I heard this story on NPR yesterday, about how Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps' dolphin kick has helped him swim faster than anyone else in Beijing. Which reminded me of something. And it's a great childhood memory, so I thought I'd share, even though I feel like I'm breaking my Olympics boycott by posting this.
Yay for Michael and all that, but he isn't the first to use the dolphin kick. Oh, no, gentle readers--don't be led to believe no one else has ever discovered this before. Phelps is no visionary. In fact, 30 years ago we knew the dolphin kick could help you swim like the fishies.
And who was the REAL pioneer in swimology? Why, none other than actor Patrick Duffy, star of the fantastic but short-lived series The Man From Atlantis (and that other little show, Dallas) . God, I loved this show and so wanted to be him and swim with the dolphins. Check out those webbed hands!
His character was from Atlantis (really!) and washed up on shore somewhere and then helped beautiful Belinda Montgomery explore the seas. For the longest time, that was my dream, to explore the oceans like Duffy's character and swim with that dolphin kick! I practiced in the pool, too, every chance I had! That's right--before Phelps was even born, Patrick Duffy and yours truly were doin' the dolphin kick!
So Michael Phelps, you're not so great after all.
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