Kicking is king
Every swimming event has unique demands. For example, distance events require a sense of pace and high endurance, and the need for fast and long body whips (off the start and turns) in butterfly and backstroke races is critical. However, a hard-driving and lasting kick in sprints are also a top priority. For example, Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, the five-time world record holder in the 50-freestyle, 100-freestyle, 200-freestyle, 50-butterfly, and 100-butterfly, can kick 100-yard freestyle in a time of 1:03.0, that’s right 1:03:0! The need for a strong kick in sprinting is undisputed, yet many swimmers (who like to sprint) fail to connect fast times with a blistering kick.
To help, I’ve developed a three-tiered kicking chart to give PEAK swimmers something to aim for. These goal-kicking times are crucial for those who hope or plan to swim in college. All times are in short course yards:
100 FL
- Gold=1:20:0
- Silver=1:24:0
- Bronze=1:28:0
100 BK
- Gold=1:15.0
- Silver=1:19.0
- Bronze=1:23.0
100 BR
- Gold=1:20.0
- Silver=1:24.0
- Bronze=1:28.0
100 FR
- Gold=1:15.0
- Silver=1:19.0
- Bronze=1:23.0