Breaststroke Kick and long legs

Former Member
Former Member
Does it help to have long legs? Is it a hinderance? Does it make any difference? I keep wanting to revert into a whip kick. :rolleyes: this one is gonna take a while. Oh, yea, even when I do get the motion right, there is hardly any propulsion. I get much more out of a whip kick. I think I'm still missing a muscle or two to pull it off. It's so frustrating when something doesn't sink in. I know, I know, keep practicing and experimenting... and just like everything else, one day it will click. Yeah, I'm very sore today. I suppose that means, I'll be growing muscle where I need it.
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Originally posted by breastroker Connie, See me at the next swim meet. I will help you on your kick. I am sure Mark is describing the kick correctly, sometimes you just need a different look or description for the light bulb to go on in your head and it will all click. Also it can help to go to the faster lanes and watch some of the great breaststrokers kick. Follow behind them and watch the whole motion. The biggest thing you will be amazed how much water is displaced backwards from good kickers. You swim with an Olympic Gold medalist in breaststroke, can't get better than that. Coach Wayne McCauley ASCA Level 5 Oh, Mark is describing it perfectly. It's ust that I'm having a hard time with 'getting it'. Mark's specialty is breaststroke too. I think my problem is that I used to rollerblade (speedskate) for a some 10 years, so 'whip-like' motion is second nature to me. Where the power comes from a strong push-off generated by the quads, ham and glutes, and the other outer-leg muscles. I'm making an educated guess that my inner-leg muscles, which seem to be instrumental in the breaststroke kick are very under-developed. The moment I need to pay attention to something otherthan 100%focus on my kick, I revert to a wide kick. Knees far apart... I think you are calling it Frog kick, or the wedge kick. I do okay with a kickboard when i isolate the kick, well about 60-70% of the times. I still have to think about it constantly, so guess, with time and practice it will happen. I do watch what call 'fast people' do it, it's helping. (You know, Terry Tongate, Brian, few others on our team.) I think I'm just perturbed, because I had an easier time learning how to juggle, then learning the breatstroke kick. It'll sink in eventually, I guess. Practice Practice Practice. Thank you very very much for your input and explanation :)
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Originally posted by breastroker Connie, See me at the next swim meet. I will help you on your kick. I am sure Mark is describing the kick correctly, sometimes you just need a different look or description for the light bulb to go on in your head and it will all click. Also it can help to go to the faster lanes and watch some of the great breaststrokers kick. Follow behind them and watch the whole motion. The biggest thing you will be amazed how much water is displaced backwards from good kickers. You swim with an Olympic Gold medalist in breaststroke, can't get better than that. Coach Wayne McCauley ASCA Level 5 Oh, Mark is describing it perfectly. It's ust that I'm having a hard time with 'getting it'. Mark's specialty is breaststroke too. I think my problem is that I used to rollerblade (speedskate) for a some 10 years, so 'whip-like' motion is second nature to me. Where the power comes from a strong push-off generated by the quads, ham and glutes, and the other outer-leg muscles. I'm making an educated guess that my inner-leg muscles, which seem to be instrumental in the breaststroke kick are very under-developed. The moment I need to pay attention to something otherthan 100%focus on my kick, I revert to a wide kick. Knees far apart... I think you are calling it Frog kick, or the wedge kick. I do okay with a kickboard when i isolate the kick, well about 60-70% of the times. I still have to think about it constantly, so guess, with time and practice it will happen. I do watch what call 'fast people' do it, it's helping. (You know, Terry Tongate, Brian, few others on our team.) I think I'm just perturbed, because I had an easier time learning how to juggle, then learning the breatstroke kick. It'll sink in eventually, I guess. Practice Practice Practice. Thank you very very much for your input and explanation :)
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