cant get hang of kick

[CoachFlppr]

It depends on how quickly you want to "get it". If you are still sinking with superman glide, I would work more on superman glide until the only thing that makes you stand up during a glide is that you run out of breath. At least make that a goal. It is possible.
If you want it badly and soon, stop, stand up, regroup, and start again. Sure, it will be frustrating at first, but it will improve as your body learns balance.

[borate]

Originally Posted by sinker

Mempho
Rotation is essential...apparently you have discovered the kick is unnecessary. Hmmmmm. Something to look into.

Kicking downwards with the same-side leg as the pulling arm will cause that hip to rise, while the opposite hip dips.
Thurs the kick can add torque to the rotation. A bonus when applied correctly ... a detriment when out of sync.

[svenosaurus]

I tried both suggestions this morning.

I can't swim without kicking. However, I can swim with a light dolphin kick, which I figure should have a similar effect on "forgetting" the wrong-sided kick. I'll try to gradually reduce the kick as I feel more balanced. I can't tell for sure without a video, but, based on the relative ease of breathing on my worse side, I think my core twisted less this way.

Skate switch with focus on the bottom leg kicking as the top arm's hand reaches my face seemed to go well. No problem with 3-4 switches in a row (after which I need to take a breath anyway).

Another thing I realized might be helpful is vertical kicking with quarter-turns. I normally can't practice vertical kicking because the pool in which I usually swim is not deep enough. But today I had to go to a different pool, which has a true deep end. So I tried to coordinate each quarter-turn with a stronger kick from the leg in whose direction I was turning. This was easy to do and felt completely natural.

[tab]

On another thread someone mentioned their size 12 foot, I fall in with a size 8. Sometimes I wonder how important foot size is and if it helps to have a larger foot to kick with. Perhaps part of the sensation of the dolphin kick combined with free style stroke is appealing to me. I find that I swim with little emphasis on the kick, something that a little more work will help with my times. For now, I believe the kicks purpose is initiating body roll, assisting the whole to progress through the water, it is not only for propulsion. It is all timing, the kick is one tick in the sequence.

[CoachFlppr]

Originally Posted by svenosaurus

I can't swim without kicking.

That is important information. Despite swimming for decades, you are dependent on your kick for balance. Perhaps the reason you have difficulty with the 2bk is that your legs are too busy holding your body up in the water. The way of TI is balance first, then streamlining, then propulsion, in that order. Improve your balance, and it will free up your legs, and your energy, for other things.

[svenosaurus]

Yesterday I was, for the first time, able to incorporate kicking in sync with the whole stroke, ending the day with finally being able to keep it in sync for the length of the pool (25yd). Today I swam many lengths (didn't count, but over 20 for sure) and only lost rhythm 2 or 3 times. This is a major breakthrough for me, and I am pleasantly surprised that I got it only a week after discovering that I had a problem with always kicking the opposite leg.

Swimming felt better than ever today, even though I am almost sure that I was doing most things worse than normally (because I was focusing exclusively on my kick and hip movement). But with my core rotating as a unit (more or less - obviously this is still very far from good skill) rather than twisting, movement felt incredibly easy. And doing a 2BK instead of 6BK probably helps with that ease, too (although I am pretty sure that's less important than kicking with the rotation instead of opposing the rotation). I also feel that 2BK helps with keeping legs streamlined.

I first succeeded in kicking in sync by starting from a Superman glide, beginning to move one arm, and kicking the same leg as I started the pull, then waiting to kick the other leg as I got to the same arm position on the other side. Initially it was definitely helpful to think in terms of "pull and kick with the same leg"; today, I was also able to change perspective to "reach and kick with the opposite leg". Now I can think of it either way and it works.

Thanks for all the advice - I followed most of it to help break the bad habit, and will continue to do the recommended drills. But being able to also swim whole stroke again makes swimming more fun.

[westyswoods]

It is not only nice to hear success stories, but important as well. Keep up the good work and enjoy. Keep us posted.

Swim Silent and Be Well
Westy