Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible!

Former Member
Former Member
I am slow, and when I mean slow, I mean slow. I can do a 26 sec 50 with fins, but without I come in just under 1:20! I think a big part of it is just taking the fins off and doing a lot of kick sets to learn to feel the water better with my feet. I have a good breaststroke kick so I don't think my problem is an overly weak pair of legs, although they could be in better shape. Also, myankles are fairly flexible as I can point my toes and make my feet bend backwards past an even position with my shins. However, I do think that I need to loosen up my ankles when I kick. I feel like I get more out of my kick for those brief moments when I allow my ankles to snap back and forth with my kick. I think I actually need to relax more to kick faster as weird as that sounds. I suppose the answer to my question is that I simply need to take of the fins and do kick set after kick set until I learn to feel the water better with my feet and become more efficient.
  • thanks for reporting this you asked What would you say is the single most important aspect to mastering the SDK? Or is it just lots of practice until you find your own way? I would need to watch you to see what you are actually doing and offer you specific corrections. Probably your technique or timing isn't quite right. correct that and you'd probably make a quantum leap on your 25 time When I was in college I preferred to dolphin kick with my hands by my side and SDK felt funny. I wish I would have perfected my SDK back then. Also do a 25 free sprint so we can compare your 25 free time to your 25 kicking times please report that time. make a video of your kick and put it up on youtube I have an update: SDK 25 metres 20:92 and Flutter Kick 25 metres 22:90 but to be honest I don't feel like I am really grabbing that water. Ande, I must admit I feel quite disheartened when I see that 12.4 25m SDK time of yours. I don't know where I am going wrong that I am so far off the mark. I am fiercely competitive and, believe me, it is through no lack of trying. I am not a slouch in the water either: I can go sub 27 for 50m free relatively easily but with my SDK it just feels like I am increasing the frequency of my kick without any major increase in forward propulsion. It feels like I am going more up and down than forward. Last night I was watching some Go Swim links posted by George. If you have the time check out this: www.goswim.tv/videolist.php then scroll down until you see : Butterfly - Outside - In Kick and see what you think of this technique. I tried it this afternoon but I am not sure it made any difference. In fact I spent the enitre 1 1/2 hours this afternoon just working on my SDK's and wondering why it felt so ineffectual. I think it has to do with the fact that I am not using my entire body. I use my legs more. Recently I have been doing a lot of butterfly training (up to 1000m a practice) and I am hoping in the long run that this will strengthen my core and hence improve my SDK'ing. Another thing I have noticed is that I am faster if I put my hands at my sides. I find if my arms are at my side, my whole body undulates more rhythmically and I get a much better forward propulsion but I am loathe to do this because it would just be impractical in a race. The arms have to be out in the front ready for the breakout stroke. What would you say is the single most important aspect to mastering the SDK? Or is it just lots of practice until you find your own way? Syd
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    I have an update: SDK 25 metres 20:92 and Flutter Kick 25 metres 22:90 but to be honest I don't feel like I am really grabbing that water. Ande, I must admit I feel quite disheartened when I see that 12.4 25m SDK time of yours. I don't know where I am going wrong that I am so far off the mark. I am fiercely competitive and, believe me, it is through no lack of trying. I am not a slouch in the water either: I can go sub 27 for 50m free relatively easily but with my SDK it just feels like I am increasing the frequency of my kick without any major increase in forward propulsion. It feels like I am going more up and down than forward. Last night I was watching some Go Swim links posted by George. If you have the time check out this: www.goswim.tv/videolist.php then scroll down until you see : Butterfly - Outside - In Kick and see what you think of this technique. I tried it this afternoon but I am not sure it made any difference. In fact I spent the enitre 1 1/2 hours this afternoon just working on my SDK's and wondering why it felt so ineffectual. I think it has to do with the fact that I am not using my entire body. I use my legs more. Recently I have been doing a lot of butterfly training (up to 1000m a practice) and I am hoping in the long run that this will strengthen my core and hence improve my SDK'ing. Another thing I have noticed is that I am faster if I put my hands at my sides. I find if my arms are at my side, my whole body undulates more rhythmically and I get a much better forward propulsion but I am loathe to do this because it would just be impractical in a race. The arms have to be out in the front ready for the breakout stroke. What would you say is the single most important aspect to mastering the SDK? Or is it just lots of practice until you find your own way? Syd
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    When I use the dolphin, swimming or just kicking my big toes almost touch together at all times. My ankles are relaxed and the toes are pointed in, pidgeon toed the legs are not held tight together but are relaxed. Heels are seperated at times as much as 14 inches.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    It sure helps when the toes point in on the down kick on the crawl and the up kick on the backstroke. If the ankles are relaxed during the up beat on crawl the foot flexes back and the toes do not point in. The feet should never be force pointed. It should happen without thinking about it.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    It sure helps when the toes point in on the down kick on the crawl and the up kick on the backstroke. If the ankles are relaxed during the up beat on crawl the foot flexes back and the toes do not point in. The feet should never be force pointed. It should happen without thinking about it. Right on, George. Back (way back) when, I made myself do this, so that the movement of my feet during the down kick (with toes pointed in) ressembled that of a power boat's screw-blade; it did ostensibly and noticeably increase the effectiveness of the kick.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    Ande I still like my hands at my sides. That first double arm stroke seems to get you to a speed that makes the kick just a little more like we have to do it. But when teaching it I have the client hold his arms out front as if he was coming out of a dive or turn, kick 10 to 15 yards, then breakout into swimming full stroke. Of course I dont like any stroke broken down into kicking sets and arms only sets. I do not work with large groups. I only do private and semi-private teaching. These classes are 30, 45 or 60 minutes.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    Right on, George. Back (way back) when, I made myself do this, so that the movement of my feet during the down kick (with toes pointed in) ressembled that of a power boat's screw-blade; it did ostensibly and noticeably increase the effectiveness of the kick. I sure hated this when I had an ingrown toenail on my big toe and it happened to touch the other foot. Real pain.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    I started stretching my ankles after noticing the extra range of motion Phelps was getting during his kick. It helps, but I have to do it for 10-15 min to notice a difference. Lots of vigorous kicking with fins might have a similar effect.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    Thanks for your reply Ande. I still have one of those Sony Hi-8 Handycams (haven't even entered the digital age yet let alone own an underwater camera)! I shall try and see if I can borrow one. In the meantime I am studying videos of others doing it well and trying to emulate them. I have another question though: I have, what I think, is a two beat cross over kick. It might go up to a four beat when I sprint but as I am so busy sprinting I have never been able to count it. Now, when I do the sets you prescribe or kick with a board my feet obediently kick side by side, but the minute I resume swimming they start crossing over again. I have tried swimming with my feet kicking side by side but it is exhausting and my bum sinks and my rhythm goes to pieces. It seems to me that my legs are crossing over in order to stay afloat. Perhaps if I increased the frequency of my kick this would obviate the need to crossover. I don't know enough about this and am really just guessing. My question: is a cross over kick a bad thing? Should I try and get rid of it. I have been doing your kicking sets religiously and there has been improvement ( I am now 3 seconds faster for a 25m - okay, I am still an achingly slow 22.90 but that is still 3 secs faster than my starting point) but I can't seem to translate this into extra speed when it matters most: swimming. Quite frankly, I think it is the cross over thing that is hindering it. Thanks for the new faster, faster tips. They are excellent. Also, congratulations on your song! Syd thanks for reporting this you asked What would you say is the single most important aspect to mastering the SDK? Or is it just lots of practice until you find your own way? I would need to watch you to see what you are actually doing and offer you specific corrections. Probably your technique or timing isn't quite right. correct that and you'd probably make a quantum leap on your 25 time When I was in college I preferred to dolphin kick with my hands by my side and SDK felt funny. I wish I would have perfected my SDK back then. Also do a 25 free sprint so we can compare your 25 free time to your 25 kicking times please report that time. make a video of your kick and put it up on youtube
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 17 years ago
    I have suggested to many to wear speedo fins. I tell them to kick with them on the proper feet and then reverse the fins, put the left fin on the right foot and the left fin on the right foot. This really loosens up the ankles.