Building Leg Power

小臭贝

This week’s Speedo Tip of the Week comes from coach Alex Braunfeld of the Dynamo Swim Club, who offers some advice on building power in the legs.

Braunfeld's Tip:
In our weekly plan, I make sure we do two workouts a week of power-type stuff, especially with the legs. We also make sure they are spaced at least three days apart, and if possible, I coincide these power workouts with our leg workouts in the weight room.

For the last 20 years, we have been doing breastroke kicking against some surgical tubing and backstroke kicking with a weight belt and/or fins. Freestylers wear tennis shoes. We usually go about 20 minutes, but sometimes we get 25 minutes of this type of power work done two times per week. We mix it up each time they do it, but it is a challenge and makes for some good morning workouts. (Make sure the breastrokers have done a good job of stretching their groins before they try this kicking).

The backstrokers go about two-thirds of the workout time with fins and weight belt and one-third of short stuff with just the weight belt. It makes for good hip position, quick kicks, and some power in their kick. The coach has to do work to keep them motivated and doing the skills correctly, always reminding the breastrokers to finish their kick and keep the kick narrow. The backstrokers need "encouragement" to stay under water longer. The intervals for the tennis shoes have to be pretty long, but the work they get out of it is pretty good.

Good luck!