Saving My Legs Strategy

So cap, I don't know if I have an argument one way or the other.  I kick, but it's just not for power.  I learned very early that my kick is virtually useless in my speed and just wears me out too fast.  So over time, I learned to slow it down and use it to force my body rotation and keep the hips high, oddly enough.   

I never really thought of it or articulated it as saving my legs for the bike and run.  I'd equate it to not kicking hard to save my Heartrate from spiking.   I logically don't see how kicking hard or easy in the swim has any impact on your legs. 

Wetsuits probably make it easier to keep the body position close to balanced when trying the "kick less" strategy.  I do most of my training without my wetsuit.  Then I train with it for the last few weeks before taper.  When I first start training with it, I really notice the difference - riding higher in the water, legs feeling buoyant, etc.

I think the strategy probably has some merit, but for "Jane MOP" or "Joe BOP" they must train to learn a "kick less" swim technique, with guidance from a coach, for it to be effective.  Not "just try it" on race day.

Like anything, train the way you race, race the way you've trained.  My $0.02.

It's not just "saving the legs".  Strong kicking expends tons of energy and requires more oxygen and can quickly turn your legs to jello.  I tone down my kick (a lot).  I can't imagine not kicking at all.  If your lower body sinks some and you're dragging it through the water, you're definitely not doing yourself any favors.

To be honest, I can't imagine many triathletes being able to pull off no kicking without their lower half sinking and then they'll end up wasting energy trying to compensate for it.  "Gentle" kicking is the way to go in my opinion....consider it a nice, easy warm up of your legs for the rest of the race.

Sorry, but I want to just go along with this thread but I have a hard time. Rocketman and I have to agree to disagree on this point to some extent. You don't need to swim well to podium but it sure as heck helps. I am a prime example. Even with the slowest swim splits I am near or on podium in most local events AG or clydes.

Regionally its tougher and nationally even tougher to pull it off without balance but most BT'ers are locals. In fact you have virtually no chance once you get away from the local short course to get on the podium without good balance. So to some extent I agree with them.

What I think has been under-stated is that you do need to bike and run well. They are way more time intensive at every distance of tri.

Thus, its important that even on these single sport threads there is a proper context. Invest time on stroke development but do not do it to the detriment of the other two sports. Heavy on bike and run, judicious on swim with an emphasis on stroke work early in development is my point .

Kick, gentle kick, or no kick is not really a big deal if you are already efficient/competitive with swimming I suspect. However, please resume, now that I got that off my chest.

I don't even think about kicking.  I do kick drills etc and work to get a good body position and I let the kick fall where it may.  I would guess I'm somewhere around a 2-3 beat kick but don't have a strong kick like others do.  I just want to make sure my hips and feet stay up in the water.

My cardio runs out long before my legs to.  I'll worry about kicking too much when the legs go first one day .. lol

Over the course of 13 years my kick has gone from virtually my only means of forward propulsion in the water to merely a flutter that is used soley for the purpose of maintaining good body position in the water and nothing more... well, occasionally I use it to let the drafter (which is hilarious cause I'm an MOP swimmer) know that they are too close.

Andi

Phat you are correct in that you and I will agree to disagree about the swim and the significance of swim training. My point in this entire argument is that if you spend the time to learn how to swim correctly you can make significant gains in a short period of time. Regarding the kick or no kick argument-it's hard to swim using less effort if you are already swimming poorly. The majority of newer/MOP athletes have poor body position in the water and are dropping their hips to begin with, by not kicking they are making a bad situation even worse.


ETA: I use a 4 beat kick when I swim.  

per stroke - 6 beat kick