I swim with a rhythmic 6 beat kick. I probably get some propulsion from the kick but mainly it achieves good rhythm and body position.
I have seen the 6 beat kick referred to as “sprinters kick” and that distance swimmers often prefer a 2 beat kick. Am I waisting a lot of energy on this fast kick? In an olympic distance race my swim HR is as high as my run HR. If I lower my kick to a 2 beat now and do the proper training (adaption and pull strength) this winter and spring, will I be able to swim close to the same speed with a lower HR, hence spending less energy? As a triathlete should I be worried about conserving my legs for the bike and run?
Good question! I’m no swimming coach and I’m sure one of them will pitch in and give you better advice.
I can only speak for myself here: I was coached by a 1500m swimming champ as a junior. Efficiency and style is what matters most when you swim this distance. I adopted a “2 beat” kick. I kick straight from the hip (no bent knees) and basically use it more to assist my body rotation than to actually kick. I must admit my only bad habit is the ability to breath only on one side, but I take a lot of comfort from Ian Thorpe (yes I’m talking Thorpeado here…) who seems to do the same when swimming 400m. Like I said, I’m no coach but the last season I have won a couple of my age group swims in major comps. My legs feel great on the bike with this approach.
I often notice 6 beat kickers in the pool. Some of them (most of them) don’t seem that much faster when going for longer than 100m. I hope that helps?!
Like you, I’m a natural 6-beat kicker. I have no idea what my HR is on the swim, but I’ve never really worried about it. Most important is to get through the swim feeling good, a 2beat may be better for you, then again it could throw your body position off so much that you are less efficient.
What seems to work for me is to always 6 beat, but just use a light kick. This keeps my position streamlined and straight, without burning out my quads. With a 2- beat, the amplitude of the kick increases too much, and the drag increases. It would also be too much to try and undo years of 6-beat kicking.
Not sure if you use a wetsuit or not but I’ve found that wearing a wetsuit makes my legs so buoyant that any kicking above and beyond what is required to keep my stroke looking good is a waste energy. When I try to kick hard in my wetsuit I feel like I am kicking more air than water. Not sure if anyone else feels this way or if it is just me. Plus not kicking that hard on the swim saves the legs for the bike/run.
That being said, when I do ocean swims that are not part of a tri and don’t allow wetsuits I kick a lot harder because (1) when I’m not wearing a wetsuit kicking hard gets me somewhere and (2) I don’t need to worry about saving my legs.
Its been some years since I stood on the pool deck but try swimming with a 2 beat and i bet you find it a bit harder at first. Having a 6 beat vs not having it is a great tool. Allows you to bridge gaps pull away etc fro other swimmers. Play around do some 500yd tt’s and see how they go. The more kicks in your bag the better off you are. FWIW, when sprinting I 6 beat and when in distnace swims 2 beat.
I have to agree with most of the posters on this one. A 6 beat vs. a 2 beat is a matter of preference. I coach as well as swim myself and find that I sprint with a 6, but in the 800 or farther, a 2 beat is a more accurate description of what I am doing. I find that I adjust my kick to the distance (or pace) I am swimming. If I think “move your ass” I automatically use a six beat. When I think “conservative” I am using a 2 beat. More often than not my kick defines my tempo. I teach my swimmers to “bring in the legs” when they want to go faster.
Here’s some data regarding kick tempo: My 400m kids are evenly split between 2 beat and 6 beat kickers, and the ones who are 6 beat kickers are strong 50-100 swimmers too, and the 2 beat swimmers are excellent 800-1500 swimmers. As 400 swimmers they are relative equals. This was not taught, it just turned out this way. The 2 athletes I have that are solid in all the free events from 50-1500 are both 6 beat all the time, and the better distance kids who use a 2 beat in the 400 will use a 6 beat in the 50-100. All of the athletes (besides the two mentioned before) are 2 beat for 800-1500 regardless. So you see, there may be a pattern, but none of it is important beyond being a useful tidbit when posting on a slowtwitch forum. If I got the 2 beat kid to try a 6 beat for a 800, I am sure the result will be very dissappointing to all involved, except maybe the competition. If you have a viable 6 beat kick, be happy! That is one more skill you have that will work to your advantage. It suggests the ability to adjust your swimming speed dramatically, to open or close a gap. Try some fartlek swims and try to adjust your kick to match your tempo, play around like desert dude suggests. Good luck.