Slow recovery hand...what about kicks?

[vol]

Question for Terry (or anyone else): I'm reading "Extraordinary swimming for every body". In describing the drills for backstroke (e.g. the backstroke switch), it says lift the recovery hand as slowly as possible. My question is: when you do so, do you still use 6-beat kicks? If so then the kicks would have to be very slow also, which doesn't seem good/easy to do. Or is that in these drills you simply kick frequently (and lightly), which, however, would not be how you do in whole stroke?

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by vol

Question for Terry (or anyone else): I'm reading "Extraordinary swimming for every body". In describing the drills for backstroke (e.g. the backstroke switch), it says lift the recovery hand as slowly as possible. My question is: when you do so, do you still use 6-beat kicks? If so then the kicks would have to be very slow also, which doesn't seem good/easy to do. Or is that in these drills you simply kick frequently (and lightly), which, however, would not be how you do in whole stroke?

You would just flutter kick. It's a drill for working on balance. I used to get tired from tension while trying to do that. It's easy to lift the arm, but to lift the arm with total body control and balance isn't easy at first.

[daveblt]

Personally if I am doing this drill and worried if I was doing a 6 beat kick it would take my concentration away from really focusing on this drill. I would just lean back ,look up at the ceiling relax and flutter gently .

Dave

[vol]

Thanks both. To me, it seems easier to do the whole stroke (w/ 6bk) than this drill ;)

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by vol

Thanks both. To me, it seems easier to do the whole stroke (w/ 6bk) than this drill ;)

I think the drill helped me to time the stoke better by taking time for the catch. I used to pull as I was beginning to lift the arm. It felt like I had to do it that way. Now I lift the arm while setting the catch, then I pull as the other arm recovers. So now whole stroke is easier than it used to be.

After not swimming for over two weeks, I started using a steady kick more naturally. But for some reason I decided to revert to a pulsed kick like Irie uses. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NotwR_Ex5s

[vol]

Originally Posted by shuumai

Irie uses. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NotwR_Ex5s

But isn't the middle portion of his body sinking too low?

[daveblt]

At some points in the stroke it does seem that the midsection sinks just a little ,maybe more so when he rolls .

Dave

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by vol

But isn't the middle portion of his body sinking too low?

Well, I just saw Irie on the telly and he was kicking more steadily. Peirsol took 1st, Irie 2nd, and Lochte 3rd. So, is his middle section sinking too low? Ask the six other swimmers who finished after him! hehe

Really, I don't know. There might be a trade-off between being highly streamlined and being able to engage the legs. They top out at 200m so that's a factor as well.