Courtesy: Mike O’Hare
What makes the dolphin kick the “Fifth Stroke” of competitive swimming?
In Get Going! With Competitive Swimming, former Division I swimmer and former age-group coach Mike O’Hare reveals how this technique transformed the sport.
“David Berkoff was one of the pioneers in using the underwater dolphin kick with the backstroke. He swam for Harvard University and represented the United States in the 1988 Olympics. He held world records in the backstroke and would regularly swim around 35 meters underwater from the start of his races. His start was known as the ‘Berkoff Blastoff.’”
As swimmers expanded the use of the dolphin kick, the 15-meter underwater limit was introduced, shaping backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle races today. O’Hare shows how to harness this power:
“If you aim for a strong but not overpowered kick, you are likely to fall into the recommended range of knee and hip bends.”
This is supported by research cited in the book, which shows that at the end of the down kick, the hip bend should be 25-35 degrees. See this in action below:
Shown here is position two of the four-part sequence.
2. She has reached the farthest point of the down kick. The bend of her hips remains at less than 35 degrees.
With more than 150 illustrations, Get Going! With Competitive Swimming breaks down strokes, turns, finishes, goal setting, mental preparation, and sportsmanship for swimmers, coaches, and parents supporting their athletes.
Coaches across the country are already responding positively.
What Coaches Are Saying
“Mike O’Hare has put together a comprehensive and easy to use guide on competitive swimming. This book is a valuable resource for novice to experienced swimmers as well as coaches. As a coach, I appreciate the attention to detail and the excellent use of graphics to illustrate stroke fundamentals.”
— Bill Dorenkott, Director of Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving, The Ohio State University
You can find Get Going! With Competitive Swimming and its full set of illustrations here: https://getgoingbooks.com.
