Timeline for How much faster/more useful is swimming under water?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
9 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Sep 28, 2016 at 0:43 | comment | added | cvr | @Andrew Mattson I agree. I am starting to believe the kicks can be faster for many swimmers, but the depletion/wear is too strong if they do too many. How many, depends on individual factors. | |
| Sep 27, 2016 at 19:40 | comment | added | PoloHoleSet | @ycc_swe - Even if the speed cancels out, then you have to figure which is going to deplete the swimmer more - holding the breath, or additional stroke and recovery stroke cycles? | |
| Dec 18, 2014 at 15:01 | comment | added | cvr | Agree with your comment about "soft kick". To get best evaluation one should use full speed start/turn. | |
| Dec 18, 2014 at 14:59 | comment | added | cvr | I now watched the races on Youtube that I quoted in the question. Others have said the kicks gave big advantage. Phelps 200m freestyle finals Beijing: Phelps had considerable lead both before and after last turn. Influence of kicks uncertain. The only certain race is 100m backstroke Seoul: Berkoff & Suzuki gets significant lead. Berkoff even after poor start! But both are almost caught up in the end by 2 Soviet swimmers. They may have exhausted/oxygen depleted themselves under water? Maybe they could have swum that race in the surface too?? | |
| Dec 18, 2014 at 0:10 | comment | added | Jon Custer | My daughter's reaction was somewhat predictable - she considers the underwaters a part of her race, not an end to themselves, and is intentionally balancing speed vs breath vs the particular race. I'll note that your 'soft kick' is probably nothing like a real turn where the racer is trying to keep that momentum going for as long as practical. | |
| Dec 7, 2014 at 4:33 | comment | added | cvr | Why not time your daughter for 10 or 15 meters after a start in the water, comparing kicks and freestyle? / I am just a recreational swimmer who learnt by myself. Over a small, about 8-10 m pool I very roughly had 5.9 s freestyle and 7.8 s kicking under water. Starting both with a very soft kick off the wall. Only one try each and large error in my own timing :) | |
| Dec 7, 2014 at 4:04 | comment | added | Jon Custer | Well, the fastest you will go on a lap is after your dive or coming off the wall on a turn. Breaking the surface of the water will only slow you down. So yes, there is a balance of staying down without oxygen, and milking the underwater portion for all its worth. That balance will depend on each individual and their abilities. And, you still need to work on the break out as well. Competitive swimming is all about doing lots of little things consistently and well. | |
| Dec 7, 2014 at 1:33 | comment | added | cvr | Thanks. 7 strokes will not be enough for 15 m including push off wall, I think. Since she did kicks at all, she considered kicks faster but could not keep doing them for the full 15 m. Something drove her to the surface. The need to breathe? But 15 m under water is not far for an Olympian. / Many say the kicks are the "fastest stroke". But I am not sure I agree if not even every guy in an Olympic final has the ability to do it to full 15 m. ;) Would be interesting to see measure of time over short distance compared to regular stroke. | |
| Dec 6, 2014 at 22:48 | history | answered | Jon Custer | CC BY-SA 3.0 |