Do You Need Help with Your Kick and Glide? Most Non-Swimming / Land Athletes Do...
KICK AND GLIDE- You cannot have a good glide without a strong kick and you cannot utilize an effective kick without a good streamlined body position (good glide). The kick and glide and essential to you creating a fast / efficient CSS.
I prefer a scissor kick and most land athletes who do not have well developed breast stroke / frog kick muscles typically do as well. The kick is your preference as well. You can do a scissor kick with the top leg moving forward during the kick on either side OR you can do a breast stroke kick. Up to you. NOTE - you cannot swim with fins using a breast stroke kick so eventually, you will need to use scissor kick or flutterkicks when swimming with fins. Some will use a dolphin kick when finning as well. I tend to mix all of the kicks into longer swims and change sides every 5-10 minutes to change up the muscle groups working when the swims turn into more than an hour long. Watch this youtube video of a great kick and streamline glide combo.
Need Help with your Kick? Try This Drill
The kick board drill works like this:
Repeat 10 times
Swim 25m with kicboard (any side)
Swim 50m without the kickboard CSS (focus on kick and glide)
= 750m workout - call it a warmup or cooldown for the 50-50 but put in more effective time in the water using these two drill / workouts and you will crush the CSS.
@stewsmith50 Need to work on your scissor kick? Try this. 25 yards with a kickboard try to glide two seconds each kick. Swim 50 yards CSS repeat 5-10 times. #css
♬ original sound - Stew Smith CSS Coach
(here is a video of what kick board drill looks like)
Now - Get Into Swimming Shape with the 50-50
Dude - You are not in Swimming Shape and practice with the 50-50 Swim workout below 4-6 times a week:
@stewsmith50 Here is a set of the 50-50 work out. Check it out see previous post for the actual warm-up 10 sets of 50-50s and cool down. #css #specops #swim ♬ original sound - Stew Smith CSS Coach
Where You Can Find More About the CSS (FREE)
YOUTUBE: You can find more than 100 CSS videos on my Youtube Channel (@stew50smith) along with 200+ Tactical Fitness Report podcasts, Live Q and A sessions, and more.
INSTAGRAM: You can find hundreds on my Instagram page (@stewsmith50) as well but you just need to scroll through to see the videos or check out the hashtag #crushthepst.
TIKTOK - Now you can see my TikTok Channel (@stewsmith50)
Who Is The Tactical Fitness Coach Stew Smith?
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I'm the former Navy SEAL that military recruits and special ops candidates go to for books, ebooks and online coaching to prepare themselves to get to and through intense tactical assessment and selection programs and qualify for service in their chosen tactical profession. See More at StewSmithFitness.com |
What Book / Training Program is Right for Me IF I Need to Learn the CSS?
This is a very common question and the answer is always - "IT DEPENDS."
It depends on many factors that also depend on each other. For instance, if this was asked by a 19 yr old male seeking Navy SEAL Training, the options are the following:
BUT It still depends: The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness is a classic and focuses on high rep calisthenics and running and swimming base. If you are an athlete with a strong power / strength background in lifting and not running or swimming, Navy SEAL Fitness is ideal for you. IF you need some place to start Navy SEAL Fitness is ideal for you as well because a calisthenics base / running / swimming progression is a good place to build a foundation. Though you will likely need to spend some time in the Navy SEAL Weight Training Book OR if Navy SEAL FItness is too challenging, go with Navy SEAL SWCC, EOD, Diver, PST Phase 1 Workout. Phase 1 is a good starting point if Navy SEAL Fitness program is too tough. It is easier than The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness and a good prep course before attempting it.
Navy SEAL Weight Training - This is part two (winter lifting phase) of my SEAL Prep program. If you have done the Navy SEAL Fitness (12 weeks to BUDS) program a few times and need a break, this is the next program that integrates lifting with the Navy SEAL Prep training. This is ideal for people who have come from an endurance athlete background.
Navy SEAL / SWCC, EOD, Diver Program Series - Phase 1 is what I call a beginner guide, but it is still challenging.
Phase 2 and 3 of the Navy SEAL / SWCC, EOD, Diver program is about the same level of intensity as Navy SEAL Fitness and is also a good follow-up plan after Phase 1.
Phase 4 ot the Navy SEAL Key to Mental Toughness is by far my toughest workout ever created. It resembles a day of BUDS, complete with "wet and sandy", runs after eating, high rep punishment push-ups, 4 mile timed runs, 2 mile swims with fins, log PT simulation, and even a HellWeek Simulator with 3 workouts a day.
Lifting Cycle Programs For Those Who Need a Strength Focus
Tactical Fitness Series - Tactical Fitness, Tactical Strength, and Tactical Mobility is an ALL-encompassing program that focuses on lifting, calisthenics, run, ruck, swim, speed, agility, and flexibility / mobility. Many people focusing on USMC (OCS, RECON, MarSOC) Army Ranger / SF, Air Force Special Warfare, SWAT / Federal Law Enforcement, and Navy Special Warfare have done very well focusing on the Tactical Fitness Series and developing themselves into an all-round Tactical Athlete.
It is not all just calisthenics and cardio at Stew Smith Fitness
Tactical Fitness, Tactical Strength, Navy SEAL Weight Training Workout, Weight Vest Workout, Stew Smith's Fall Winter Cycle, Warrior Workout #2, Maximum Fitness
These programs as well as my online coaching programs have Winter Lift Cycles in them as part of our Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization System. But, do not get these lift cycles confused with ACTUAL strength / power lifting programs, these are strength / power programs that also have a focus on cardio fitness maintenance BECAUSE you need to be good at all the elements of fitness and develop into an all-round Tactical Athlete.
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