when do you do butterfly kick in beginning of breaststroke

Question
Dear Ron

I have noticed that during the start of breaststroke, some swimmers do a butterfly kick (now allowed) before the first breaststroke arm pull and some do it immediately after the arm pull. Which is better or it doesn't matter?

Thanks

Eddie

Answer
You have no idea how many swimmers I had dq because of this rule.

I haven't coached the new way, and I haven't asked my friends who are coaching which way they think is best. My instincts tell me that kicking at the start of the pull would be best for the following reasons:
1) You're more streamlined so the kick would work better.
2) The use of the hips would help you pull stronger.
3) You're moving fastest in the streamline off the pull, by kicking you extend that time a little longer.

If you do it the second way, you're in a very poor streamline position and I think the kick would just add to the resistance. There might be some way to use the kick to help you recover your hands, but I don't know.

My best advice would be to set up a marker about 15 yards out (pulldown + one stroke) and test to see which way works best. You'd need a good timer to watch. Odd's do one way, evens the other. Try six at one speed, six at a faster speed, and six at race speed. (Timer starts watch when feet leave the wall). Let me know what happens!