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AAaargghh those legs!!
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 2015-01-26 11:33 AM |
 11 |  Subject: AAaargghh those legs!!Hi everyone, A question on my swimming technique. As a general background, I was never a great sportsman, let alone swimmer. Quite the contrary in fact. However, a few years ago, I got the idea of trying to realize a dream and do a triathlon (or at least a half one). So I started to take swimming lessons and later on as I progressed, joined a swimming club. Whilst I have been slowly but steady been improving my swimming technique ever since I started to take swimming lessons/training 3 years ago, there's just one thing that does not seem to work for me at all.... my legs! Although I can keep up with most people in my swimming club (the average speed lane :-) ), whenever leg training comes up, I know I'll be passed a couple of times.... I just cannot seem to get this leg-kick for crawl under control... Unfortunately, all my trainer seems to be able to say is... "kick as if you're playing soccer" or "kick slow but deep in the water".... advice which does not seem to contribute much :-((( (maybe the fact I sucked at playing soccer isn't helping me) So is this something I just need to live with that my legkick will never get at a decent level, is it just a matter of training a lot, or is there some other trick or tip that can help to improve? Thanks in advance! P |
| 2015-01-26 11:51 AM in reply to: pnobels |
Member 622   Franklin, TN | Subject: RE: AAaargghh those legs!! Kick slow and deep is just plain wrong. Not sure what they mean by soccer kicking. Your kick should originate from the hips with relatively straight (not rigid) legs. Ideally, your toes should be pointed but that is a function of how flexible your ankles are...you might need to work on ankle flexibility if your toes point straight down when you're kicking. Try to keep your butt near the surface and kick with relatively shallow kicks. Deep kicks are more tiresome and just create additional drag. |
| 2015-01-26 11:53 AM in reply to: pnobels |
New user 1351  Austin, Texas | Subject: RE: AAaargghh those legs!! One thing you could try is floating vertically in the deep end, and kicking to try to raise yourself out of the water. Your muscles will get instant feedback on what gives you more power. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYEERgh_VfQ |
| 2015-01-26 2:41 PM in reply to: pnobels |
Champion 10668 Tacoma, Washington | Subject: RE: AAaargghh those legs!! Soccer kicking.. Think of a wave traveling down your leg that starts in the hip. Your leg works like a whip as that wave travels down, and your foot flicks the water. Now think of that whip. What happens if you grab the handle (or whatever the proper name for that part of a whip is) and make a huge up-and-down with it? The end just kind of flops lazily and does nothing. Now give that handle and give it a sharp small flick, how does the end react? Yup. Think of your leg and foot doing the same thing. |
| 2015-01-31 7:55 AM in reply to: pnobels |
Veteran 308 | Subject: RE: AAaargghh those legs!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4gXjneFXuI&index=1&list=PLnpUkIxxZL... This is a very good video about kicking. |
| 2015-01-31 8:00 AM in reply to: pnobels |
Veteran 308 | Subject: RE: AAaargghh those legs!! Have you tried o swim with fins? I do swim with them sometimes. Fins kind o each your body a proper position in he water. My kick is great with hem, especially when I swim on my back. I feel that my thighs are engaged and I swim really really fast. Also do not point your toes during the down kick. Im not sure if you are doing it, but this one of my mistakes. |
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