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Posts tagged “kickboards”

Can You Define Your Swim Kick?

barbienelis

Posted on June 20, 2015

There are three (basic) components to swimming. Breathing, paddling your arms and KICKING your legs. Yes, it’s that simple. Now go do it. I have seen kicks that leave me in stitches. The most common mistakes I see are: the bicycle kick, the bent-knee kick, and the point your toes at the bottom of the pool kick. When swimming freestyle, you do the flutter kick. If you are using another kick, you need to call me.  Your leg should be straight. It’s not really “straight” like a 2 x 4 piece of wood, as that is not possible when you are swimming.  You knees will be very slightly bent. This is where swimmers get in trouble. How much is “slight”? Need a guideline for…

Tagged: kickboards, swim kick, swim technique

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How To Find A Keeper

barbienelis

Posted on July 1, 2014

Have you ever heard me say, “If I only had a nickel…?” Parents frequently ask me, “My children are in public swim lessons but I still don’t think they can get to the wall alone.  Do you think they need private swim lessons?” Well…….yes! I do private lessons, meaning one-on-one swim lessons. I sometimes do semi-private lessons, but for these lessons to be effective, the students (adults included) must have similar swimming skills. How do you find a private lesson instructor who is a keeper? Here are my recommendations: Get a referral. Ask your friends and then have your friends ask their friends.  Everywhere you go, ask. Make sure the instructor is flexible to YOUR schedule.  Life happens.  The student gets sick.  Vacations come…

Tagged: adult beginner swim lessons, kickboards, learn to swim, swim lesson readiness

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You Learned To Swim, Now What?

barbienelis

Posted on January 14, 2014

You faithfully completed swimming lessons and now arrive solo at the pool ready for a workout. Let’s face it-it’s a little intimidating.  In which lane did Barbie tell you to swim? You think that it was the lane in front of the lifeguard stand. Holy moly, two people are already swimming in that lane. What’s Plan B? Go home and have a beer. No, you have to get off of the couch. Okay, pick a lane already. Back and forth you swim. Let’s see, you swim 18 laps, which according to Barbie’s swim chart should be a quarter of a mile (in a 25 yard pool). Good enough. Off to the showers. You come back to the pool for week #2. Now what? Here…

Tagged: health, high elbow, kickboards, learn to swim, swim drills

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Kickboard-Less Kicking Drills

barbienelis

Posted on March 20, 2013

Part Two of Why I am Anti-Kickboard.  Please be sure to read my first blog article on why I am Anti-Kickboard posted December 27, 2012.  Kicking with a kickboard will allow you to chitchat with your lane mates, but it will do nothing for your swim. I have observed many people doing kicking drills with their beloved kickboards, and I swear they are going in reverse. Haven’t they noticed they are going nowhere? Have you seen swimmers “muscling” through the water? They look like they are having a slug-fest with the water because they do not have an adequate kick.  Swimming should not be this hard. I haven’t touched a kickboard in many years.  Using a kickboard is “old school” in my humble opinion.…

Tagged: drills, kickboards, swim equipment, swim fins

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Why I Am Anti-Kickboard

barbienelis

Posted on December 27, 2012

Let me count the ways…… There are many flotation devices to help you swim. However, none of them are going to teach you to swim. Students climb onto kickboards and use them like surfboards or boogie boards. Why? They are scared they may slip off the kickboards.  Kickboards flip over and down you will go. If you are a novice swimmer with no basic skills, you will sink in water over your head. Kickboards are for advanced swimmers who have been trained to use them properly. I rarely see a beginner student using a kickboard correctly. The beginner student will grab the kickboard with bent arms and “surf,” with his head sticking out of the water.  If you do this, you will go nowhere…

Tagged: kickboards

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