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Something wrong with my swim kick
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juanillo
Oct 6, 18 11:27
Post #1 of 14 (1761 views)
Hellooo
I have just been swimming for the last couple of years, no running, no cycling, due to injuries...
Now it seems I am well recovering but I am not the sort of guy who has trained in a swimming club. I was enroled in a waterpolo team years ago and though my technique is not that bad, my swim kick is just....not right. I do not kick hard, I just to let my legs flow with the movement of the hips but I think I´ve got a problem with a good coordination and probably my hips are not high enough...I just feel I have the potential to swim much faster (I´ve got big hands, long arms, 6,2feet) but this summer I swam in two open water races, 2k and 2.5k and my pace was 1.55m/100....really sllow (one of them with no neoprene)...any advice to improve the kick??
Thank you
Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [juanillo] [ In reply to ]
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TriStart
Oct 6, 18 11:42
Post #2 of 14 (1731 views)
Could be kick, could be your timing of breathing, or a whole lot of other things. But without video, even the experienced critics of ST, would be hard pressed to give you pointers.
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [juanillo] [ In reply to ]
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SharkFM
Oct 6, 18 12:35
Post #3 of 14 (1694 views)
Sure - I'm the same boat. But here are some kick tips that I have from instructors and my experience:

1. Kick with super straight legs. Like a mannequin. This will ensure you use your legs as running surfaces and also as levers (vs collapsing support in the water by bending the knee). It's better to be bone straight than to be taking diggers. So kick small, fast and straight.

2. Count 1,2,3 (on right side) then 1,2,3 (on left side). this is a six beat kick. You must learn 3/4 time as most Rock n' Roll is 4/4 :)

3. A kickboard teaches body position. Chances are your spine is "fused" and if you can't do a decent upward dog in yoga, your body position in the water will be less than ideal.

For an adult, with gym training/yoga work, you are looking at 2-3 years to develop a decent kick.
Training Tweets: https://twitter.com/Jagersport_com
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [SharkFM] [ In reply to ]
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juanillo
Oct 6, 18 16:17
Post #4 of 14 (1605 views)
Thanks mate!!
Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [SharkFM] [ In reply to ]
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RBR
Oct 6, 18 16:17
Post #5 of 14 (1605 views)
Post a video and I’m sure the good swimmers could give you some advice
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [juanillo] [ In reply to ]
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ericmulk
Oct 7, 18 21:46
Post #6 of 14 (1428 views)
juanillo wrote:
Hellooo
I have just been swimming for the last couple of years, no running, no cycling, due to injuries...
Now it seems I am well recovering but I am not the sort of guy who has trained in a swimming club. I was enroled in a waterpolo team years ago and though my technique is not that bad, my swim kick is just....not right. I do not kick hard, I just to let my legs flow with the movement of the hips but I think I´ve got a problem with a good coordination and probably my hips are not high enough...I just feel I have the potential to swim much faster (I´ve got big hands, long arms, 6,2feet) but this summer I swam in two open water races, 2k and 2.5k and my pace was 1.55m/100....really sllow (one of them with no neoprene)...any advice to improve the kick??
Thank you.

How many meters/yards do you typically swim per workout??? How many days per week??? How do you structure your workouts??? Do you try to swim fast a fair amount of your workout??? How old are you??? Just b/c you are built like a swimmer does not make you fast until you put the work in. :)

"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [ericmulk] [ In reply to ]
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juanillo
Oct 8, 18 1:25
Post #7 of 14 (1384 views)
Hi
I just swim for fun and because makes me feel better. Of course, I´d love to improve but I am not aiming to win anything, just get better and do some competiotion in summertime.
I swim 5 days a week, 1.5k , not that much as I have not got too much time. I don´t make series (just did it previous to a race), work some technique from time to time, and I combine freestyle with backstroke. I am 39, but I don´t own a camera to record my swim and nobody to do it....I practise on my own...just telling you that I don´t take this too serious but I´d like to easy slide and get a better kick, just that
Thank you for your replies

ericmulk wrote:
juanillo wrote:
Hellooo
I have just been swimming for the last couple of years, no running, no cycling, due to injuries...
Now it seems I am well recovering but I am not the sort of guy who has trained in a swimming club. I was enroled in a waterpolo team years ago and though my technique is not that bad, my swim kick is just....not right. I do not kick hard, I just to let my legs flow with the movement of the hips but I think I´ve got a problem with a good coordination and probably my hips are not high enough...I just feel I have the potential to swim much faster (I´ve got big hands, long arms, 6,2feet) but this summer I swam in two open water races, 2k and 2.5k and my pace was 1.55m/100....really sllow (one of them with no neoprene)...any advice to improve the kick??
Thank you.


How many meters/yards do you typically swim per workout??? How many days per week??? How do you structure your workouts??? Do you try to swim fast a fair amount of your workout??? How old are you??? Just b/c you are built like a swimmer does not make you fast until you put the work in. :)
Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [juanillo] [ In reply to ]
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Mark57
Oct 8, 18 2:53
Post #8 of 14 (1352 views)
Most triathletes I've coached at swimming kick with their feet at right angles to their lower leg. This creates enormous drag. Far better to point your toes to get the water resistance way down. Once you're comfortable with that then kick not so much for propulsion but to balance the rotation of your body and to keep your hips up and your body gliding parallel to the surface of the water.
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [Mark57] [ In reply to ]
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juanillo
Oct 8, 18 3:22
Post #9 of 14 (1338 views)
Thank you Mark...for long distance swim, I know the gain of quick kicking vs the wasted energy is not worth, so I try to not let my legs to be a ballast so I try to just sink my legs a little bit in my kick....anyway, I know I do not push hard as I was injured for a long time in my lowback and I am getting my confidence back; so little by little to put more fire on...
Mark57 wrote:
Most triathletes I've coached at swimming kick with their feet at right angles to their lower leg. This creates enormous drag. Far better to point your toes to get the water resistance way down. Once you're comfortable with that then kick not so much for propulsion but to balance the rotation of your body and to keep your hips up and your body gliding parallel to the surface of the water.
Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P
Last edited by: juanillo: Oct 8, 18 3:24
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [juanillo] [ In reply to ]
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realAB
Oct 8, 18 7:36
Post #10 of 14 (1258 views)
Dave Scott put this up this week...

A lot of the things being said here... but focus on the upkick is solid advice.

Like Shark said you are also training your body position. I try to keep my suit above the water line.

Fins are a good tool as well, short and stiff ones work best, Arena powerfin pro is the go to fin these days, keeps the kick small and you can still kick with a high tempo compared to long fins


___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)
Last edited by: realAB: Oct 8, 18 7:37
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [realAB] [ In reply to ]
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ask77nl
Oct 8, 18 8:26
Post #11 of 14 (1229 views)
realAB wrote:
Dave Scott put this up this week...

A lot of the things being said here... but focus on the upkick is solid advice.

Like Shark said you are also training your body position. I try to keep my suit above the water line.

Fins are a good tool as well, short and stiff ones work best, Arena powerfin pro is the go to fin these days, keeps the kick small and you can still kick with a high tempo compared to long fins


Could you elaborate on the fin choice? In the video Dave Scott's athletes are using longer fins. I'd think longer fins = harder kick workout = more improvement. Or am I missing something?
Quote Reply
Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [ask77nl] [ In reply to ]
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realAB
Oct 8, 18 12:47
Post #12 of 14 (1169 views)
https://www.instagram.com/...igshid=1ogti0q2vxrup

The long fins help keep the kick nice and tight but slow the legs down too much in my opinion. The arena fins are really stiff and are super powerful so they are able to help keep the kick tight but at a faster rate. They are more natural feeling than long fins and appear to last a lot longer than any fins that have any bonded components.

The open heel allows for better ankle/foot flexibility. They are little bit heavy so you have to work the kick but there is a reason most top swimmers will buy them even if they get other fins for free...
___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)
Last edited by: realAB: Oct 8, 18 12:51
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [juanillo] [ In reply to ]
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ericmulk
Oct 8, 18 20:20
Post #13 of 14 (1078 views)
juanillo wrote:
Hi
I just swim for fun and because makes me feel better. Of course, I´d love to improve but I am not aiming to win anything, just get better and do some competiotion in summertime.
I swim 5 days a week, 1.5k , not that much as I have not got too much time. I don´t make series (just did it previous to a race), work some technique from time to time, and I combine freestyle with backstroke. I am 39, but I don´t own a camera to record my swim and nobody to do it....I practise on my own...just telling you that I don´t take this too serious but I´d like to easy slide and get a better kick, just that
Thank you for your replies

ericmulk wrote:
juanillo wrote:
Hellooo
I have just been swimming for the last couple of years, no running, no cycling, due to injuries...
Now it seems I am well recovering but I am not the sort of guy who has trained in a swimming club. I was enroled in a waterpolo team years ago and though my technique is not that bad, my swim kick is just....not right. I do not kick hard, I just to let my legs flow with the movement of the hips but I think I´ve got a problem with a good coordination and probably my hips are not high enough...I just feel I have the potential to swim much faster (I´ve got big hands, long arms, 6,2feet) but this summer I swam in two open water races, 2k and 2.5k and my pace was 1.55m/100....really sllow (one of them with no neoprene)...any advice to improve the kick??
Thank you.


How many meters/yards do you typically swim per workout??? How many days per week??? How do you structure your workouts??? Do you try to swim fast a fair amount of your workout??? How old are you??? Just b/c you are built like a swimmer does not make you fast until you put the work in. :)

Well, if you're only swimming 7500 m/wk, and not taking it too seriously, then you will probably stay at 1:55/100 m. Just using fins for part of your workout is not likely to make you faster unless you work harder at your swimming. If you want to improve, you have to work at it more.

"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: Something wrong with my swim kick [ericmulk] [ In reply to ]
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RBR
Oct 8, 18 21:19
Post #14 of 14 (1061 views)
7500 divided over the week is plenty to get faster than 1:50/100

But if you are just doing it for fun and not interested in putting in the work during those 7,500 then I’d just be happy with enjoying your swimming
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