An interesting point of view by SharkFM

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Swim%3A_Huub_pants_and_Pull_buoy_addicts_-_we_got_it_all_wrong_P5982830/

If you don't have time to read the whole thread, just read the first page and watch the 2 videos by SharkFM. What do you guys think about both the kickboard drill and the pull buoy use he proposes?

The first thing I thought about the kickboard was: ok, float the front, engage the core properly and ride high on the water with your entire body like if you were in a wetsuit or over a surfboard. Cool, but what should you be supposed to do when removing the kickboard? Having practiced and felt the better core engagement and posture is enough to keep riding high? Don't know. Pressing water down to lift the upper body seems not the best option either (maybe only for a 50m sprint).

Another thing that came to my mind, and here I'd like to ask to someone who kicks fast enough with a kickboard (NC?): could it be that we slow kickers got it all wrong when grabbing a kickboard and just holding on it and kick? I mean, instead of just holding on the kickboard, should we actively try to sink the kickboard down while also tilting the pelvis forward (ie contrasting the banana shape with arched back) and finally leverage on the board to gain an overall higher body position?

In short, 2 question for fast kickers:

1) do you press the kickboard down with your arms while kicking to ride higher on the water?
2) are you faster when kicking with a board head up or when kicking on the back in streamlined position?

Salvo

Sharky always has interesting ideas.

I also tried the kickboard under chest a few years ago and it balances nicely. Very easy to swim and breathe.
If you only swim like this you will feel like drowning whan you take it away, and you also are forgotten how to rotate probably.

I agree floating at the rear makes the balancing muscles lazy, but you can train the upperbody so much that removing the buoy just feels like an extra drag, but the increased upperbody fitness can offset that.
Is not ideal, but if you love swimming with pull and hate it without, getting the upperbody perfect, fitt and working on autopilot could make the swimming without the pull bearable.

only tried the kickboad under chest to test how it changes balance.
SS says blowing out the air improves balance. I dont agree with this.
Kickboard under chest is like swimming with super full lungs. Balancing is easy with a kickboard under chest because you have more bodymass above water to control your balance. Arms in front for example.
Who thinks emptying the lungs improves your balance?

I have joined Slow Twitch in order to write to SharkFM.

If anyone else belongs to ST, maybe theycould write him too?

FWIW, I briefly tried both board under chest with rubber band and swimming with pull buoy the way he suggest (ie trying to press the pull buoy down) but I didn't note anything special...

Salvo