Easy Freestyle:
Outside the Box:
O2 in H2O:
Breaststroke for Every Body
Backstroke for Every Body
Better Fly for Every Body
Triathlon Swimming: Made Easy
Extraordinary Swimming for Every BodyIn a post at the TI Discussion Forum, Jason asked for help with a scissors kick.
I hope someone can help. I feel I have the TI technique down EXCEPT the two beat kick (2BK). For some reason my leg goes to a 90 degree angle at the knee when I kick. I know this is creating drag and want to correct it. I’ve tried everthing. I have even thought about tieing my feet together in a shallow pool. Any suggestions?
I replied:
I’ve spent years on my own 2BK “project.” But even before giving the 2BK much attention, I had spent over a decade focused pretty narrowly on the many ways in which one can reduce drag.
I began a shift toward efforts to improve propulsion around 2000, thinking mainly about my armstroke for a few years. In 2004 I began to focus on my kick.
Since then my efforts have been organized as follows:
1) Make my legs more passive to save energy and reduce turbulence
2) Get them to “draft behind my torso.”
3) Synchronize leg beats with hand-spear.
4) Use less muscle to accomplish #3 – shifting the work from quads to core.
5) Focus again on streamlining the kick – using toe-flick rather than leg-drive.
Eliminating a scissors — or other leg-splaying habits — falls into #2. The most helpful thing I did to streamline my kicks was improving lateral stability – i.e. controlling rotation. Besides imprinting controlled rotation in Skate and SpearSwitch, I also focused on keeping my elbows as high and wide as possible as I completed extension.
I’ve described my 2BK process and project in detail in Chapter 7 “How to Kick in Open Water” of the Outside the Box ebook.
Streamlined Legs - and Body - in SpearSwitch
Legs Draft Behind Torso in Whole Stroke
Have searched for a “TI community” in Norway – i cant find one, do you guys no anything?
jason-Kim Bade (terrific TI coach from Rochester, ny) gave me an easy drill to help eliminate my scissor kick. With a small buoy under each arm for floatation, “stand” in deep water. While in this vertical position, and with legs straight, bring one leg slightly forward, the other one back. Now simply bring them together in a quick move. It’s magic. Now do it the other way. You should find your self gently rotating. This is essentially the 2bk move. Of course, the next step is to translate that into your full stroke, but the feel is finally there, and the rest really begins to make sense. No more scissor kick! Thanks to both Terry and Kim.
Do you recommend stretch cords that keep ankles together to eliminate scissor kick?
Stan Some recommend that, but I’ve gotten great results by doing something similar, without the cords. I just swim short distances – 25 yds or less – focused on keeping my ankles as close together as I can. What this forces me to learn is how to control instability in my upper torso – in similar ways to how this blog advocates.
Great suggestion, Chris. Thanks for sharing it. Why don’t you post it on the Forum, on the same thread from which my blog was drawn.
Morten, For sure there are TI enthusiasts scattered around Scandinavia. I can think of two ways to locate some who may be in your area
1) Post a query on the Find a TI Buddy on the TI Forum.
2) If management allows, post a notice on the bulletin board at the pool(s) where you swim, asking others who practice TI – or would like to – to contact you.
You could also use social networking sites – including posting something on the wall of the TI Facebook page, and perhaps on any such networks (is there a Craigslist in Norway) where you are.
Good luck,
Terry