Quicker Kicking Question

In article <[email hidden]>,

Troublemaker said:

I've gotten myself to the position where I am blazing fast with fins or with
a pull buoy, but I'm still a slug without this paraphernalia.

This suggests my problem is with the kick. I hate kicking without fins, but
I've recently been forcing myself to put in some yardage with naked feet.

I make a big effort to point them and to make other changes which help the
little tiles on the bottom of the pool fly by faster.

Can anyone offer a few basic concepts for me to keep in mind as I work on
this challenge?

Yes. Put the fins back on.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I make a big effort to point them and to make other changes which help
the
little tiles on the bottom of the pool fly by faster.

If you by "point them" mean that you fix your foot in a extended position,
then you are making a mistake. The muscles of the lower leg that control the
ankel joint should be relaxed. This should increase propulsion. This also
goes for swiming with fins.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Can anyone offer a few basic concepts for me to keep in mind as I work on
this challenge?

The forward motion of your leg should be done the same way as you would kick
a ball, during the backwards fase the leg should be straight.

Use kicking drills. One is the "over-kick": while maintaining a normal
paced stroke, kick like you are sprinting 25yards. This will help
build a strong kick with your stroke.

Also focus on keeping your feet from breaking the surface. Lifting
your feet out of the water is wasted energy. Your kicks should be
quick and short (your feet should scissor no more then a foot apart).

Troublemaker said:

I've gotten myself to the position where I am blazing fast with fins or with
a pull buoy, but I'm still a slug without this paraphernalia.

This suggests my problem is with the kick. I hate kicking without fins, but
I've recently been forcing myself to put in some yardage with naked feet.

It suggests to me that your legs are dragging too deep unless you have
fins or a floatie to raise them. You could raise them with a strong
kick, or with a better body position.

You actually are a troublemaker, because one camp believes that you
raise your legs by lowering your head and torso, and the other believes
you raise your legs by arching your lower back, and the battles betwixt
them have caused many a widow to grieve and many a seven year old to
swim 1.4 miles (in a wetsuit) lookin' fer his Da.

"Man o' Tea" wrote in part:

Quoted message said:

...the other believes you raise your legs
by arching your lower back,...

Works for me.

"Troublemaker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've gotten myself to the position where I am blazing fast with fins
or with a pull buoy, but I'm still a slug without this paraphernalia.

This suggests my problem is with the kick. I hate kicking without
fins, but I've recently been forcing myself to put in some yardage
with naked feet.

I make a big effort to point them and to make other changes which help
the little tiles on the bottom of the pool fly by faster.

Can anyone offer a few basic concepts for me to keep in mind as I work
on this challenge?

You want to work on improving the flexibility of your ankles.

If you do a web search on ankle flexibility, you'll find plenty to read.
In addition, consider short fins like Zoomers as a half-way point
between bigger fins and bare feet - get the blue ones, not the red ones.

The point about relaxing is important - forcing your feet into a pointed
position won't help you much, trying to relax them into that position
will. Calf raises and other exercise to improve your strength may help,
too.

-S-

Man o' Tea said:

Troublemaker said:

I've gotten myself to the position where I am blazing fast with fins or with
a pull buoy, but I'm still a slug without this paraphernalia.

This suggests my problem is with the kick. I hate kicking without fins, but
I've recently been forcing myself to put in some yardage with naked feet.

It suggests to me that your legs are dragging too deep unless you have
fins or a floatie to raise them. You could raise them with a strong
kick, or with a better body position.

You actually are a troublemaker, because one camp believes that you
raise your legs by lowering your head and torso, and the other believes
you raise your legs by arching your lower back, and the battles betwixt
them have caused many a widow to grieve and many a seven year old to
swim 1.4 miles (in a wetsuit) lookin' fer his Da.

Don't take your bouy to town
Son, leave your bouy at home
Don't take your bouy to town.

--Mike

ps: to be fair though there's a third camp that says 'to raise your legs
you need to drop your head.... and arch the back for structural integrity'

Steve Curtis said:

"Man o' Tea" wrote in part:

Quoted message said:

...the other believes you raise your legs
by arching your lower back,...

Works for me.

me, too.

rtk

Troublemaker said:

I've gotten myself to the position where I am blazing fast with fins or with
a pull buoy, but I'm still a slug without this paraphernalia.

This suggests my problem is with the kick. I hate kicking without fins, but
I've recently been forcing myself to put in some yardage with naked feet.

I make a big effort to point them and to make other changes which help the
little tiles on the bottom of the pool fly by faster.

Can anyone offer a few basic concepts for me to keep in mind as I work on
this challenge?

Thanks.

pull buoys and fins have to different effects on your body that make
swimming easier. the pull buoy brings your legs to the surface. so you
swim easy by focusing on your arms. The fins keep your toes pointing
back, and the also give you more propulsion.

Without the pull buoy and the fins, you feet probably point down and
your legs sink. You kick like mad to bring your legs to the surface.
Forget kicking. Focus on the following things:

1. try to keep your feet extended with your toes pointing back
2. Arch your lower back to bring your back to the surface, this should
prevent your legs from sinking.
3. roll your torso. when your arm enters the water, glide your hand
forward and let your torso roll to the side so that your hand can glide
further.

The mistake that beginners do is to lay flat on the water as if you
were going to get a back massage. They keep the body flat on the water
and want to turn the arms like windmills and kick like mad. Because
legs have more muscle density they want to sink. This is exagerated by
the toes pointing straight down. The three things above should help you
with this.

Andres

Quoted message said:

2. Arch your lower back to bring your back to the surface, this should
prevent your legs from sinking.

I meant: arch lower back to bring butt to surface.