dragging my feet in the pool...
22
Member
99 days
Nathan_m posted 13 weeks ago.
Kicking with the floaty board helps you maintain your flutterkick when your swimming so it should be able to help improve your boyency in the water. Also ask the lifeguards on the pool deck or other swimmers and see if they can give you some advice on your technique, they can work wonders sometimes
674
Member
310 days
jsk85 posted 13 weeks ago.
advobwhite wrote:
flutterkick?
regular freestlye kick is called flutterkick
19
Member
1269 days
durf32 posted 13 weeks ago.
Swimming is by far my weakest of the 3 triathlon sports, so I've been working on improving it.
I noticed that, similarly to you, my legs were dropping, so I'd kick harder and pump the arms ever faster, only to get tired faster. Long story short, a buddy of mine directed me to a program called Total Immersion; I went to the library and it was checked out with a lengthy waiting list. So I recently purchased the book, I figured it was at worst a waste of $16, at best it would improve my swimming. I've only tried some of the techniques in the last week, but I have noticed an immediate difference. Might be worth your while to look into.
I am the great Cornholio! I need TeePee for my bunghole. Don't make my bunghole angry!
14
Member
204 days
jrs961 posted 13 weeks ago.
Two things...
(1) Without seeing you swim, I'm just guessing, but it sounds like your head and shoulders are probably up too high in the water. When I coached, I would tell my swimmers that it should feel like they are swimming downhill - head low, shoulders low, hips up. You should be looking at the bottom of the pool, not in front of you. Before you try using a kickboard, try just kicking with your arms at your side, head low, shoulders low, hips up, breathing to the side. It will probably be slow and strange, but should help you get a feel for the proper body position.
(2) When you swim, try feeling like your heels break the surface of the water every few kicks. You don't really want a big splashy kick (kicking air won't propel you forward!), but feeling your heel break the surface of the water will let you know if your legs are sinking.
1190
Member
338 days
TriSooner posted 13 weeks ago.
advobwhite wrote:
Terrible technique, to be honest. To start with, read some of Terry Laughlin's stuff. Others will recommend a coach.
what's goin on?
126
Member
605 days
Sandman posted 13 weeks ago.
jrs961 wrote:
Two things...
(1) Without seeing you swim, I'm just guessing, but it sounds like your head and shoulders are probably up too high in the water. When I coached, I would tell my swimmers that it should feel like they are swimming downhill - head low, shoulders low, hips up. You should be looking at the bottom of the pool, not in front of you. Before you try using a kickboard, try just kicking with your arms at your side, head low, shoulders low, hips up, breathing to the side. It will probably be slow and strange, but should help you get a feel for the proper body position.
(2) When you swim, try feeling like your heels break the surface of the water every few kicks. You don't really want a big splashy kick (kicking air won't propel you forward!), but feeling your heel break the surface of the water will let you know if your legs are sinking.
Ditto on this^ You might want to get some of those funky split speedo goggles. You can't see unless your head is in the proper position. That might help the body position too.
4914
Member
1717 days
beads1985 posted 13 weeks ago.
I would have to agree with the body position.
Lean forward, look down and point your toes away from you.
Nothing to it, but to do it
65
Member
128 days
advobwhite posted 13 weeks ago.
to be honest, i don't have goggles, i've been swimming w/ my head outa the water the whole time...if i get googgles and put my head down, that'd help?
587
Member
185 days
jtrimom posted 13 weeks ago.
that's probably the reason you're getting vertical :) what your head is in the water and you look down, it brings your hips and legs up to the surface naturally
632
Member
722 days
Ironmom posted 13 weeks ago.
advobwhite wrote:
to be honest, i don't have goggles, i've been swimming w/ my head outa the water the whole time...if i get googgles and put my head down, that'd help?
Um... yeah. Body position in swimming is like a teeter-totter. Head goes up, feet go down. Head goes down, feet go up. Swimming with head out of the water (also called the lifeguard stroke) is very energy-intensive. Get thee to the swim store.
Blue Skies, -Robin-
http://ironmom.blogspot.com/
65
Member
128 days
advobwhite posted 13 weeks ago.
thanks for the advice...i've always swam like that, so figured id swim like that for the race......it just didn't work out :(
76
Member
104 days
peterwong posted 13 weeks ago.
Ill vouch for the total immersion book. It is definitely a tri swimmers must.
As for lower half sinking, a technique mentioned in the book, although i feel it is a beginners tip, is to swim downwards.
65
Member
128 days
advobwhite posted 13 weeks ago.
got the goggles, swam, did 200 yds freestyle, 100 yds feet only w/ my arms on the board, staring down, 100 yds arms only, just kicking my feet enough to stay up, and then repeated that. i didn't feel it was harder muscularly, but i definately found it much more challenging holding my breath and i panicked for the first couple laps...we'll see how well i and quickly i improve, but i do see how that saves a ton of energy compared to swimming w/ my head outa the water.
464
Member
143 days
trigirltina2 posted 12 weeks ago.
You do need to breath. As you are learning, turn the head on your ear breathe and look down, then repeat. Ironmom could explain it better. The immersion book does have pics. Stroke, glide & breathe.
11
Member
88 days
zomvito posted 12 weeks ago.
I would say you really need some proper swimming training, either taking a cheap group swim lesson class or getting somebody you know that knows proper technique to give you some pointers. I take it you are doing the freestyle crawl? As you extend your arm, right or left, you breathe by turning your head to the side away from the extended arm (i.e. left arm out, turn head to the right and take breath with your mouth, nose would prolly get water up in it). Most people have a tendency to prefer one side to the other, it doesn't really matter that much which side you pick, but don't breath after every stroke, you should at least take 2-4 strokes before breathing again. I am one of those "breathe always on the right side" types, so I generally breathe every 2 strokes.
118
Member
192 days
cutiger95 posted 12 weeks ago.
I just impressed that you can do 400 yds life guard style. Holy smokes once you straighten out that stroke you are probably already at 1/2 IM or maybe even IM distance.
so, whenever i swim, i might get half a lap before my feet start dropping and i drag them, tho i still kick...and by the end of my workout, i'm still kickin my feet, but i'm almost vertical, so i'm swimming completely w/ upperbody almost for abuot 400+ yds. what's goin on?
also i saw some people just kicking holding onto a floaty board...would this help any?