{"id":341212,"date":"2018-12-08T04:00:14","date_gmt":"2018-12-08T11:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=341212"},"modified":"2018-12-08T13:35:34","modified_gmt":"2018-12-08T20:35:34","slug":"swimming-world-presents-vertical-kicking-the-sixth-stroke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/swimming-world-presents-vertical-kicking-the-sixth-stroke\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming World Presents “Vertical Kicking: The Sixth Stroke?”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vertical Kicking: The Sixth Stroke?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s agree that Joe Bernal<\/strong> and David Berkoff<\/strong> introduced us to the value of the underwater kick in the late 1980s. Then Bob Gillett<\/strong> and Misty Hyman<\/strong> sold us on it about 10 years later…so much so that we have taken to calling this extended underwater phenomenon the \u201cfifth stroke.\u201d So where might vertical kicking, a workout staple for many coaches, fall in the continuum?<\/p>\n

Swimming World Magazine spoke with 3 coaches to get their perspective.<\/p>\n

Bill Boomer<\/strong>, former swim coach at the University of Rochester and a globally recognized swim theorist and technician, believes vertical kicking has value, but is best employed with a scientific understanding. \u201cThere is a lot more to vertical kicking than just energy,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Ken Heis<\/strong>, of the Mason Manta Rays says, “While not a daily part of the Manta Ray regimen, vertical kicking has its place. The value is you can get a lot of kids in one or two lanes doing focused resistance work on their kick,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Eddie Reese<\/strong>, of the University of Texas says, “\u201cTwo years ago, we were doing vertical kicking\u2014head out of the water\u2014in relation to the fly kick. There are stages you have to go through to be a good fly kicker unless it\u2019s a gift\u201d.<\/p>\n

So, is vertical kicking a good thing?<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely. It introduces so much variety and addresses so many issues: among other things, constant communication with the athlete in the pool, breathing, sequencing and total harmonic work,\u201d says Boomer. No one ever said vertical kicking was easy. \u201cSome days, everything you do, swimmers view as punishment,\u201d says Reese.<\/p>\n

To learn more about how these coaches consider employing the vertical kick in training, the December 2018 issue of Swimming World Magazine <\/em>is available now!<\/div>\n
Swimming World subscribers can download this issue in the Swimming World Vault<\/a><\/span>!<\/div>\n

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[PHOTO BY LAPRESSE\/ PROVIDED BY ARENA]
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