2 beat kick

[dgk2009]

I'm trying to learn a 2 beat kick and just cant seem to do it,any drills that might help with this,I just cant get the timing right.

[andyinnorway]

I recommend lying on a bed and practising tapping the right arm down at the same time as the left foot. and vice versa. Once you have the timing and co-ordination its much easier to take to the water.

enjoy

[CoachStuartMcDougal]

Originally Posted by dgk2009

I'm trying to learn a 2 beat kick and just cant seem to do it,any drills that might help with this,I just cant get the timing right.

It's best to start working on diagonal time in a simple easy context of the superman glide. Get into superman glide, feel level and suspended by the water, start first by activating shoulders, left, right, left,... A very subtle spearing, shoulder forward motion (not moving arm up/down). Feel the up front timing first. And if you have tempo trainer, nice to set at 1.4, time the left/right shoulder movement to the beep.

When you feel comfortable with this movement up front, now bring in a subtle downward movement of the foot opposite the forward spearing arm, i.e. right spear, left foot down, left spear, right foot down. This is difficult at the first; have a partner assist moving your legs with the correct arm as you move your shoulders (make sure they understand the timing!) - once you have your diagonal timing with assist, have partner release legs gently until you have the diagonal timing/movement all on your own. This drill gem is courtesy of Master TI Coach Fiona Laughlin. I use this with all my students and with great success.

Once superman glide "cha-cha-cha" has been somewhat mastered - next, introduce the 2bk with Spear-switch drill. In spear-switch when you bring recovery arm forward to goggle line and pause - pause your legs at this moment too. When you make your move to spear from goggle line to forward target, fire oppsite foot, e.g. spear to right target, fire left foot.

It's best not to think of pulling arm (or pull period) with toe-flick kick. This context will put no focus on the diagonal timing which is imperitve in 2bk. Similar to when we walk or run, left foot forward, right arm swings forward as counter-balance and forward momentum. If we move right foot forward with right arm forward swing - we would be walking like camels. We sure don't want swim like a camel either - and I see a lot of swim camels in the pool (firing the wrong foot)

Stuart

[Ladyfish]

I recently struggled with this same issue and finally overcame it by thinking of my body as a pair of scissors that is opened so the blades are separated. This visual also helped me get my recovery wide and gave me enough balance to improve my EVF tremendously too.

Talking only about the 2 beat here, the blades cross and join at the belly which is your point of balance (not your hands). One blade is the Rarm-Lleg and the other is the Larm-Rleg and they cross at the belly.

This is simplistic, but think of propulsion as coming from extending the hand as far forward as you can on entry and streamlining as much as possible. one hand, then the other, and so on. When you reach the hand to extension, use the rest of your "blade" (the opposite foot) as balance. This will help your brain connect the correct arm and leg. Start with this connection mentally.

Next, work on firing that opposite foot in some way at the moment of extension.This will make the neuromuscular connection you are looking for.

Once you have the leg firing at the right time, it is a matter of making the leg move in such a way that it aids with extension and ultimately with propulsion. It needs to flick just slightly creating a fully extended, long and streamlined blade with your hand at one end and your toe at the opposite end crossing through the belly button. Once this clicks you will be on your way. Start with one switch at a time to get it into your noggin.

On land, you can improve this connection by laying on a Bosu Ball (half a swiss ball) and balancing on your belly with one hand at your side and one extended, and both feet off the floor (not easy). Now lift the extended arm slightly as you slightly lift the opposite leg. This exercise will improve neuromuscular control......Probably too much information but I hope this helps!

[che9194]

It may seem counter intuitive, but I had success learning the 2 beat kick using a pull buoy. The buoy kept me in a stable position while I practiced the rhythm by lightly tapping/flicking the water with my ankles (not real kicking). Once I mentally imprinted the timing, I ditched the buoy and practiced the 2BK as a focal point during whole stroke practice.

That said - I rarely use the 2-beat kick when I swim, but it is nice to know that it is in my toolbox if I want to use it.

[dgk2009]

thanks everyone,the lying on the bed idea helped a ton,gave me the idea
of how it should feel,my problem is I want to do it backwards when in the
water,I want to kick left when spearing left and so on,but today I was
starting to get it a little,I can feel the foward thrust when I do it right but
still really have to concentrate on what I'm doing,once it comes naturally
look out,there may be hope for me yet!!

[katypfarmgirl]

I have struggled with this all winter. I studied timing watching Teri in the video. I had the revelation as follows: I tried to time the kick with the same side arm movment which lead to subtle timing issues and lack of propulsive energy via the core. I have realized now its the timing with the opposite spearing hand. When the spear is initiated ,which is after the mailslot entry, the opposite leg kicks transferring the energy to the newly anchored hand. Since this is about timing the tempo trainer has made the biggest difference keeping my timing left and right together and on track over the long haul.

[tomoy]

I don't think animals in nature move this way! But here's how I got it to click in my brain: Activate the left side, then the right.

By that I mean pull the hand & kick down at the same time on the left.

Then activate both limbs on the right side. Pull the right hand & kick down on the right leg.

It's whole left side experience / then a whole right side experience.

Of course different strokes work for different folks. It makes sense to think of it as a right-spear with left kick too - that's probably more in-line with TI language because it connects through your core in a balanced way.