Kicking phenomenon

Swimming Technique, Jul-Sep 2003 by Lohn, John

Kick-based training is a development that has enabled athletes with shoulder difficulties to maintain their training without forfeiting success.

At some point, something went wrong. The injuries mounted. The pain increased. The times slowed. The questions surfaced. What's going on? Why is this happening? What can be done? Is there an answer? Is there an alternative?

To a degree matched by few athletes across the globe-pick a sport-swimmers tend to subject their bodies to relentless poundings. They hit the water for exhausting training sessions, grinding out eye-popping yardage totals.

They hit the weight room for arduous lifting sessions, in the process strengthening the upper and lower body-basically every muscle that could contribute to the betterment of their careers-to the slicing of time from that all-telling clock or stopwatch.

Given all the dedication, they really shouldn't find themselves plagued by injury. Yet, they also accept the fact that their chosen endeavor-like it or not-isn't always fair. And so, they trudge forward, seeking a remedy.

This story is about one of those remedies. It's about an alternative training method that has lengthened careers, in some instances, providing enhancement. This article focuses on the shoulders, friends to many swimmers, foes to others.

Here, Swimming Technique looks at a phenomenon in the sport. With a number of athletes stung by damage to their shoulders, many individuals have adjusted their training to emphasize kick-based workouts.

That's right. We're talking about training without, or with little, use of the arms and shoulders. Through the water they go with limited stroke work, but accompanied by grueling kick work. The positive of such a method? It lessens the wear and tear to the shoulders while providing a training base strong enough to maintain success.

Here's a glance at this approach.

Case Studies

Prior to analyzing the phenomenon itself, we figured we'd take a look at a handful of individuals who have experienced shoulder injuries. While kick-based training seemingly is catching on, there are different viewpoints about it.

Here are some cases.

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Tim Siciliano never expected to find himself adhering to a training regimen that, for months at a time, worked only the legs. After all, this is an athlete who established himself as a premier IM performer and distance freestyle specialist.

A man who trained with intense yardage loads, geared toward his involvement in the 800 and 1500, Siciliano was also familiar with intense stroke work, an obvious necessity for someone who contested the IM.

On a daily basis, Siciliano trained every sway possible to ensure greater results. Tim dedicated training to each of his strokes like most traditional IMers and distance swimmers. Eventually, though, he found himself forced to adopt a new training method.

During a team-bonding exercise as a freshman at Michigan, Siciliano got caught up in an apple-tossing battle while visiting an orchard. At some point during the fun-filled frolic, Siciliano suffered an injury to his shoulder, damage severe enough that a new training regimen was ordered.

What was required? An open-arm embrace of kick-based training.

Siciliano went on to become a three-time NCAA champion in the 400 IM and finalist in the 500 yard and 1650 yard freestyle events. So his decision to limit his stroke work did not produce adverse results. Sure, the Wolverine wasn't receiving the typical upper body workout load he was accustomed to experiencing. Nonetheless, Siciliano strengthened his kicking technique while building his cardiovascular base to a new level, and set a short course American record in the 400 IM in 2000.

"With me, we decided to go to kick-based training because the pain was so bad," Siciliano said. "I had to be in the water, so we thought it would be easier to go with kicking. When everyone was doing their main sets, I would try to keep up kicking or do everything I could to keep up. I would do some stroke work, but nothing strenuous. My injuries were nagging. They would go away and come back. It depended on the day. When I could, I would swim. When I was in too much pain, I would kick."

Aside from Siciliano and his coach, Jon Urbanchek, Nort Thornton, the men's coach at the University of California, has also achieved success through kick-based training in a number of his athletes, particularly Matt Macedo.

While Siciliano suffered shoulder woes through an out-of-water activity, Macedo turned to kick-based training due to wear and tear to his shoulders from swimming. Although not shunning stroke work, Thornton has recognized the usefulness of light stroke work coupled with intensive kick-training.

"As a group, we've evolved to heavy kicking loads," said Thornton, who has also watched Joe Bruckart take to the kick-based regimen. "I think you learn to kick better, which helps evolve the stroke, and the use of fins works flexibility. You can generate a decent heart rate with kicking. I believe you can kick to death without hurting anything."