Re: Proper form for using a kickboard

"Balance" may be best achieved by developing the ability to effortless maintain
lower lumbar spine tension.  Once you can do this, you don't need to worry
about head position.  Without a properly tensioned lower lumbar spine "raising
your head even one inch will seriously affect your balance."  With the proper
lumbar spine tension, you can raise your head to your hearts content and stay
easily and perfectly in balance.  This is a particular advantage for a
triathlete or other open water swimmer, as it allows you to practice swimming
looking forward and elevating the head for frequent sighting over the waves. 
It is also an advantage for anyone who needs to swim with other people in the
same lane.

The last time we were discussing this issue was last August; at the time I
received (and posted) the following two e-mails on the same day:

August, 2003 e-mail #1:

As a XX (redacted to protect confidentiality) year old runner trying to pick up
freestyle swimming for the first 
time, I have been following your postings in Rec.Sport.Swimming for several 
months now.  Please accept my apology for the e-mail intrusion, but I am 
not comfortable posting directly publicly.

Many thanks for your valuable contributions in swimming and 
elsewhere.  Your comments on shoulder impingement are especially important 
to me.

My own observations as an adult near-novice with a typical male runner's 
body [dimensions redacted] are that (1) the TI drills are impossible to
perform, 
and (2) consciously maintaining the lower lumbar arch gets me down the lane 
with far less expenditure of energy.  Ironically, maybe because of lack of 
flexibility in my spine, the greatest sensation of speed and power in my 
non-breathing (left) stroke comes with my head and shoulders down (press 
the buoy?) through the leverage of a fully extended right arm together with 
good lower lumbar arch. [Larry's nb: precisely the position of Janet Evans and
Grant Hackett at this point in the stroke cycle].

recent e-mail #2:

Larry,

[info on kick/swim times redacted]

My background [redacted] yrs old, male, did 1st Masters competition last year.
Swim 
free sprints and started because I wanted to keep in shape for surfing.
[Height/weight given: tall and trim]

As an aside, I have also done the exercises with the kickboard and the back 
muscles and found that it worked for me as you described. It also worked 
for me doing freestyle. My butt seems to stay at the surface the whole 
time. I also find it an easier method than press down on buoy because I can 
immediately tell if I am doing this or not. However, I don't believe that 
the low butt/leggs were a big problem for me before because of a relatively 
strong kick. I do find that because of my build or lack of it, I do not 
float as well as others and slow drills I tend to sink. I have always 
played sports that emphasize the lower body i.e. soccer and cycling and 
have a relatively weaker upper body.  I learnt to swim when I was young and 
swam in a swim club for a few years.

>>>

I think what I've proposed is consistent with Yanai's research, consistent with
observations from the world of elite swimming, consistent with
self-experimentation, and is reproducible in the real world for anyone
open-minded enough to give it a try.

- Larry