Backstroke Breakout

less Kredich, more Arndt

Kredich is 'Da' Man in the coaching realm. There is a point to him almost being 'OBMAMAH'ish. You could be the best technician in the world, but it's how you deliver & implement.

David K., the Masters swimmer you read about was undoubtedly Chris Stevenson. You can see his dolphin breakouts here:
http://www.floswimming.org/videos/play/26545-chris-stevenson-200-back-scm-world-record

Alexander Popov did a freestyle drill with a butterfly kick to work on rhythm. Apparently this passed onto Michael Klim. In 2000, at the Sydney Games in the 400 free relay finals his final 15 meters were freestyle with dolphin kick. weird.

It all comes back to the king! Eddie and Dave both
said they did not teach Peirsol that. Eddie said
also the way he does is it is imposible to teach!!
Why is this so? I also read Peirsol never gives
interviews, he is so different then the other top
swimmers. Its like the comercial when E. F. Hutton
talks everyone listens. He is just so smart, aways
above the fray.

There is nothing new under the sun: "A new backstroke revolution?" - Swimming Technique, Oct-Dec 1999 by Scott Rabalais

"While the use of a dolphin kick during backstroke has been limited almost exclusively to underwater work off of the start and turns, there is emerging evidence that swimming backstroke with a dolphin kick may be faster than using a flutter kick....."
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3871/is_199910/ai_n8872870
Also, from goswim's Forum: Dave Denniston on Aaron Piersol's backstroke
"Yes, [Aaron Piersol] uses his body in a dolphin motion while he swims. It is incredibly difficult to teach, and doesn't work for everyone. Aaron has mastered it, and it's amazing. But to duplicate it, is extremely difficult. Salo didn't teach it to him, nor did Eddie Reese. He developed it on his own."
http://www.goswim.tv/forums/3/topics/2424

The swimmer is Tricia Weaner of WSY fame. Jen Arndt started playing with this a week ag, brought out the stopwatch, and saw a .5 sec/10 yd improvement into the 1st stroke in one athlete. So we had everyone try it - first trying to take the dolphin kick into 3, then 2 strokes just to used to it, (because as Tricia says, it felt like she was "convulsing") with the thought that eventually they'd do it just for the 1st stroke, as Phelps and some others do. The cool part was that a couple of them are really good at taking it into 2 strokes and that 2nd stroke is really powerful. And yes, the better underwater athletes picked it up quickly. I'd love to hear any thoughts.

Does anyone know who the girl swimmer in the video is? Matt if you are reading this does it work better with your athletes who are better underwater athletes?

Phelps,

this is a practice. Whatch his race at trials and at the olympics, you will notice that when he starts pulling with the left arm he still dolphin kicking

Cannot be DQ'd for double arm backstroke breakout.....just need to sure that you when your feet leave the wall that you towards the back....on the turn you are allowed one single arm pull OR two arms moving together but not both. That was probably the reason for the DQ.
Backstroke with dolphin kick is established drill. Among other things it helps with the turnover. As noted in the video below, Phelps does not continue his dolphin kick throughout the breakout...nor do most world class swimmer. This might work if you have very small fast dolphin kicks and can maintain your line. Would not recommend for younger swimmers, however.

i dont think phelps dolphin kicks all the way up watch this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax77_hHq9Dc

I remember reading about a masters swimmer who set a masters record and it said that he swims backstroke with a dolphin kick. I can't imagine swimming backstroke with a dolphin kick for the whole length. Might be a neat drill though.

Is that gutter noise?

Is that Knick Knack patty whack

Michael phelps does that on the freestyle turns when he breaks out, he still dolphin kick and thats how he separates everyone from him

at missouri valley champs we had a guy who did his freetyle breakouts with a butterfly stroke. kind of the same principle. it definitely worked for him.

I wonder if the same principles behind this method would be applicable to a freestyle breakout... I would think so, as both are long axis strokes. Time to do some experimentation of my own!

I think Boomer advocated the double arm breakout, but this concept is also interesting.

I seem to remember one of my swimmers being DQ'd for a double arm breakout in backstroke? Hmm.

Other than that, it is an interesting idea. Since the dolphin kick has a little more speed potential I would agree that this has its benefits. I do not think that most people use the flutter kick to it's full advantage when transitioning into the swim very often.

This cat is bright.

Neat concept, and I can definitely see the extra power, but isn't the purpose of the flutter kick to help transition the body into a rotational movement? I haven't been swimming for long so maybe I misuderstood the purpose. Just wondering...

can't hear

i knew a guy who used to break out his backstroke with a double arm pull. does anyone do that anymore? it kind of seems like it would be worth playing with if you are continuing the dolphin kicks this way. time to break out the watch.