Why triathletes should not avoid the kick sets in the pool
Sooooo...you hate kicking right? Me too!
Up until I injured my shoulder two years ago (the typical rotator cuff injury from overuse). I was in such a pain that I couldn't sleep at nights and I couldn't move my arm above the head level without some kind of discomfort. Four months off swimming, physical therapy and trigger point dry needling (the last one hurt!)
The only good thing that came out of it is that I learned how to kick! I was four months off swimming but my brilliant coach did not get me off the pool. I was doing all the swim practices with just kicking. All kinds of kicking: free, fly, breast, back, side, sprints, long sets, sets with flippers, sets with snorkel ... anything you can possibly imagine that a swimmer can do with or without a kickboard. Fun!
Well, not so fun back then, but certainly fun now. Here is how my swimming got better after learning how to kick well:
1. Better body position in the water (hey am not drowning!)
2. Better hand entry in the water (no dropped elbow anymore!)
3. Better rotation of the body during freestyle
4. Better "feel for the water"
5. Kick sets offer AWESOME recovery from long runs (this one may sound conterintuitive, but trust me, do a kick set of only 800yds after a hard or long run workout and your legs will love it!)
Up until I injured my shoulder two years ago (the typical rotator cuff injury from overuse). I was in such a pain that I couldn't sleep at nights and I couldn't move my arm above the head level without some kind of discomfort. Four months off swimming, physical therapy and trigger point dry needling (the last one hurt!)
The only good thing that came out of it is that I learned how to kick! I was four months off swimming but my brilliant coach did not get me off the pool. I was doing all the swim practices with just kicking. All kinds of kicking: free, fly, breast, back, side, sprints, long sets, sets with flippers, sets with snorkel ... anything you can possibly imagine that a swimmer can do with or without a kickboard. Fun!
Well, not so fun back then, but certainly fun now. Here is how my swimming got better after learning how to kick well:
1. Better body position in the water (hey am not drowning!)
2. Better hand entry in the water (no dropped elbow anymore!)
3. Better rotation of the body during freestyle
4. Better "feel for the water"
5. Kick sets offer AWESOME recovery from long runs (this one may sound conterintuitive, but trust me, do a kick set of only 800yds after a hard or long run workout and your legs will love it!)
super
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