Topic: 2 Beat kick connecting to core rotation
Conf: Freestyle
From: Matt Sale
Date: Thursday, May 04, 2006 06:30 AM

Hi All,
Had an interesting experience today at the pool. Working on a two beat kick for a while but today was the first day it seemed to connect with the core body rotation and just wanted to know if anyone has had similar experiences?

I felt that as my right foot kicked down the right hip on that side would pivot up, and the left side hip would really snap down. The power generated was amazing–I could really feel the power from the core (first time). I did not feel that the kick produced much propulsion by itself-but I felt the leg movement started the whole core rotation and kinetic chain process. I kept thinking of a baseball pitcher–the feet are planted in the dirt and provide the starting point for the twist and throw. For me it was like the energy started with the legs, amplified by the hips and ended with the arm and hand entry in the water.

Is this what it is suppose to feel like?

From: Terry Laughlin
Date: Friday, May 05, 2006 07:27 AM

On 5/4/2006 6:30:08 AM, Matt Sale wrote:
> Is this what it is suppose to feel like?<

PRECISELY. And I've been able to amplify that sensation even further by:

1. Occasionally focusing not just on the downbeat, but on sharply spreading my two feet, so the heel of one foot moves away from the toes of the other foot.
2. Focusing on maintaining a long "lever" with each leg. Using tone, but not tension, in each leg, I try to sense them as two firm levers, yet retaining just enough suppleness to allow the down driving leg to flex slightly.
3. Focus on close coordination of all three actions: leg drive, hip drive, arm spear. I've gotten some pretty amazing repeat times with stunningly little effort (and low counts) when I get the coordination just right. Close coordination does an amazing job of replacing effort, because it gets the maximum amount of muscle firing at the same moment and the maximum amount of body mass in motion.

I haven't yet managed to get it to feel that way during a race, but when I do, watch out.

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