with a simple relaxed stroke that does not depend on a skill or ability they will never have.
So while all the studs go on about their 1:05 100m on 1:20, scm or lcm (who cares) yada yada yada. I watch the same AG competitors swimming 2:20 100's year in and year out, never getting faster, making as much splash as an outboard motor and the only thing they get out of it is clean feet. Because they are the bulk of swimmers out there and you lot aren't doing them a bit of good.
Thanks for making my race easier. I appreciate it.
Who the hell says that the kick is the most important thing? No one I've ever talked to.
IT is important to develop the kick to the point where you can get out of your own way. After that, it matters at the elite level distance swimmer (elite swimmer, not triathlete) and if you're a middle distance or sprinter at any level.
Swimming Workout of the Day: Favourite Swim Sets: 2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly