Prevent GKS
In part I the process of GKS was discussed and in part II the errors in kicking were tackled. This part will give ideas for improvement and implantation on your team.
From my experience, tackling the first break down in any long chain reaction effect is necessary to improve the subsequent processes. The first step in the GKS continuum was leg spin. To improve leg spin, proper kicking biomechanics is essential. Too many swimmer rely on improving kick speed at fatigue causing fatigue and starting the GKS process. Increasing kick speed also decreases the amount of range of motion used during the kick, causing swimmers to use an improper motor program and decrease the amount of whipping motion.
Part II discussed the misconception surrounding kicking from the hips and locking their knees to kick like toothpick man/woman. Unfortunately, this decreases the quadriceps (quads) use for force production and forward propulsion. The quads are the strongest knee extensor and full activation is mandatory for a long distance per kick. Improving and maintaining distance per kick is essential to prevent leg spin and the GKS process.
Distance per kick is a subject rarely tackled with swim coaches, however if you asked any coach they would talk about the importance of distance per stroke. Kicking efficiency plays an important role in distance per stroke! Elite club and high school coach Chris Plumb hints at briefly discusses the importance of kicking efficiency in his beep, beep, beep, as his team uses tempo trainers to train dolphin kick tempo. During fatigue many swimmer's believe spinning their legs will get them from point A to B. However, this tempo will increase fatigue and be inefficient. Don't eliminate the whipping motion mandatory for an efficient kick.
Land Before Water?
Performing proper kicks on land is easier than in the pool. To learn a proper kick on land, the movement must mimic kicking as much as possible. Even though soccer kicking eliminates hip roll, soccer kicking is like kicking a soccer ball. Doesn't sound too absurd, but I'm sure some disagree, but think about it, when someone shoots a soccer ball, they will rapidly flex their hip, extend their knee and point their toes (plantarflex) to propel the ball forward. This is the same method used in the pool. One method to improve the kicking power and whipping motion is to have the swimmer perform kick backs on a soccer bungee provides an opportunity for the athlete to practice proper kicking on land.
Soccer Swimmer...
Once improved on land, the athlete must show improvement in the pool, as we could venture David Beckham may have a good kick but is unlikely to make and Olympic swim team. It is difficult to measure kicking efficiency, but a few methods are counting kicks in groups of four to determine your kick rate. This is possible with a board, without a board and rotating (like six kick switch) and with regular swimming. Once this number becomes constant, the athlete can try swimming at a desired pace with their ideal kick rate or they can perform descending kick sets with either decreasing intervals or decreasing the interval. and descend the amount of total kicks while staying on the interval. This concept of kick count could be valuable for swimmers who suffer from GKS. Remember, this isn't the only possible for GKS, but this link in the continuum plays a vital role.
Wrap-up
GKS occurs for many reasons. Try to tackle this flaw at the first step, not the step which occurs right before feeling like you were kick in the groin. Don't become a slave to the tag line of under training or wussy swimmers. Strive for answers to these complex questions while realizing the answer may be the result of many variables. Accept and embrace complexity, talking each subject one at a time.
By Dr. G. John Mullen, DPT, CSCS. He is the founder of the Center of Optimal Restoration and head strength coach at Santa Clara Swim Club.
In part I the process of GKS was discussed and in part II the errors in kicking were tackled. This part will give ideas for improvement and implantation on your team.
From my experience, tackling the first break down in any long chain reaction effect is necessary to improve the subsequent processes. The first step in the GKS continuum was leg spin. To improve leg spin, proper kicking biomechanics is essential. Too many swimmer rely on improving kick speed at fatigue causing fatigue and starting the GKS process. Increasing kick speed also decreases the amount of range of motion used during the kick, causing swimmers to use an improper motor program and decrease the amount of whipping motion.
Part II discussed the misconception surrounding kicking from the hips and locking their knees to kick like toothpick man/woman. Unfortunately, this decreases the quadriceps (quads) use for force production and forward propulsion. The quads are the strongest knee extensor and full activation is mandatory for a long distance per kick. Improving and maintaining distance per kick is essential to prevent leg spin and the GKS process.
Distance per kick is a subject rarely tackled with swim coaches, however if you asked any coach they would talk about the importance of distance per stroke. Kicking efficiency plays an important role in distance per stroke! Elite club and high school coach Chris Plumb hints at briefly discusses the importance of kicking efficiency in his beep, beep, beep, as his team uses tempo trainers to train dolphin kick tempo. During fatigue many swimmer's believe spinning their legs will get them from point A to B. However, this tempo will increase fatigue and be inefficient. Don't eliminate the whipping motion mandatory for an efficient kick.
Land Before Water?
Performing proper kicks on land is easier than in the pool. To learn a proper kick on land, the movement must mimic kicking as much as possible. Even though soccer kicking eliminates hip roll, soccer kicking is like kicking a soccer ball. Doesn't sound too absurd, but I'm sure some disagree, but think about it, when someone shoots a soccer ball, they will rapidly flex their hip, extend their knee and point their toes (plantarflex) to propel the ball forward. This is the same method used in the pool. One method to improve the kicking power and whipping motion is to have the swimmer perform kick backs on a soccer bungee provides an opportunity for the athlete to practice proper kicking on land.
Soccer Swimmer...
Wrap-up
GKS occurs for many reasons. Try to tackle this flaw at the first step, not the step which occurs right before feeling like you were kick in the groin. Don't become a slave to the tag line of under training or wussy swimmers. Strive for answers to these complex questions while realizing the answer may be the result of many variables. Accept and embrace complexity, talking each subject one at a time.
By Dr. G. John Mullen, DPT, CSCS. He is the founder of the Center of Optimal Restoration and head strength coach at Santa Clara Swim Club.
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