Kick Less, Swim Faster?

I got my swim stroke analyzed yesterday. I figured since I haven’t been consistent in a pool for quite some time, analysis would be a good place to start. (I’m not really that nerdy, promise! OK maybe I am….)

Turns out even the swim coach thinks I have a ‘pretty stroke’. Damnit, I don’t care if it looks good I just want to be faster. (Laura, newsflash, you have to swim to get faster!)

Suggestions included kicking less, even not at all, concentrating on lower body control, creating more power with my upper body, raise my head up slightly, concentrate on not crossing over with my left hand, and associated drills for all of that.

Gosh, that sounds like a lot.

The devil really is in the details in swimming, isn’t it?

At least I don’t drop my right elbow anymore after concentrating on that all last year! Well, at least she didn’t mention it.

Real swimmers before you get in a huff about kicking less - Terrie suggested taming my kicking because I rely on it too much, like a crutch, and it completely wears me out. I’m using the mother out of the biggest muscles in my body. The caveat to that is I'm long. My legs are the longest part of me (twice as long as my torso, in fact) so they drag a lot if I don't kick. Which is probably why I kick so much in the first place.

So if I refine my stroke, make my arms stronger by pulling more, and kick less, I should get faster right?

Well, maybe not in open water. We also worked on anaerobic swimming; fast turnover to get speed in the water. Of course my stroke goes to shit when I do that, but if you can combine the two – good stroke mechanics plus fast turnover – apparently that’s the holy grail of open water swimming - ?

I don’t know, I’m not a swimm--- er, I mean, I’m working on becoming a swimmer!

The biggest news? I’ve been assigned swimming four times a week for the next four weeks. Anybody want to join me? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller.....?